Harold W Hefner

Harold W “Hal” Hefner (72) passed away peacefully at home on December 26, 2020, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Hal grew up in Speedway, Indiana with his parents and two sisters, Linda and Janet. For a brief time, his grandmother Lula lived with them as well. Lula taught Hal how to cook, a lifelong love of his. During his childhood years, Hal enjoyed swimming with Westwood Country Club, worked to mow lawns, and helped with his grandparents’ farm. In high school Hal served as Sparky, the school mascot. He also enjoyed theater, both as part of the crew and the cast. He graduated from Speedway High School in 1966. Hal attended Manchester College (now University) and graduated in 1970 with a B.S., majoring in Business Administration and Economics and minoring in Sports and Recreation. During his college years, Hal participated in theater as the lighting director. He enjoyed his college years very much, saying that his Manchester experience allowed him the opportunity to do everything he wanted to do. His first job out of college was as Assistant to the Associate Dean of Allied Health Services, which was part of Indiana University School of Medicine. As part of this job, he was an advisor for the student council for Allied Health, and because of this, he met a red-headed dental hygiene student named Patricia. Hal and Pat married on July 24, 1971 in West Lafayette, Indiana. This summer would have been their 50th Wedding Anniversary. During the first few years of marriage, Hal was busy working and as a part-time student, completing his Masters in Health Administration from Indiana University in 1973. Hal’s experience in the Division of Allied Health led him to a full career with the Marion County Medical Society, which later became the Indianapolis Medical Society. While there, Hal held various positions, including Administrative Assistant, Executive Director, and Executive Vice President. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment during this tenure was his work on establishing a legislative cap on medical malpractice claims in Indiana--the first state to implement such a reform. Also during these years, Hal was heavily involved in the Indiana Society of Association Executives, serving in various leadership positions and on several committees, including Secretary and President. After leaving the Indianapolis Medical Society, Hal served in several leadership positions at various entities, including Sagamore Health Network, Indiana Rehabilitation Network, Olive Healthcare Consulting, and finally as the Legal Administrator at Harrison & Moberly, LLP in Indianapolis. Despite Hal’s professional career, his greatest job was as a family man, which included being a devoted husband to Pat and being an ever-present father to Marc, Matthew, and Lynn. He took great joy in watching his children all play youth sports, including swimming, football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and track. As a devoted husband and father, Hal cooked many meals for his family, and dinner time was almost always a family event. He was famous for his homemade pizza, noodles, and cinnamon rolls. He shared so many rich and detailed stories with his family, had a quick wit, and an infectious enthusiasm for laughter. Many meals ended in him laughing so hard he cried. He could often be found leisurely completing the Indianapolis Star crossword puzzle, in ink, which no doubt was fueled by his tremendous vocabulary. In 2002 Hal suffered a stroke that largely affected his speech center. Although he was different after his stroke, his devotion to his family never waivered, and he continued to take delight in his children and later, his grandchildren. During the retirement years, Hal volunteered in various capacities, which really showcased the interests he held. A lover of live theater, he worked on stage tear-down and set-up at Beef and Boards Dinner Theater, a process he referred to as “change over” when one show ended and another began. A craftsman, Hal volunteered with Servants at Work (SAWs), to build wheelchair ramps to provide greater accessibility for wheelchair-bound individuals. A sports and auto racing enthusiast, Hal volunteered in the role of James A. Allison, one of the four founding fathers of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In this role and in full costume, Hal made various appearances, including fundraisers, and the 500 Festival Parade. Probably the most enjoyment Hal had during retirement years was through travel. He was always ready for a road trip, and Hal and Pat took many, including a coastal Michigan trip, an east coast trip, and several trips to Florida to see his sister Linda and husband Ray. Their travel in the last few years included river boat cruises and guided tours, including Alaska, France, Germany, England, Ireland and Scotland. Hal leaves behind his wife of nearly 50 years Patricia “Pat” Hefner and their children: Marc (Jennifer) Hefner of Napa, CA; Matthew (Mari) Hefner of Valparaiso, IN; and Lynn (Doug) Eriks of Zionsville, IN; grandchildren: Lauren, Lexie, Rachel, Michael and David; sisters: Linda (Ray) Muston of Iowa City, IA and Janet (Pete) Samples, of Williamstown, Kentucky; and several nephews and a niece. He was preceded in death by both his parents.