Obituary of Edward Heaney

Edward “Ned” William Heaney, age 84, died peacefully on December 1, 2024, after a long illness.

“Ned” was born on July 10, 1940, in Bronx, New York to Marie Linehan Heaney and Frederick Anthony Heaney. He grew up in White Plains, attending St. John’s Catholic Elementary school and graduated from White Plains High School in 1958, where he excelled on the football field and served as an altar boy at St. John’s Church. He attended Boston College, Class of 1962. He loved his college years and made the most of the fun to be had on and off campus. After college Ned worked at the Westchester County Airport driving a fuel truck and served in the Air National Guard until starting a career at Aetna, where he would work for many years as a General Agent until he retired. While in White Plains Ned served as a member of the Knights of Columbus Duffy Council and the Masons.

Ned married his first wife, Ann Elizabeth Parshley, in June 1965. The couple lived in Bronxville, New York until 1968 when they moved to South Glastonbury, Connecticut to raise their three children, ultimately separating in 1994 and remaining good friends. Ned became a loyal and active volunteer in the Glastonbury community. He served as a member of the Service Club of Glastonbury starting in 1970, the Sportsmen’s Club of Glastonbury, the Elks Club, and the Boy Scouts of America with his two sons and as a troop leader. Ned was an active supporter of Glastonbury Youth football, Friends of Glastonbury Football, and a volunteer fireman for Company 2 in South Glastonbury.

After the birth of his grandson, Jamie, who was born with disabilities, Ned decided to take a sign language class. It was in that class that he met the love of his life, Marilyn O’Leary Heaney, who was his sign language teacher. He worked up the nerve to ask her out after class one day, and the rest is history. They married in 2001, after which Ned enjoyed volunteering and tutoring at the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford where Marilyn served as a teacher for 35 years. Ned enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting, fishing, and doing yard work, as well as watching and coaching youth sports. He was always outside before sunrise during a snowstorm, enjoying shoveling the snow in his own driveway and for neighbors. He loved helping others; always willing to stop to help anyone with a broken-down car on the side of the road, the first to offer help to a friend in need, and enjoyed donating his time to any community cause, especially if it involved a pancake breakfast. Ned loved people, loved meeting socially and made friends wherever he went. He cherished the many years of almost daily breakfast at the local coffee shops with a group of close friends lovingly dubbed “The Liars’ Club.” He was a generous and loyal father and grandpa to his children and grandchildren, attending sports games home and away, in all kinds of weather, and always with a Gatorade for the end of the game.

Ned is survived by his wife, Marilyn; sister, Peggie of College Station, Texas; son Christopher Heaney and wife Rachel of Pensacola, FL; daughter Jennifer Carroll and husband Marty of Glastonbury; son Scott Heaney and wife Monica of Glastonbury; step-daughter Allison and Nate Vanek of Oak Park, IL, step-daughter Debbie and Eric Carson of Cheshire, CT; along with 13 beloved grandchildren: Christopher, William, Jack, Kaitlyn, Jamie, Mattie, Halle, Tyler, Josh, Claire, Peter, Alex and Sasha. Ned’s family extends enormous gratitude to Dr. Michael Grey of St. Francis Hospital and to the loving caregivers at Glastonbury Healthcare Center, not only for their wonderful medical care, but also for their friendship and sense of humor. We know they will miss all of Ned’s antics and trips to the vending machine, just as we will all mourn the many laughs, stories, and smiles that Ned brought to our lives.

A celebration of Ned’s life will be held at Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury, on Friday, December 13, 2024 at 12:00 pm. Burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends may call on Friday, December 13, 2024 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to South Glastonbury Fire Department, Company 2, PO Box 346, South Glastonbury, CT 06073. For online condolences, please visit www.mulryanfh.com.