Obituary of Lawrence J. Heron Jr.

Once upon a time - the 1960s in Philadelphia’s Kensington section - there was a kid from Ascension who was pretty good with a paint brush. The kind you use on canvas. His dad, who worked at the post office, was an artist, too. Mostly cartoons. Larry also drew cartoons. But when he got to Northeast Catholic High School - besides excelling as an honor student - he found a whole new outlet for his creativity. Set design.

Because every year North Catholic put on a play and a musical. And the shows  needed scenery. Which sounded like a heck of a good time.

The artist and set designer was Lawrence J. Heron, of Plymouth Meeting.  And it is with deep sorrow that we announce his passing on July 9, 2026, at the age of 78. Larry died peacefully after a six-month illness. Larry is survived by his wife Donna (Wallace) Heron. They had been married for 54 years. 

Some of the shows Larry worked on included: All Aboard, Carnival, Do Re Mi, Second Childhood, Finian’s Rainbow and Guys & Dolls. Plus The Mouse That Roared at Little Flower High School for Girls in 1965 - where he didn’t just do the sets but got coaxed into playing the lead.

He didn’t know it at the time, but the friends Larry would make during these shows would become friends for life. It was also while working on Guys & Dolls that he met his future wife, Donna. 

After graduation, Larry spent a year at Philadelphia College of Art majoring in illustration, and graduated from Hussein School of Art in 1970.

Eight years later Heron & Young Advertising was founded. Larry, his wife, Donna, and Donna’s best friend, Michele J. Young, bought some business cards and started knocking on doors. Captain Stern’s Fish & Seafood, a brand new business,  was their first client but definitely not the last. By the time Larry retired from the agency in 1992, they were doing ad campaigns for well known clients like The Devereaux Foundation, Temple University, Jersey Shore Medical Center, LaSalle University and Suburban General Hospital. 

A highlight for Larry came in 1988 with the TV show Thirty Something. The show’s plot had the two leads owning an ad agency in Philadelphia and they needed actual artwork to display on set. The director held a competition among Philadelphia’s existing ad agencies - big and small - soliciting designs and layouts. Larry’s artwork knocked their socks off and his agency won the competition. “It was pretty amazing,” Larry said at the time to seeing his work on TV. 

When Larry and Donna moved to Plymouth Meeting in 1987 from Philadelphia, he again took up his paint brush to design the sets for The Music Man, presented by the St. Philip Neri Parish in Lafayette Hill as a fund raiser, as well as several productions at The Dramateurs in Jeffersonville.

By 1994 Larry had gotten bored with retirement and began his second career at Montgomery Newspapers in Fort Washington. No one was surprised that Larry eventually became the award-winning creative director in charge of all editorial design for the company’s 16 weekly newspapers. He retired in 2014. 

Larry will be deeply missed by his wife and his many friends and co-workers. Known for his quirky humor, he was a smart, friendly, creative guy.  He was also someone who followed politics and the news of the day with a discerning eye. He didn’t give opinions unless asked. And many respected his thoughtful responses. 

A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, July 17, 2026  at 11 a.m. at Saint Philip Neri Church 437 Ridge Pk. Lafayette Hill PA 19444.

There will be a Visitation held at the Church before the Mass from 10 to 11 a.m.

Donations may be made in Larry’s memory to the American Cancer Society.