Heidi Rourke

Heidi (LaMay) Rourke, of Derry, New Hampshire, passed away on August 18, 2026.

Heidi was born at the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Groton, Connecticut, and raised in Somerville, Massachusetts, by her mother, Marie (Daly) LaMay. She attended St. Clement School in Somerville. As a teenager, she met George Rourke when he was her karate instructor. They married when Heidi was 20 and began their life together in Somerville before moving their family to Derry, New Hampshire, where Heidi would make her home for the rest of her life.

While Heidi held various jobs over the years, she devoted much of her life to her home and family. Family life was important to her, and for many years, weeknight dinner meant the four of them gathered around the table together.

Becoming a grandmother brought Heidi tremendous pride and joy. She played an instrumental role in the early lives of her grandsons, Nolan and Reese, caring for them, driving them wherever they needed to go, and helping them learn and grow. Her help gave Jessica and Mike the time and support they needed while building their young family and careers. Above all, being Nolan and Reese’s grandmother was one of the roles she treasured most.

Heidi was opinionated, quick-witted, and rarely shy about sharing exactly what she thought. She loved reading and movies and had an uncanny ability to figure out how a story would end long before everyone else. Family Trivial Pursuit nights often found her insisting she wasn’t playing because she was busy cooking, only to shout out the answers from the kitchen anyway.

Home was very much Heidi’s domain. She loved gardening and maintained a large garden, enjoyed birdwatching, and kept track of the chipmunks and other critters that visited the property. She had a particular love for animals, especially German Shepherds. After taking the family’s German Shepherd, Luc, for training, she enjoyed the experience so much that she briefly worked at the kennel helping train and care for the dogs. It was there that she eventually brought home Elsa, a German Shepherd who became very much her own.

Heidi loved to cook and grill, usually with music playing in the background. Fall Sundays meant Patriots football and something simmering on the stove, whether it was soup, chili, or another Sunday meal for the family. Her taste in music ranged widely, although ’90s alternative rock held a special place on her playlists.

She loved holidays and went all-in on decorating, particularly for Halloween, her favorite. She also loved jewelry, makeup, perfume, and a trip to the hair salon or spa. Even toward the end of her life, a little perfume could still make her feel better. She had a particular fondness for Caramel M&M’s and for New Hampshire’s White Mountains.

After developing multiple sclerosis, Heidi found friendship and community online and became an administrator of a Facebook group for people living with MS. Through it, she formed friendships with people who understood many of the experiences she was going through, and that community brought her connection and joy for many years.

Heidi is survived by her daughters, Jessica Panico and Heather Rourke; her son-in-law, Mike Panico; and her grandsons, Nolan and Reese. She was predeceased by her husband, George Rourke, and her mother, Marie (Daly) LaMay.

A private memorial will be held at a later date

Arrangements are in the care of the Carrier Family Funeral Home, 38 Range Road, Windham, NH 03087. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.carrierfuneralhome.com