Leonard Leo Heard

1925 - 2021

Leonard Leo Heard passed away on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at home surrounded by family. Leonard is survived by his wife, Theta Jane Heard; his sons, John Benjamin Heard (Ann) and Richard Dale Heard (Susan); and many beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Doris Bernadine Snyder Heard; his parents, Henry Clay Heard and Amanda Page Heard; his son, Stephen Leonard Heard; and siblings, Kenneth Heard (Ester), Shirley Heard Singleton (Rex), Arnold Heard and Robert Heard.

Leonard was born October 15, 1925 in Garden Grove, CA, but spent most of his childhood on the family farm in Brushy Knob, MO. He graduated from Drury University in 1950 with a BS in hard rock geology. In 1944, he went into the Navy serving on a mine sweeper in the Pacific Theater. He was honorably discharged as a 2nd Class Petty Officer in 1946.

He began working at Dowell in January 1952. He served as District Manager in Kermit, TX and Farmington, NM; Regional Sales in Salt Lake City, UT; Quality Assurance Manager in Tulsa, OK; District Manager in Shreveport, LA; and retired as Regional Operations Manager in Columbus, OH in 1984.

Leonard volunteered for 30 years at the election polls and spent many years delivering Meals on Wheels dinners with his wife, Theta. He loved meeting and talking to the people while delivering the meals.

In the summer of 1968, Leonard, his three sons, father and father-in-law built a cabin in southern Colorado on the Dolores River. They built the cabin from the ground-up. He and his family have enjoyed spending time there together: fishing, walking, building bonfires and enjoying each other's company.

One of his other great passions was gardening and growing roses. His yard was always pristine and his roses coveted by family and friends. He loved sitting on the back porch watching the birds at his feeders and trying to invent ways to keep the squirrels away.

His absolute biggest passion was his family. He would do anything for them -- dispensing priceless advice, giving big bear hugs, and playing with his grandchildren.

Leonard had a strong faith which he shared with his family right up until his death. One of his favorite verses from the Bible was Romans 8:37-39: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

A funeral service will be held in the Asbury United Methodist Church Chapel, 6767 S. Mingo, Tulsa, OK on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. Donations to honor Leonard, can be made to Meals on Wheels, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Asbury United Methodist Church.