Thomas Joseph Hefferon III's Obituary
Tom Hefferon passed away peacefully at home on July 7, 2025. He was 73 years old.
Tom was born in Lincolnton, NC on January 10, 1952, to David W. Hefferon and Marjorie J. Hefferon, both deceased. He grew up in Charlotte and attended its public schools, graduating from South Mecklenburg High School in 1969. Tom went on to earn a BA in English and Philosophy at UNC-Charlotte in 1978 and then a JD from UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law in 1981. After passing the Bar, he practiced law in Charlotte until his retirement in 2021.
Early in his 40-year legal career Tom worked with several law firms, eventually founding the law firm Hefferon & Hefferon with his younger brother Paul. They practiced together for 30 years and represented hundreds of clients. In 2001, Tom was certified as a Superior Court mediator and built a robust mediation practice, mediating and arbitrating more than 500 legal disputes for other attorneys and litigants. Along the way, he developed many deep friendships with fellow attorneys, many of them former courtroom adversaries. Though a fierce advocate for his clients, Tom was a hard guy to dislike, even during the heat of battle.
In his personal life, Tom was a man of many talents and passions. Tom was a brilliant mind who spent years studying history and philosophy. He remained close friends with his professors and fellow students from the philosophy department at UNC Charlotte, hosting a Sunday morning philosophy roundtable until shortly before his death. A published author, Tom was an avowed bibliophile, taking great pride and joy in his book collection, which grew to over 5,000 books. He loved music, played the guitar and piano, and loved art, traveling, and spending time with his family. When his grandchildren came into this world, Tom took on his favorite hobby of them all – being their Pops. Always quick with a smile, a hug, or sound advice, Tom never passed up an opportunity to have fun with his grandkids. They were, and still are, his pride and joy.
In 2011, Tom was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer. After a brutal round of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, Tom beat the odds and survived, but the long-term effects of the treatment regimen slowly accumulated and led to his retirement as a practicing attorney, and a few years later as a practicing mediator. Although cancer did significant damage to his body, it never touched his mind or his spirit, even at the very end.
Tom is survived by his wife Sylvia Hefferon, his daughter Samantha Peindl (Lee), his sons Ben Hefferon, also an attorney in Charlotte, and Tim Edwards (Danielle). He is also survived by his brothers Mike and Paul Hefferon, six loving grandchildren, Chloe, Carter, George, Lily, Spencer, and Clara, and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Tom is predeceased by his younger brother Johnny Hefferon, who died in 1983.
The Hefferon family will host a Celebration of Life on July 23, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, 4519 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC. The family requests any donations be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
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