Anne Marie Heerdt

November 10, 1966 - November 2, 2025

Anne Marie Heerdt, 58, passed away on November 2, 2025 at Lifecare Center of Stonegate in Parker Colorado. Anne was born November 10, 1966 to Russell and Andrea Heerdt in Burlington, Iowa. Anne graduated from Evergreen High School in 1985. She graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1990. She married Philip Wingfield March 30, 1990 in Bailey, Colorado. Together they had three children: Erica, Tamarin, and Tyler. They later divorced. She earned her Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Phoenix. Anne worked with children in before- and after-school programming for many years. With her vivid imagination and creative writing skills, Anne kept busy not only writing about Buddhism & vegetarianism, but also creating lively stories reflecting her love of teaching young children, feeding their imaginations with the tales of Miss Anne and the old school with Daryl the dragon who lived in the attic. She also wrote zombie apocalypse stories that reflected the current times in our country. Friends and family often found themselves included as characters in these amazing tales. Although ALS robbed her of many things important to her, her mind remained alert and fully functioning allowing her to write creatively.

Being Anne, she left us with the following:

”If you are reading this then that means I have left planet earth. Some people may think I never really was grounded on the earth anyway. Of course I still have a sense of humor wherever I end up.
About 2 years ago I started having symptoms that would indicate ALS. There is no treatment for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Some have a fast progression and others slow, mine seemed aggressive. I went from a drop foot, to a cane, then a walker and at the end an electric wheelchair. It has been a process to not have any say in what the body is doing. Definitely impermanence, gotta throw in a Buddhist concept here.
Meanwhile my brain and hands were working okay. So I did a LOT of writing. There are people who may be able to publish some things after I am gone. I loved all the likes and reads on substack, and sharing my writing.
I am so grateful for the support of my family and friends. If you don’t have meditation friends then get some. They roll with anything. I have had my family handle all the stuff I don’t do well, paperwork, and build ramps at their houses so I can get in and out. Plus drive me around, I didn’t have to go to the Dr. appointments alone.
I was so fortunate to help start Insight Denver, a Buddhist sangha downtown. They worked with me while I wrote talks that I needed help with when my speech got challenging. In a year the group has grown, has regular attendance and is just the sangha community I dreamed of. You can offer donations there.
I also have to shout out ALS United. I got a medical bed and an electric wheelchair for use while I got sick. I would encourage donations, and support of research.
Okay if you want me to visit, I mean haunt you, I will need a sign. I assume I can visit, and tell you to meditate. Maybe eat more vegetables, and hug a tree.”

Anne will be missed and remembered by her children, Erica (Eddie) Ellis, Tamarin (John) Odum, and Tyler (Piper) H. Wingfield; grandchildren, Lorelei, Daniel, Avery, and Isla; parents, Russell and Andrea Heerdt; siblings Katrina (Blair) Lampe and Eric (Kirsten) Heerdt; and a long list of aunts and uncles, cousins, her Buddhist community, and friends.

Memorial services will be held on Sunday, November 23, 2025 at Evergreen Memorial Park (see details below).

Donations

Plesase send donations & memorial contributions to one of the two organizations below:

ALS United Rocky Mountain
10855 Dover St. Ste 500
Westminster, CO 80021

Anne’s Buddhist sangha: Insight Denver
Insight Denver
1630 N Clarkson St #708
Denver, CO

Anne’s Celebration of Life

 

Sunday, November 23rd, 2025
12:00pm
Evergreen Memorial Park
26624 N Turkey Creek Rd
Evergreen, CO 80439

Photos of Anne