Who Was Catherine Romer, Formerly Catherine Heller of Scarsdale?

The former Heathcote Inn on Popham Road. Catherine's former husband, Frank Heller, developed 50 Popham Road and 2 Overhill Road. Photo by Harold Haliday Costain in the Scarsdale Public Library collection.
(Updated December 4, 2024) By now you have all read about the discovery of a 1978 Lincoln Continental submerged in a Georgia Pond that is believed to contain the remains of Charles and Catherine Romer, formerly of Scarsdale. The story goes that the two retirees were driving from Florida to Scarsdale in April 1980 when they mysteriously disappeared after checking into the Brunswick Holiday Inn in Glynn County, Georgia. Catherine was said to be wearing $81,000 in jewelry at the time of her disappearance so foul play was suspected. Still missing in 1985 the couple was declared dead, The case remained unsolved for 44 years and continued to haunt the family. Now investigators surmise that they accidentally drove into a retention pond near the hotel.

Frank and Catherine Heller lived at 27Kensington Road.There is lots more online about the couple, but little about their life in Scarsdale. Who were Catherine Heller and Charles Romer?

It turns out that the two widowers had married a few years earlier after the deaths of their respective spouses. Catherine Blanchard Heller was formerly married to Frank Heller and they lived in Fox Meadow at 27 Kensington Road. Frank, a successful businessman played a pivotal role in the development of Scarsdale.A postcard from the Heathcote Inn

A review of historic articles from the Scarsdale Inquirer shows that Frank Heller developed both the apartment building at 50 Popham Road and the office building at 2 Overhill Road. At the time of their death, the Romer’s lived at 50 Popham Road and Catherine was said to be the owner of the building.

Heller initially purchased the Heathcote Inn – pictured here, that stood where 50 Popham Road is now located. He got permission to build an apartment building there along with the office building at 2 Overhill Road in October 1952. At the time, he sold the Village a strip of property in order to accommodate the widening of Popham Road.

Here is what the articles say:

August 1952:

“The Village Board has received from Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Heller of Kensington Rd., owners of the old Heathcote Inn property, a price of $15,000 on the 10-foot strip which the village seeks to acquire for the widening of Popham Rd. at the side of the Heller property.”

And in October 1952:

With the ironing out of the last problems, a building permit was issued this week to Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Heller of Kensington Rd. for the erection of the apartment and office building on Popham and Overhill Rds. Trustee Arthur S. Meyer, together with Village Attorney Richard Tilden and Village Manager Reeves Newsom, met with Mr. Heller and Rene Leveille last Friday night for final negotiation on the price of the 10-foot strip which the village wished to purchase for the widening of Popham Rd. Original asking price was $15,000 and at a special Village Board meeting on Saturday morning the price agreed to was set at ($B5OO) ?. Also agreed upon was the straightening of the line on Overhill Rd. in front of the office building. The owners will pave the widened road, give an easement for sidewalks and install them at their own expense. The village will pay for the widening of Popham Rd., which is expected to be done some time next year.”

We also found this photo of the groundbreaking for the new apartment building, which includes Frank Heller Jr., representing his father.

Caption: At ground-breaking ceremonies for the new Heathcote Inn apartments and office building last week are from left to right: Leo Zamory, project engineer; Joseph Sibley, Jr„ architect; Mrs. Rene T Leveille S J Some Title Co. official; Peter W. Quinn, attorney for the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Heller Jr;. Mr. Leveille builder Mr. and Mrs. Frank Heller, Jr., and Lawrence Labriola in the bulldozer.

The article explains, "Mr. Quinn, who was the principal speaker, outlined the history of the old Heathcote Inn which was built after the close of the Civil War, and the plans for the new buildings which will rise in its place."

Tragedy Strikes

However, this is not the end of the story. During the construction of the office building at 2 Overhill Road in July 1953, a tragic accident occurred. Three workmen were killed and ten were hospitalized when the building collapsed. According to a report in the Scarsdale Inquirer, workers were pouring concrete on the fourth floor of the building when the timber props holding up the fourth floor collapsed. The concrete fall from the fourth floor brought down sections of the third, second and first floors and buried workers in the rubble. The article calls it, "the worst catastrophe in Scarsdale history."

Last, Heller’s obituary from May 10, 1965 notes his extensive involvement in the Village but does not detail the collapse of 2 Overhill Road. It says:

"Frank J. Heller of 50 Popham) Road died May 10, 1965 at Lawrence Hospital. Bronxville, at the age, of 72. He had been a Scarsdale* resident for 35 years. A former president of Raymond and Heller, importers in New) York, he was the owner of 2 Overhill Road, Scarsdale and had served as board chairman of several real estate firms. Mr. Heller was a member of the Knights of Malta and the [Knights of the Grand Cross of the Holy Sepulchre, lie was a trustee of lona College, St. Vincent's Hospital and Marymount Junior College in Boca Raton. Fla., and a member of the Scarsdale Golf Club. A requiem mass was said this morning. Thursday, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, where he was a parishioner. Surviving are his wife, the former Catherine Blanchfield, a son, Frank B. of Bedford, brother, two sisters and eight grandchildren."