Gary Heard

Gary Heard of Brooklyn, New York and Niantic, died on July 6, 2022, while running a race in Prospect Park. He was 73.

Born in Hartford to Louis and Helen (Carroll) Heard, Gary grew up in nearby Manchester and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Upsala College. Later in life, Gary's personal interest in European politics led him to earn a Masters degree in Political Science from New York University. Throughout high school and college Gary worked harvesting tobacco, as a camp counselor, and as a roofer. After college, Gary completed the underwriting training program at Chubb Insurance, going on to a successful 39-year career there. Bored after retiring from Chubb in 2009, Gary then worked for a boutique insurance firm and spent three years at Travelers in its Entertainment Insurance Division before retiring again. In 2017, a former colleague asked Gary to join the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as Chief of Staff to the Chairman. A year later, Gary again retired from full-time work but has since served as an election day poll worker and, at the time of his death, was a coach for the New York Road Runners' group training sessions. He has also delved extensively into genealogy, writing two book-length research reports about the two sides of his family. An avid lifelong athlete, Gary played baseball from little league until his late 60s, when he left his corporate team. He was also a skilled and devoted golfer. Gary enjoyed his greatest athletic success through long-distance running, completing 19 marathons (including four Boston's), eight Hood to Coast Relays, and numerous shorter races. Gary completed his last race, the Al Goldstein Series 5k, two weeks before his death, in a time of 29:29, placing first among men aged 70-74.

Gary leaves behind his wife of 21 years, Sara; two daughters, Marjorie Heard of Brooklyn and Beth Provo and her husband, Kahlil) of Olympia, Washington; two grandchildren, Rosalia Provo and Mateo Provo; his brother Peter Heard and wife, Beth of Manchester; several nieces and nephews; and countless heartbroken friends. He was predeceased by his sister, Laurie Heard Berg; as well as his

parents. Visitation will be Thursday, July 14, 7 to 9 p.m., and Friday, July 15, 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., at Joseph G. Duffy Funeral Home, 255 9th St., Brooklyn, NY. Funeral will be held Saturday, July 16, at 10 a.m.