Heidi Zimerman Vaughan, born February 18, 1970, passed away peacefully on October 13, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. Her smile, optimism, and boundless energy will forever be remembered and cherished by those who knew her. Heidi is survived by her husband, Lindsey Griffith Vaughan; her children, Zachary (Zach), Charles (Chase), Reagan, and Gabriella (Gabi); her parents, Charles and Patricia Zimmerman; and her sister, Keira Zimmerman.

Heidi was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. She spent her childhood in various towns across Pennsylvania as her father advanced through the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. When the family settled in Graterford, PA, Heidi and her sister attended Germantown Academy in Fort Washington. Heidi graduated from GA in 1987 and then attended Williams College, where she met Lindsey. She graduated cum laude from Williams in June 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History.

After college graduation, Heidi moved to Philadelphia, working various post-college jobs, pursuing her enthusiasm for running, and visiting Lindsey in Williamstown. In 1994, she began her first nonprofit fundraising position, where she developed a passion for the work.

Heidi and Lindsey eventually settled in Manhattan and took full advantage of the city’s unique offerings. They loved Sunday afternoon walks exploring new neighborhoods, runs around Central Park, visiting museums and discovering new restaurants. Heidi ran the New York City Marathon in 1996, finishing in less than four hours.

On New Year’s Eve 1997, they became engaged, and celebrated that night with their closest friends on the roof of the New York Athletic Club. Heidi was received into the Episcopal Church in the spring of 1998, and on October 17 of that year, she and Lindsey were married at Saint James Episcopal Church in New York City.

For professional reasons, they relocated to Chicago in 1999 embarking on a new chapter. They started in the Lincoln Park neighborhood where they made lifelong friends and welcomed their first child, Zachary Griffith. Their second child, Charles McClellan, inspired a move to the suburbs, settling in the quaint village of Western Springs. Over the next eight years they welcomed Reagan Alden and Gabriella Keehn into their lives.

In 2011 they packed up the family to move back east and settled in Milton, Massachusetts to be closer to family. Heidi embarked on a fulfilling path of volunteer service in Milton, serving as Village School Board Chairman and led Saint Michael’s annual church auction for a decade. She led “Team Guac” on multiple Reach the Beach relay races in New Hampshire and absolutely adored her experiences with the Milton Garden Club. Once all four children were in school, she accepted a position as executive director of the Forbes House Museum, where she worked steadfastly until her passing.

Heidi’s many awards include the 2023 Leadership in History Award from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) for her coordination of the 2022 exhibit “Opium: The Business of Heidi Z. Vaughan — Obituary Addiction”, in partnership with the Milton Library; the Joseph Manning Community Service Award in 2026; and an official citation from the Massachusetts State Senate.

In addition to her husband, children, parents, and sister, Heidi is survived by her father-in-law, Thomas Vaughan; her sisters-in-law, Caroline Vaughan and Kirsten Vaughan; her brother-in-law Christopher Vaughan, his wife Christa and their children Charlotte and Tyler.

A Celebration of Life will be held on November 10th at Saint Michael's Episcopal Church, 112 Randolph Avenue, Milton, MA at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Heidi’s honor to Compassionate Care ALS in Falmouth, MA.