Profile Text
Birth Name: Heather Michele O’Rourke
Date of Birth: December 27, 1975
Place of Birth: Santee, San Diego, California, United States
Date of Death: February 1, 1988
Place of Death: San Diego, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: German, Danish, English, Irish
Heather O’Rourke was an American actress. She is known for playing Carol Anne Freeling in the first three Poltergeist films, from 1982 to 1988.
Her sister is actress Tammy O’Rourke.
Heather’s paternal grandfather was Cordell O’Rourke (the son of Hardy Cordell O’Rourke and Irma Alta/May Paschal/Peacher/Paschar). Cordell was born in Arkansas. Hardy was the son of Michael O’Rourke, who was Irish, and of Lucy Hansy. Heather’s great-grandmother Irma was the daughter of Elisha Christian Paschal and Hattie Leona Curry.
Heather’s paternal grandmother was Melba Mae Cox (the daughter of Elmer L. Cox and Dovie Beatrice Hull). Melba was born in Alabama. Dovie was the daughter of Joe Hull.
Heather’s maternal grandfather was Walton Clyde Schwarm (the son of Ernest August Schwarm and Julia Bertha Franke). Walton was born in Wisconsin. Ernest was the son of Frank Richard Getman and Lela Maude Woodard, and was adopted by his step-father, August Schwarm. Heather’s great-grandmother Julia was born in Minnesota, to a Prussian German father, Carl/Charles/Charley Daniel/Gotleib Franke; and Bertha/Barbara Emma Wilken/Wilcken/Welchen, who was of German descent.
Heather’s maternal grandmother was Laraine M. Petersen (the daughter of Lawrence Andre Petersen and Gudrun A. Nielsen). Laraine was born in Wisconsin, to Danish parents. Gudrun was the daughter of Christ Nielsen and Sine Jensen.
Sources: Genealogy of Heather O’Rourke – https://www.geni.com
Obituary of Heather O’Rourke – http://www.findagrave.com
Heather’s mother on the 1950 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Heather’s maternal grandfather, Walton Clyde Schwarm, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org