Heather Walker Obituary
Heather Walker, a beloved member of the Marblehead community, passed away on April 26th, 2023, after a courageous battle with Glioblastoma. Heather was 52 years old.
Heather was born in Winchester, MA and raised in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA by her parents, Roger and Barbara Michalowski, and grew up in the town she loved so much. She attended Manchester High School, where she excelled academically and was involved in various extracurricular activities including cross country and basketball. Heather was an avid skier in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and spent her summers near the ocean in Islesboro, Maine as she loved being on the water.
After high school, she went on to graduate from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and in 1996 was hired as the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Rack, a Boston business frequented by local celebrities. Her colleagues admired her creativity, work ethic, and ability to bring out the best in others.
Her true passion in work was her long and successful career with the Boston Celtics, which she joined in October of 2006. She was hired as the Director of PR and worked tirelessly with management and the players and became part of the Celtics family. Heather created strong bonds with countless Celtics players, helping them balance community appearances and media responsibilities. Working her way to a Senior Vice President role, Heather was never shy about taking a younger player under her wing and had an ever-watchful eye as they navigated the new world of the NBA.
Heather was passionate about her community and gave back in many ways. She was involved with various cancer charities and the nature of her work frequently included goodwill events, but what she was most proud of was supporting and riding in the Pan Mass Challenge (PMC). One year, instead of biking, she kayaked the trip from Boston to Provincetown. She was also an avid runner and participated in several local road races.
Heather's greatest joy, however, was her family. She was a devoted wife to her husband, Stephen, and a loving mother to their two children, Samantha and Taylor. They made many happy memories at their family homes in Islesboro, Maine and Whitefield, New Hampshire. They loved sharing those special times with their extended families and close friends. She is also survived by her mother Barbara Michalowski and brothers Roger Jr. and Ryan. Heather was predeceased by her father Roger Michalowski.
Heather's battle with brain cancer was a difficult one, but she faced it with courage, grace, and determination. Throughout her treatment, she continued to inspire those around her with her positive attitude and unwavering spirit. Heather started the #Move4Heather challenge shortly after her diagnosis in August of 2021. The movement has raised almost $650, 000 for the Heather Walker Glioblastoma Fund at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She created an enormous amount of awareness for Glioblastoma through the money raised and multiple media interviews while battling this disease. In March of 2022, the Boston Celtics awarded her with the Heroes Among Us award.
Heather will be deeply missed by her family, friends, colleagues at the Celtics and the entire Marblehead community. Her memory will live on through the countless lives she touched and the legacy of kindness and generosity she leaves behind.
A celebration of life will be held in Heather's honor at the Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA on Friday, May 5th from 12:00 to 3:30. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to M4H: danafarber.jimmyfund.org/goto/move4heather or to the education fund for Sammy and Taylor: https://go.fidelity.com Read Less.
