Mary A. Calvert-Heavilin

Mary A. Calvert-Heavilin (née Lindquist) completed her life’s journey on Friday, September 8, 2023, at the age of 87. She was born on June 22, 1936 to Laurel and Nell Lindquist, in Kansas City, Missouri, and she attended Westport High School. She met her first husband George Calvert at the “Thrills of a Century” celebration in Swope Park in Kansas City in 1950, where he rode onto the stage on horseback. She married George in 1954 at a young age, and after some time in California and New Jersey, they settled in West Hartford, CT. She bore 5 children in just over 8 years, with the last coming when she was only 26. Without the benefit of local family, this was an arduous task, particularly in the days when husbands tended to have little to no responsibilities for child-rearing. She met this challenge with perseverance and love. Out of such experiences, she became a fierce advocate of women’s rights, even attending the National Organization for Women’s March on Washington in 1989 at the age of 56, along with two of her daughters. She returned to school and earned her GED at the age of 29, followed by a B.S. in Psychology from Trinity University at 40, and her Master’s of Social Work from UCONN at 44. During this period of time, she also met and married her second husband, Bob Heavilin, with whom she was married for 32 years until his death in 2011. She dedicated her life in service to others. First, in raising her children and then in her career as a psychiatric social worker for the State of Connecticut, Department of Youth and Family Services. She was passionate about helping others, particularly young adults. In service to the State of Connecticut, she became Board Certified in Clinical Social Work in 1988 and worked at the Housatonic Adolescent Hospital in Newtown, CT, retiring in 1994. She continued her commitment to aiding young adults by then working for the Klingberg Family Center in New Britain, as well as maintaining a private counseling practice out of her home. She fully retired from these endeavors in 2002. Her natural inquisitiveness continued after her retirement when she pursued her passion for religious studies. She studied Judaism and Islam at the Hartford Seminary, achieving her Certificate of Islamic Studies in 2007. After her retirement, she turned her focus to the true loves of her life: her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Lovingly known as “Nana”, she showered them with hugs, challenged them to exercise good judgment when they came to her for advice and loved to laugh with them whenever she could. She is survived by her children: Jeanmarie Calvert Seabaugh and her husband Steven of Spring Hill, FL, Jane Calvert Kellogg and her husband Peter of Plymouth, MA, Susan Calvert Richard of Newington, CT, Sandra Calvert Nathans and her husband Robert of North Caldwell, NJ, Charles Calvert and his wife Pamela Hewitt of West Hartford, CT and Laura Heavilin Hill of Rockland, ME, as well as 12 beloved grandchildren and 9 adored great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her niece Leda Davis Colleps and her husband Dale of Baton Rouge, LA and a stepdaughter Deborah Heavilin Fryer. She was predeceased by her husband Dr. Robert A Heavilin, her grandson Charles Tower McDonough, her sister Jean Lindquist Davis, and her stepson Michael Heavilin. A Celebration of Life memorial service will be held on Sunday, September 24, at 12:00 pm at Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, 1 East Wacker Drive, Suite 1730, Chicago, IL 60601 (www.dystonia-foundation.org). Directions, livestream of service and online expressions of sympathy may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com

Mary A. Calvert-Heavilin

June 22, 1936 - September 8, 2023