Edward J. Heiden

Edward J. Heiden passed away peacefully on September 23, 2021. He was born September 12, 1938, in St. Louis, MO. He graduated from St. Louis University High School and St. Louis University. He attended Harvard University as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow, and then Washington University in St. Louis, where he earned a Ph.D. in Economics.  

After earning his Ph.D., he was a Professor of Economics at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. In 1968, he moved to Alexandria with his family, and spent the next 14 years serving in the Federal Government, working as the Chief Economist for the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. He also served as an Economist in The White House Office of Consumer Affairs. In 1982, he founded Heiden Associates, an economic consulting firm that specialized in antitrust, product safety, and expert witness testimony. He served as President until his retirement in 2018.        

He leaves to cherish his memory his beloved wife of 57 years, Mary Doherty Heiden; his four children: Steve (Julie), Tory Kauffman, David (Amy), and Carrie; and his seven grandchildren whom he adored: Emma, Claire, and Andrew Heiden; Robert and Matthew Kauffman; and David and James Heiden.       

He dearly loved being a long-time resident of Old Town Alexandria. In addition to being a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan, he was a fan of all Washington sports teams. He also enjoyed following the college sports teams of his childrens’ and grandchildrens’ schools. He loved Edward Hopper paintings and Frank Sinatra songs.    

The family will receive friends on September 30, 2021, from 6 pm to 8 pm at Everly Wheatley Funeral Home, 1500 W. Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on October 1, 2021, at 10:30, am at The Basilica of St. Mary, 310 S. Royal Street, Alexandria, VA, with burial immediately following at St. Mary’s Cemetery, 1000 S. Royal Street, Alexandria, VA. Donations in Edward’s memory may be made to St. Louis University High School Scholarship Fund, 4970 Oakland Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, or to Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Arlington at www.ccda.net.