Joanna C. Heim

It is with great sadness that the family of Joanna Caldwell Heim of Westborough, Massachusetts, announces her passing on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at the age of 67. Joanna was born in Framingham, Massachusetts in 1957 to Alan and Margaret (Caldwell) Karb. She grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, later moving to Southborough, Massachusetts. She attended the University of Massachusetts in Amherst where she played the flute and majored in Music History. While in college, she met the love of her life, Thomas Heim. They married in 1982 in Sudbury, Massachusetts and spent 42 more wonderful years together in Westborough.

Joanna loved her family and friends and was happiest in their company. She loved playing the flute and performing in local musical groups. She was a dedicated member of the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra for over 40 years, playing both piccolo and flute. She also had a deep passion for teaching and loved her flute students immensely. She was so proud of them.

Joanna cherished time at her family’s beach house in Rockport, Massachusetts. Summers were spent taking walks along the beach, riding her bicycle around Cape Ann, or simply relaxing with a book and her family. She loved to travel both in the states and abroad, visiting our national parks whenever possible. Acadia National Park was a favorite of hers. Visiting her son Jeffrey (and wife Ani) in Brazil and her daughter Gayle (and husband Tom) in England held fond memories.

She loved the outdoors and enjoyed gardening, taking walks in the woods, kayaking, ice skating, snowshoeing, and swimming in the ocean. Her love of hiking began when her children were quite young. She treasured the White Mountains of New Hampshire where she summited all forty eight 4000 foot peaks. She continued exploring trails and camping together with her husband even after her cancer diagnosis. She persevered in doing things she enjoyed most with her family, no matter how great the obstacle. She truly had a kind, caring, energetic, and adventurous spirit.

Joanna leaves behind her husband, Thomas Heim; her children, Russell Heim, Jeffrey Heim and his wife, Anieli Mantello, and Gayle Heim and her husband, Thomas Gale. She is also survived by her sister, Julie Carpenter, and her brothers, Thomas Karb and James Karb.

Joanna's family respectfully invites family and friends to a gathering in her memory for calling hours from 4 to 7 P.M. on Wednesday, February 12, in the Pickering & Son Westborough Funeral Home, 62 West Main Street, Westborough.  Please join as we honor Jo's life and memory.

Donations in Joanna’s memory may be sent to the Wellesley Orchestra as follows:

Please make checks payable to the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra and Mail to: Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, P.O. Box 81860, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 via wellesleysymphony.org to make an online donation.