About Kimberly
Kimberly Heckler is a native Washingtonian whose passion for reading and writing has taken her on a journey of discovery. Her debut book, A Woman of Firsts: Margaret Heckler, Political Trailblazer, will be published by Lyons Press on February 18, 2025. A Woman of Firsts is more than a biography of Margaret Heckler, it is a rare view into the behind the scenes world of American politics where Heckler rubbed shoulders with leaders from L.B.J. to Ronald Reagan. The book also details the 1960s-1980s experiences of a woman who successfully broke the glass ceiling in the sphere of politics that had always been dominated by men.
Meeting Margaret
I was in awe when first visiting Ambassador Heckler in Ireland on a trip with my then boyfriend, John Heckler, in the summer of 1988. We arrived at Deerfield, the ambassador’s residence in Dublin, to a Georgian mansion with expansive views of Phoenix Park. We were met by Hollywood stars John Forsethye and Stephanie Powers at the front door of the residence, allowing me to connect the role Margaret played in hosting great events that would help draw American businesses to invest in Ireland. At the Anheuser-Busch cocktail party, sponsors of the Irish Derby, Margaret left her guests to escort me to my room on the far end of the mansion. The blue and white guest room had two twin beds, floor to ceiling windows, and a fireplace. A private maid unpacked my gowns, placing my shoes beneath each intended outfit. Once alone, I looked around at my surroundings, took a bite of the cucumber sandwich on the bedside table and cried.
My most surprising moment occurred when we were invited to attend a concert in downtown Dublin. We arrived to find just three seats left in the middle front row of the theater. Within moments of taking our seats, the MC took the microphone and announced, “We are so honored to have Her Excellency with us here this evening.” I quickly turned my head around to scan the crowd for Queen Elizabeth. Little did I know that they were referring to the woman sitting next to me - Ambassador Margaret Heckler, my future mother-in-law. What I could not comprehend at that moment, but came to understand over time, was that I was sitting next to a great historical figure, one whose mark touched millions of lives both in America and abroad.
Many years later, we started a family tradition of Sunday night dinners with Margaret. It was during these dinners that I realized how much about Margaret Heckler that I still didn’t know. As she shared stories from her childhood, why she became a lawyer and when she decided to run for Congress, I felt empowered to write her story. I was impassioned to learn that she was the first woman to earn a triple crown in politics.
During Margaret Heckler's political career, she was referred to as The Honorable, Congresswoman, the Gentle Woman from Massachusetts, Madame Secretary, Ambassador, Her Excellency, and Plenipotentiary. Her legacy lives on through all of the lives she has personally touched. To my husband she was Mom, to my children she was Grandma, and to me - the extraordinary woman I was unbelievably blessed to know.
