David Hearn

David Eugene Hearn, died peacefully on February 8, 2023 at Community Memorial Hospital, Marysville, KS, with his wife of 57 years, Jo, by his side.

David was the youngest child of six, born December 23, 1935, on a cold, snowy day at a home north of Waterville to Grover and Effie “Keefover” Hearn. 

A lifelong resident of Waterville, KS, David attended several country schools in the area as well as Waterville High School.  He had many childhood adventures with friends around town.  Surviving a gunshot wound at the age of 15 set the pace for the rest of his life of antics and adventures. Despite the multiple near-death experiences he encountered, he lived a long life and died of natural causes.

In the summer of 1965 while harvesting wheat in North Dakota, he met Audrey Jo Evans and they were married September 20, 1965, in Minot, ND.  After starting their life together in Waterville, David and Jo’s three kids, Tonja, Tylor, and Travis, were born.  

David was a hard-worker and self-employed most of his life.   A second generation custom harvester, he put the family to work and they traveled the Great Plains custom cutting. In the 1970s, he started Blue Valley Truck Sales, buying, selling and customizing farm and commercial trucks.  David was creative and artistic and was always busy innovating, fixing, painting, building, and restoring trucks, tractors, and trailers.  When something needed to be fixed, David was ingenious at figuring out a way to repair it.

After moving to town from their country home in 2014, David continued to stay busy at his shop.  He enjoyed building wooden replicas of farm and construction equipment and visiting with anyone who came down the alley.  He never knew a stranger and would strike up a conversation with anyone.  He also never considered himself “retired”, but in his later years, he and Jo spent time socializing with friends, traveling, visiting their kids, and watching old tv shows, especially Gunsmoke and the Andy Griffith Show.  He loved traditional country music and could listen for hours.

In his 87 years, he shared many life lessons with his children and grandchildren, not the least among these were hard work, common sense, ingenuity, helping others, and story-telling.  Many times he told them, “live life to the fullest” and he did his best to follow his own advice every day.  

David was preceded in death by his parents and siblings Floyd, Arlene Tryon, Donald, Phyllis Baker, and Robert. 

He is survived by his wife Audrey Jo of the home, son Tylor (Gerry Heard) of Houston, TX, daughters Tonja Wienck (David) of Austin, TX, Travis Brinck (Danee Helvey) of Ellsworth, KS, grandsons  Jessie Brinck (Dezirae) of McPherson, KS, Evan Wienck, Austin, TX, and great-granddaughters Brookelyn and Dakota.

Visitation will be Sunday February 12, 2023 at Christie-Anderes Funeral Home, from noon to 8 p.m. with the family receiving visitors from 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Services will be held at 2:00pm, Monday, February 13, 2023, at the United Methodist Church, Waterville with Pastor Berniece Ludlum officiating.  Bev Hedke is the organist.  Special music will include recorded selections of ‘How Great Thou Art”, ”Go Rest High On That Mountain” and “The Great Speckled Bird”.  Casket Bearers are Jessie Brinck, Evan Wienck, Bob Baker, Don Tryon, Clint Jones and Jeff Thornton.  Honorary Bearers are:  Bobby Hearn, Chuck Tryon, Sonny Roepke, Kenny Winkenwader, Delmar Yungeberg¸ Harold Yungeberg, Bobby Mann,  and Doug Green.  Graveside interment to follow at Riverside Cemetery, Waterville.

Memorials may be made to the Waterville Lions Club or the Waterville Ambulance Service and may be sent in care of Christie-Anderes Funeral Home at PO Box 61, Waterville, Kansas 66548.

Condolences may be left at www.apfunerals.com.