Heidi Elizabeth Devlin

Heidi was born February 25, 1959, to Patricia and Wallis Devlin in Sarasota, Florida. The family moved to Cincinnati when she was four, where Heidi graduated from Forest Park High School with honors. She played the violin in orchestra and served as the manager for the girls basketball team. She continued her education at Purdue University, following in her mother’s footsteps and obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences.

Having worked from an early age, her professional career started after college working at a hospital in South Georgia. She then began her lifelong walk of faith in the Church, leaving her job at the hospital to care for the children of church leaders and missionaries. She eventually returned to Florida, making her home in Jacksonville.

Heidi was a woman of many interests and talents. Learning graphic design while working with her church, she combined those skills and her gift of writing to become the editor for Scuba News. As an entrepreneur, She started several small businesses- a retail shop called All About the Dog, and a custom apparel company called Certain Tees. She worked as a life coach for the intellectually disabled, leading to lifelong friendships with those she mentored. Later in life, she combined her talents with needlepoint, sewing and graphics as a Production Assistant for several Advertising and Marketing companies.

Heidi was active in the church and dedicated her life to the Lord. She considered her friends at church as family, doing outreach at nursing homes and women's shelters. She was a supporter of many missionaries and their efforts overseas, later participating in mission trips to Mozambique and Nepal to share the Word of God and the Love of Christ. Heidi's adventurous side included riding horses, motorcycles and bikes. She also went scuba diving, whitewater rafting, and even fulfilled her goal of skydiving later in life. Her hobbies included needlepoint, crochet and playing the guitar. She was an avid fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It has been said that one can judge a society by how it treats animals. If so, there was no one more compassionate than Heidi. She founded DARE in 2003, a Dachshund rescue that continues to this day. She served as president and remained a foster home until her dying day. She facilitated the successful rehoming, fostering and adoption of hundreds of dogs throughout her life, as well as other animals, many in her own home.

Our family is forever grateful to Heidi's amazing church family, dear and lifelong friends, the dog rescue community, and her work family at Expert Ts and 32 Degree Marketing for surrounding her in love and care throughout her life. Her church family surrounded her in her last hours on earth, her bonus sister/best friend Sue holding her hand as she passed, ushering her home into the kingdom. Heidi was also an organ donor giving to others, even after death.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Patricia and father, Wallis Devlin; uncle Alan Stanton; aunt Dorothy Stanton II; uncle Walter Stanton (Jane); and grandparents Dorothy and Walter Stanton.

She is survived by her brother Andy Devlin, sister Kim Grizzell, nephew Alan Grizzell, nieces Amber Bowles (Drew) and Bridgette and Cassie Devlin, great-nephews Jesse and Rowan Bowles, and Kyis Starr.

Family and friends are invited to the Celebration of Life at Saturday October 17th, 10:30 am. New Life Christian Fellowship, 2701 Hodges Blvd Jacksonville FL 32224 followed by time of fellowship and light lunch.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Heidi’s honor to DARE (Dachshund Adoption Rescue and Education - DaretoRescue.Org) or SOCKS (Save our Cocker Spaniels- SaveOurCockerSpaniels.org)