Martha Heindel “Marty” Tardy, 90, died on May 28, 2025, with her husband Gene by her side. Born in Chicago on Oct. 28, 1934, to Alice Pearsall Heindel and John Harold Heindel, she was raised in River Forest and graduated from Oak Park and River Forest High School in 1952, where she was voted most beautiful in her class. She attended Indiana University, graduating in 1956 with a degree in sociology. A member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, she was an active alumna for many years. She met and fell deeply in love with her future husband M. Eugene Tardy Jr. while at IU, and they married in 1957.
She worked for Eli Lilly during Gene’s medical school years and then as a mother and volunteer. A dedicated member of the Infant Welfare Society Circle 31, past president of the OP-RF Day Nursery, she was a board member and campaign chair of the Community Chest, a Ravinia board member, and served on the board of directors of the Oak Park Trust & Savings Bank. In more recent years, she served on many committees at Indiana University, including the Executive Dean’s Advisory Board of the College of Arts and Sciences, chair of the Alumni Board of the College of Arts and Sciences, and founding member of both the Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council and the Women’s Colloquium Steering Committee. A firm believer in the idea that “women deserve a seat at the table when philanthropy is discussed … and have both the money and brains to participate in all things philanthropic,” she received the inaugural Order of Merit Award from her university in 2010.
At her summer home in Culver, Indiana, she was a past treasurer and campaign chair of the Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Fund, advocating for the health and sustainability of the lake she loved. At her winter home in Naples, Florida, she was the condominium association president for many years, sat on the Habitat for Humanity selection committee and chaired their English as a Second Language program, was a member of the Greater Naples Leadership Program Class XI, and on both the Scholarship and Audubon committees at Royal Poinciana.
Marty is survived by Gene, her husband of 68 years; her daughters, Sallie Jo (Chap) Mitzell, Karen Tardy, and Elizabeth (Ron) Holloway; her seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, Kemmie Mitzell, Katie (Kevin) Fagan, James and Jack Fagan, Ben (Shaina Duecaster) Brown, Austin and Mackenzie Brown, Alex (Nina Shriam) Brown, Channing (Bella Valentini) Mitzell, Hannah (Josh) Kaegi, and Sam (Bailey Poplin) Holloway.
A lifelong learner, she was a great defender of the underdog and excelled in her roles as teacher, financial advisor, psychologist, chef, maid, seamstress, party planner, and chief organizer.
A private celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, June 7 in Culver, Indiana.
In lieu of flowers, Marty requests that “you give anyone you care about a hug and tell them you love them. Please don’t wait.” If a monetary donation is desired, she would designate the Martha H. Tardy Scholarship Fund at the College of Arts and Sciences, Indiana University Foundation, c/o Sue Sgambelluir, P.O. Box 6460, Indianapolis, IN, 46206. Please make your check payable to Indiana University Foundation and include the notation Martha Heindel Tardy Scholarship on the memo line.