Lillian Heartwell

Lillian Hogan Heartwell, a resident at the Belvedere Green Senior Apartments, was asked to write an article for the "Getting to Know You" column of the Belvedere Green and Woodbourne Woods Community Newsletter. The family thought it fitting to allow Lillian Heartwell to speak for herself in her obituary. Mrs. Lillian Heartwell — She Lets the Way She Lives Speak For Her Lillian was born in North Carolina, the fifth of ten children. Her family moved to Norfolk, Va. when she was very young. She sometimes spent summers with her Aunt Josephine here in Baltimore, finally coming to live with her when Lillian was about thirteen years old. When Lillian's father passed away at a young age, her mother and siblings moved to Baltimore. Still a young girl herself, she moved in with her family and helped care for her brothers and sisters while her mother worked. Liillian met her husband John when she was eighteen years old. They had a long courtship because shortly after they met, John was needed to help his family when his father was injured in a mining accident in West Virginia. John traveled back and forth between Bluefield, W.V. and Baltimore until his father recovered enough to go back to work and take care of his family again. Lillian and John had three boys, Thomas, John Jr. and Warner.\ John Sr. passed away from an illness in 1959 at the age of 31. She never remarried, choosing to devote her life to caring for her children as well as several nieces and nephews who came to live with her. Her mission was to see that each child had a good start in life with a Christian upbringing. A friend once said to her, "You could be out there having a ball!" to which Lillian replied, "My life is about raising my children, not about having a ball!" Her son Thomas died of walking pneumonia as a young man. He was a cabinet maker by trade and Lillian proudly displayed a beautiful oaken cabinet that was his first piece. Her son John Jr. retired from Sparrows Point. Her son Warner had his own business in Durham, NC. Some of you may remember Warner led a church service on Christmas Day at Belvedere Green when he was visiting his mother. Warner was very involved with his church in Durham. One of the highlights of her life other than raising her children was the 27 years she worked at Spring Grove State Hospital where she learned valuable life lessons. She worked directly with the patients writing up notes and dispensing medications. She sometimes worked the entire ward by herself. Lillian loved her work and it showed. She was honored as State Employee of the Year and awarded a key to the city at a banquet. She said she was so nervous that she almost fell down when accepting the key! Lillian said it was clear to her from working at the hospital that no matter how high a person goes, he can always come down. It is important to treat people right because you never know in whose hands you may find yourself. She said there is no reason for anyone to feel or act superior to anyone else. We are all God's children and walking the same road. Material possessions mean very little when all is said and done. After retiring from Spring Grove, Lillian still had a lot of love to give so she returned to raising children. She became mother to several foster children, one of whom became her daughter. She continued until her health caused her to give up her house with all the beautiful flowers she loved growing. She was, however, grateful for finding Belvedere Green which she called home. Lillian says of her mother, "She let the way she lived speak for her." I think this is true for Lillian also. Lillian Hogan (Heartwell) began her earthly pilgrimage March 25, 1926. Under the influence of Godly parents, she accepted Jesus as her personal Savior, was baptized in the "old mill pond" by Rev. Willie Wiggins, and was "added to the roll" at Tillery Chapel Baptist Church. Upon moving to Baltimore the Hogan family united with Israel Baptist Church where Aunt Josephine and Uncle Charlie W. Hornes worshipped. When Rev Hornes received the call to pastor, Lillian followed them to Triumph Missionary Baptist Church. Later, when Rev. Joseph P. Stewart was called to the fledging Lebanon Calvary Baptist Church, she along with other family members, united with that branch of Zion. At the end of her earthly pilgrimage, Sister Heartwell was still "on the roll" at New Lebanon Calvary Baptist Church under the ministry of Rev. Willie Quick. On Wednesday, July 16, 2014 Lillian Hogan Heartwell ended her earthly trek, and transferred her membership to the "heavenly roll" joining that "cloud of witnesses" which include her husband, all three of her sons, eight siblings, and her parents, Austin Hogan, Sr. and Sallie Tillery Hogan. Cherishing fond memories are: her sister, Josephine Hogan Stephenson; daughter, Lasharnia Goodman-Heartwell and fiancé Albert Roy; grandchildren, Thomacina Hogan, Chanel Heartwell-Scott, Yolanda Hogan, John Heartwell Ill, Cornell and Traci Hogan, Robert and Gail Heartwell-Colclough, Lamont and Zaneta Heartwell, Wayne and Ava Heartwell, and Yvonne Williams-Heartwell; two daughters-in-law, Glenn Heartwell and Dorothy Heartwell; brother-in-law, Charlie Harper; twenty-six great-grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Tributes

Lillian Heartwell

March 25, 1926 - July 16, 2014