Heleen Heyning

Heleen Albertina Heyning passed away unexpectedly on April 6th, 2026, in New York City at the age of 77. Born January 14,1949 in Haarlem, Netherlands, she spent time living in Amsterdam and Hong Kong before moving to New York City in 1974 and, in 1992, to Delhi, New York. She was, most of all, a deeply devoted and loving mother to her daughter Alexis, and she was excited to welcome her first grandchild this summer.

With a bachelor’s degree from NYU in art education, most of her career was spent as a textile design artist and landscape designer. Later in life she would reconnect with a childhood passion for horses and founded and ran West Wind Icelandics, a boarding, training and lesson barn that specializes in Icelandic horses.

Heleen had a deep well of creativity and keen sense of beauty that she expressed in many ways - from painting, to cooking, to horticulture. Her vast garden inspired many. She also used her love of gardens in service of the community, organizing the West Kortright Center’s Garden Tour, and volunteering on the Delhi Beautification Committee. Her enthusiasm for the natural world was truly infectious.

She traveled extensively throughout her life, including to Indonesia, Egypt, Iceland, Iran, and most recently to Pompei, Italy.

She is survived by her daughter Alexis deBoschnek and son-in-law Ryan Nethery, her brothers Nicolaas Heyning and Bart Heyning, and nephews Julius Heyning, Philip Heyning, and Pieter Heyning. She is preceded in death by her brother Tjalling Heyning of South Kortright, and her parents Bart and Kia Heyning of The Hague, Netherlands.

The family requests those that wish to express sympathy to consider a donation to: The Garden Conservancy, an organization which she was honored to be a part of.

Please visit www.macarthurfh.com to share a condolence with Heleen’s family.