ROCKLAND — Heidi Burden, of Rockland, Maine, left her loved ones early on the morning of Sunday, July 21, 2024 in Rockport, Maine. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she then moved to Bath, Maine, where her family lived.  

Heidi grew up there, graduating from Morse High, before attending the University of Maine in Farmington, studying English Literature. Bath was the city of her roots and many lifelong friendships were established there. 

She met her first husband, Major Bradford Sargent (USMC) of Hingham, Massachusetts, when they were teens working together at Hermit Island. They were stationed around the country living first in Quantico, Virginia where her son, Alexander MacCall Sargent, was born, and Camp Pendleton, California where her daughter, Lauren Fay Sargent, was born.

Heidi and her family lived in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Brunswick, Maine, and Jacksonville, North Carolina, before returning to Brunswick. There Heidi worked as a realtor, before moving to Rockland, Maine, with her life partner Jesse Henry, where she then helped establish a real estate office. She became a Maine Master Gardener, and later dedicated her summers to building, and then tending, many flower gardens.

Heidi loved to travel and spent much time in the Caribbean with her family. She loved the beach and the warm Caribbean salt water. She also travelled extensively to Italy with Jesse where they shared a passion for the country, food, wine, culture and the people. Heidi loved to sail, which is how she and Jesse met while crewing on a race boat in Casco Bay, and they had a sailboat together for many years and spent as much time as they could on the water each summer. 

Family traditions, meals, holidays and celebrations were very important to her, always setting a beautiful table, dressing for the occasion, and encouraging her family to share in that tradition. Her grandchildren were a joy and great love to her and she enjoyed that they were so close, allowing her to spend much time with them, participating in their growth, sending them to summer camps, and piano lessons, (Heidi played beautifully, and had a piano in her home), always sharing her full love and attention with them. She loved to cook, read prodigiously, and was generous, warm, welcoming and caring, and gave her best to her family and everyone around her and throughout her life. 

Heidi is survived by her life partner, Jesse Henry; her children Lauren Sargent and Alex Sargent; her grandchildren, Matilda, Ena, Victor, and Ray; her brother Benjamin Burden; her half-brothers Chris, Adam and Dan Burden; and her mother, Linda F. Leeman.  

She is predeceased by her father, Dr. Charles Burden. 

A private family celebration and memorial will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to World Central Kitchen and New Hope Midcoast. (https://wck.org and https://newhopemidcoast.org)