Born in Pittsburgh and spending most of her childhood in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, she studied at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. After two years, she transferred to University of California, Los Angeles and graduated in 1939.
She worked in advertising and public relations in New York City before returning to Pittsburgh during World World War II and became publicity director of The Pittsburgh Playhouse. He began a private law practice where he worked until his retirement in 1982. Her first book, Maximilian, was published in 1967.
She has since published more than 100 books for children and youth – from picture books to adolescent novels – and several collections of poetry.
She also collaborated with Sylvia Van Clief to write a number of songs. Her best-known works are a series of story books about the curious adventures of a boy named Treehorn, which includes the titles The Shrinking of Treehorn (1971), Treehorn"s Treasure (1981) and Treehorn’s Wish (1986), all of which Edward Gorey illustrated.
She was the mother of five children, including authors Judith Heide Gilliland and Roxanne Heide Pierce, with whom she co-wrote several other critically acclaimed books She had seven grandchildren and a number of great-grandchildren.
Heide was well known in Kenosha for the Fourth of July parade she organized each year: Hundreds of children with their bikes decorated would gather outside her home and ride twice around her block to the beat of a drum.
The parade continues each year in her honor. According to her hometown newspaper, The Kenosha News, family members confirmed that Heide died in her sleep overnight on October 23, 2011. Under the pen name Alex B. Allen, Heide and at least two co-authors contributed texts to the illustrated Springboard sports series published by Albert Whitman of Chicago.
The Library of Congress online catalog lists four titles 1972 to 1974 written with Sylvia Van Clief and one published 1975 that was written with David Heide.
