Deirdre “Didi” O’Hearn, a television executive and beloved family member, passed away peacefully on Aug. 12, 2024, at her home in Palm Coast, FL, after courageously battling stage four cancer for nearly six years. She was surrounded by her loving family at the time of her passing.

Didi was born on Jan. 16, 1961, to Elizabeth Ann O’Hearn and William J. O’Hearn Jr. Raised in Wilton, she was a 1979 graduate of Wilton High School, where she was a gifted student, athlete, and class leader. Didi attended Amherst College, where she was an honors graduate with dual majors in English and Political Science.  She was a pioneering “brother” of the Psi Upsilon Fraternity, a testament to her trailblazing spirit.  She continued her education with an M.S. from Columbia Journalism School.

After a short stint at Lifetime Television, Didi joined A&E Television Networks, where she worked for 16 years. As vice president of non-fiction and alternative programming, she launched the highly successful Gene Simmons Family Jewels series. Didi also served as executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning Biography series. She wrote and produced biographies of Eleanor Roosevelt, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Truman Capote, Eva Peron, President Harry S. Truman and Senator John McCain. Her biography on Senator John McCain, which included candid aspects of his life, was praised by the Wall Street Journal as “the best biography ever” and her biography of Eva Peron was reviewed by The New York Times as “especially vivid.”

In 2011, Didi joined Darlow Smithson Productions as vice president, overseeing their New York office. She then moved to WE TV as vice president of development and talent, where she developed the popular series Mary Mary, SWV: Reunited, Kendra on Top, LA Hair, and Marriage Boot Camp/Bridezillas. 

In January 2016, she was appointed to lead programming and development for Scripps Networks Food Network and Cooking Channel.

During her career, Didi was awarded five Golden Eagle Awards and six Emmy nominations. She was a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and Women in Cable Television (WICT). 

Didi is survived by her husband, Richard Eckerstrom, and their two sons, Ian and Michael; and her siblings William J. O’Hearn III of Barrington, RI, Robert O’Hearn of Julian, PA, Michael O’Hearn of Tucson, AZ, and Tierney O’Hearn of Wilton. She was preceded in death by her sister, Dr. Elizabeth O’Hearn.

Donations in her memory can be made to NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center.