Published August 16, 2019 at 8:14 AM
Heather Beresford On April 26, 2019, Heather Beresford, surrounded by family, slipped peacefully away. Heather leaves behind a loving husband, Bill Lattimore, and siblings Bonnie Beresford (twin), Gail Schiffer, and Rick Beresford along with five nephews and numerous grand nephews and nieces. Born in Minneapolis, MN, on October 16, 1946, Heather spent her growing years in Minneapolis (MN), Winnipeg (Manitoba) and Alexandria (MN). She attended school in Alexandria for grades 9, 10 and 11, after which her family moved to Edina, MN where Heather graduated in 1964. She earned a BA degree from the University of Minnesota, and went on to a long career that included positions with Marsh McLennan, American Express, and Lockheed Martin. Over that time, she lived in suburban Minneapolis (M), Kansas City (KS), and Fort Worth (TX). Having spent many summers of her youth on an island camp on Lake of the Woods, Heather loved nature and animals, especially horses. She was an inveterate reader, and wrote prolifically for her own amusement. Heather had strong opinions and took up a variety of causes over time, posting regularly on social media, making a variety of friends along the way. She moved to Texas to marry an old college boyfriend, Lee Carroll, and through Lee, she fell in love with Texas. Her favorite quote : “I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could.” Heather’s Texas was a big robust piece of America filled with vistas of spring blue bonnets and Indian paintbrush, and a deep history of the struggle for freedom and independence. But she always held a deep remembrance and love for Alexandria, where she had spent some of her happiest years, and where she made lifelong friends. She was always invited to the Class of 1964 high school reunions even though she had graduated elsewhere. After Lee’s death, Heather met and married Bill Lattimore of Southlake, Texas. Bill was the love of her life, and in the last years they made each other very happy. It was through Bill that she found her last great cause, the plight of the wild mustangs of Ruidoso, NM. Heather was a strong, intelligent, witty, sassy, fun-loving woman who stood by her principles and passionately supported her causes with strong, reasoned arguments. Never one to be shy, she loved nothing more than trading barbs with the pickle man at the Renaissance Fair or arguing politics (with love and respect) with her nephews, siblings, and friends. She was both gregarious and generous by nature, creating warm friendships wherever she went. She will be missed by many. In Memoriam contributions may be made to St Labre Indian School in Ashland, Montana, or to New Mexico Horse Rescue, https://www.wncr.org/ A memorial service for Heather will be held on Monday August 26, 2019, at Gathered Oaks, 4550 County Road 34 NW, Alexandria, MN.