Mary (DeWaard) HEARD

HEARD, SWEERSA, DEWAARD, DINGEL, OLTMAN, ENABNIT

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/21/2009 at 12:21:34

ROCKFORD, IOWA - Mary Heard, 52, of 502 Second Ave. N.E., Rockford, passed away on Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at her home after a courageous battle with cancer. A funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 21, at Zion Lutheran Church, 805 E. Main Ave. in Rockford, with Pastor Patricia Shaw officiating. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery in Rockford. Visitation will held from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 20, at the church an again one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of North Iowa.

Mary was born in Belmond, Iowa on June 19, 1956, the daughter of Adrian and Lucille (Sweersa) DeWaard. She graduated from Corwith-Wesley High School. In school she enjoyed participating in track, softball, basketball, cheerleading and music. She was united in marriage to Mark Heard in Kanawha on April 23, 1977. After graduating high school she attended Dordt College and remained active in sports by competing on the school's track, basketball and softball teams. She graduated from Dordt in 1979 and began working at the hospital in Britt. Mary and her family moved to Rockford in 1983. She began working at Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock Community School District (RRMR) while attending UNI to get her special education endorsement. After obtaining her endorsement, she taught special education at RRMR for 18 years, as well as holding positions as the assistant volleyball coach and head basketball coach. She had also most recently been a Little League softball coach.

Mary was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, the Harmony Club and the Card Club. Playing 500 was one of her favorite card games. She enjoyed traveling and camping with her family. She also remained active in sports by golfing, boating and waterskiing. She liked to try out new things, and would try anything at least once. Most important to Mary was spending time with her family and friends.

Those left to honor her memory include her husband, Mark; mother, Lucille DeWaard of Britt; four children, Stephanie (Greg) Dingel of Waterloo, Andy (Jamie) Heard of Waterloo, Brady (16) and Kaci (11) Heard of Rockford; a grandson, Riley Mark Dingel; brothers, Al (Sue) DeWaard of Stone Lake, Wis., David DeWaard of Chicago, Ill., Arnold (Lois) DeWaard of Pleasantville and Mark (Becky) DeWaard of Iowa City; sister, Judy (Ralph) Oltman of Nevada, parents-in-law, Rollie and Sandra Heard of Rockford; brothers-and sisters-in-law, Brad (Lee) Heard of Wickenburg, Ariz., Kendall and Sheila Enabnit of Marble Rock and Gregg Heard of Tempe, Ariz.; and many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Adrian DeWaard. Fullerton Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 302 W. Main, Rockford.

Mason City Globe Gazette, Iowa
March 19, 2009