The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

John Marvin Heard, 84, of Orange, died Thursday, December 30, 2021, at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont.

Funeral services will be 4:00 p.m. Sunday, January 2, 2022, at McDonald Memorial Baptist Church in West Orange with Reverend Tommy Anthony, pastor, officiating. Burial will be at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange, under the direction of Claybar Funeral Home.

Visitation will begin at 3:00 p.m. Sunday at the church. 

Born in Orange on October 2, 1937, he was the son of Irene (Longron) Heard and James Heard. John was a proud member of the Texas National Guard Reserves for 20+ years. He retired from Dupont Sabine River Works in Orange, Texas. John was a rice farmer and also a cattle rancher. He built White Oak Golf Course and was owner of Heard’s Nursery and Landscaping. 

He was a member of McDonald Memorial Baptist Church where he was lovingly known as Papa John and one of his favorite pastimes was to drive the church bus for seniors, youth and mission trips for the church. He was a beloved and proud husband, father and grandfather. John will be missed by all those who knew and loved him. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Irene and James Heard; his beloved daughter, Shannah Heard; his in-laws, Ike and Dixie Peveto; his brother, James A. Heard and his brother-in-law, Julian Meadows.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Heard of Orange; daughters, Lisa Sparks and her husband, Mike, of Nederland, Johnnie Kay Harrell of Orange; grandchildren, Megan Jackson of Beaumont, Kevin Sparks and his wife, Jessica, of Nederland, Karlie Harrell and Katie Harrell of Orange; and his great granddaughter, Hensley Morgan.

Honorary pallbearers are Mike Sparks, Kevin Sparks, LeRoy Gomez, Lee Gomez, Chad Meadows, Eric Meadows, Wade Shartle and John B. Heard.