Albert Henry Heider's Obituary
Longtime Loudoun resident, Albert Henry Heider, 77 of Lucketts, died October 21 at Fairfax Hospital. He was born in Washington, DC on April 20, 1938, and he was the son of Carl Albert and Irene Deuterman Heider.
Mr. Heider grew up on the family farm on Riggs Road in Chillum, Maryland just over the DC line in Prince George’s County. The Heider Farm grew premium produce that was sold at exclusive restaurants and homes in Washington, DC. With the advent of the refrigerated truck, the family farming business was changed which developed his love of the nursery business and his entrepreneurial spirit.
He and his wife of 52 years, Sheila Graham Heider, settled on a farm they named “The Legacy” in Lovettsville, Virginia in 1969 where they raised their five daughters. His love of horses and hounds led to active involvement with the Short Hill Hunt where he served as an honorary whipper-in. Later he created a farmer’s pack of hounds that he owned and hunted with in Leesburg. One of his favorite endeavors was driving his teams of champion mules with which he farmed and competed. In addition, he was a mule and draft horse judge at state competitions.
In 1978 he moved to Lombardy Farm east of Leesburg and operated Heider’s Nursery and flower business for over 20 years, at what is now Meadows Farm Nursery. He was the first commercial nurseryman to develop and grow landscape trees and shrubs in Loudoun County.
Later the Heiders relocated to Meadow Fox Farm in Lucketts where they continued to breed and train show horses, ponies, and mules. In 1995, he opened Heider’s Country Store on route 15 where he continued to grow produce and flowers.
Albert Heider was extremely dedicated to his wife and daughters and a true country gentleman farmer. Always there to help a family member or neighbor in need, he offered pointed words of wisdom with German frankness. Famous for his huge family gatherings, his friends were drawn from all around the country to savor his peach habanero bar-b-que or country ham. He touched so many peoples’ lives and was truly one of the loved and adored who walked the earth. His memory will live on through the flowers and trees planted throughout the Washington Metropolitan area.
He is survived by his wife, their five daughters and their husbands, Holly and Evan Chapple of Lucketts, Catherine and Wade Blaha of Tilden, TX and Kristin and Bryan DiCaro of Pleasanton, TX, Heather and Scott Van Pelt of Lucketts, Lisa and Tim Eifler of Louisville, KY; his sister, Carla and her husband, Dr. Edward Rosenzweig of Brooklin, ME and his 16 grandchildren.
A visitation was held Sunday, October 25, 2015 at Loudoun Funeral Chapel, 158 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia 20175 from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Funeral services were held on Monday, October 26, 2015 at the Heider Farm.
Interment was held by the family on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at Rock Creek Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lovettsville Volunteer Fire & Rescue, P.O. Box 123, Lovettsville, VA 20180, or Lucketts Volunteer Fire and Rescue 43267 Lucketts Road, Lucketts, VA 20176. We will be creating memorial gardens at our farms for Albert.
In lieu of donation, bushes, donations for the memorial gardens can be made to Meadows Farms Nursery in Leesburg (formerly Heider's Nursery). Meadows Farms can be reached at (703) 777-1900.
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