Charles Monroe Heard

A Celebraton of Life for Charles “Charlie” Monroe Heard will be held at 3PM October 16, 2015, at Kirby & Family Funeral Home in Bull Shoals, AR. Charlie died April 14, 2015, in Austin, Texas. He was born December 3, 1924, in Wetumka, Oklahoma.

Charlie was preceded in death by his wife, Althea Ortman Heard, son, Mark, parents, Grace and Elmer Heard, and brothers, Elmer and John.

Charlie is survived by children, Lynne (John) Williams, Stephen Heard, and David (Martha Adams), grandchildren, Blaine Williams, Elizabeth (Rob) Crawley, Kelly and Mark Heard, Rachel, and Alex Adams-Heard, great grandson, Robert Cooper Crawley, and brother James (Joyce) Heard, sisters-in-law, Charlotte Heard, and Anita Ortman Becker, and many nieces and nephews.

Charlie graduated from the University of Oklahoma and was a talented and well liked college athlete, lettering in track and football. During college Charlie was in the Navy V-12 officers’ training program and served in China as WWII was winding down. It was at O.U. that Charlie and Thea met and fell in love. They spent over 65 wonderful years together raising a family, putting down roots and making many friends. Charlie had a successful career with Union Texas Petroleum Company becoming Vice President of Domestic Production. After retirement, Charlie and Thea moved to Bull Shoals where he enjoyed spending time studying great philosophers, writing his memoirs and short stories, playing gentleman farmer (in his newly acquired bull dozer and tractor), planting trees, playing tennis, participating in the Senior Olympics, being an active volunteer in the community and serving on city committees. Charlie and Thea traveled extensively throughout the world, enjoyed boating adventures on Bull Shoals Lake and quality time with family and friends. They moved to Austin in 2003 where Charlie’s friendliness and zest for life enabled him to quickly become an avid Austinite. Among Charlie’s many wonderful traits were his genuine interest in and his kindness and caring for others - all of which led to his tireless participation in the Open Door Ministry (through University United Methodist Church) serving the homeless.