Lucia Heinold, longtime buyer and merchandise manager at Waldenbooks and Borders, died at her home in Alexandria, Va., on February 10. She was 82.
Heinold spent 25 years with Waldenbooks and Borders, retiring in 2006. Her final role was as the book buyer at Borders headquarters in Ann Arbor, Mich., where she curated collections including cookbooks, home and garden, crafts, and collectible titles.
Upon retiring, Lucia remained passionate about free expression in the publishing industry, advocating for organizations like the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression.
Beyond her professional achievements, Lucia was a lifelong advocate for equal rights and social justice. Her activism began in the late 1950s as a teenager and continued throughout her life. She graduated from Northport High School in Northport, New York, and pursued undergraduate studies at Duke University, where she actively participated in civil rights demonstrations.
After college, Lucia taught middle and high school social studies in Yorktown Heights, New York, from 1963 until the late 1970s. A testament to her dedication to lifelong learning and career advancement, Lucia later earned her Master of Business Administration from New York University which led to her first buyer position at Walden.
Lucia was an avid reader of fiction and nonfiction, a diligent and talented gardener, and a skilled cook. She enjoyed mysteries and thrillers in books, movies, and television. She was a devoted wife to Bob, loving mother to her son, Paul A. Heinold, and daughter-in-law, Karen A. Heinold, cherished sister to P. Dennis Brunn, and beloved aunt to her niece, Jennifer Brunn, who is director of publicity at DK.
Memorial services will be held on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at 1 p.m. at First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, 4001 Ann Arbor-Saline Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48103. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Lucia's memory to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
