Charles Hearne

(From Moore Funeral Home)

Charles William Hearne passed away on February 17, 2023, at his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma after a lengthy battle with Parkinsons Disease. He was an adoring husband and a loving brother, father and grandfather. 

Charles (Charlie) was born on June 21, 1940, to the late Eva Bernice and William Thomas Hearne in Neosho, Missouri. Like many children of that era, Charles survived polio as a young child. Charles attended Neosho Schools and graduated in the Class of 1958. 

While in high school, he played the trumpet in the marching band, inducted into the National Honor Society, and member of the tennis team. He was an Eagle Scout as well as Order of the Arrow. He was also industrious, working summers at the Pet Milk plant in Neosho, spending untold hours cleaning milk tanks on trucks.

Charles attended the University of Tulsa and remained a "loyal" Golden Hurricane fan his entire life. Charles was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and various campus activities. He met Ann during their freshman year, married in the spring of their junior year and both graduated in class of '62. He received a bachelor's degree in business management with honors. His education continued with graduate classes.

Charles spent his career working in the aviation industry employed by North American Rockwell, American Airlines (25 years), Northwest Airlines (Director) and Honeywell Aerospace Division (marketing territory in southeast Asia) and finally retiring in 2003. 

During this time, he traveled to 39 countries, Australia and New Zealand as favorites. He also experienced a business trip around the world in eight days. A good portion of his career was spent in Tulsa, he and Ann also lived in Houston, Texas (Gulf Oil Co.); Claremore, Oklahoma (12 years); Minneapolis, Minnesota (NWA-5 years); and Phoenix, Arizona (Honeywell-7 years) returning to Tulsa in 2005 to assist in caring for his oldest grandson, Nick.

Charles was active in his community. He served as President of the Green Country Soccer Association, promoting soccer programs as well as coach and referee, once on the sidelines as a referee at a Tulsa Roughnecks game. 

An important project was the adoption of a scholarship program, helping many players continue to play at the collegiate level. Many hours were spent putting up nets and lining fields in Claremore on Saturday game days. 

He was active in his children's school, as the voice of the Claremore-Sequoyah Eagles football games during his son's high school football career. In later years, he was active as a volunteer at Asbury Church driving the bus transporting seniors on outings and driving a shuttle on Sunday mornings.

Beyond his love of family and his beloved Cavalier Spaniel, Prince, Corvettes and golf were his passion. For 30 years, he owned and restored a 1959 Vette, and later owned and enjoyed -- a 1967, a 1996, and a 2002. He was active in the National Corvette Restorers Society as a judge, as well as a charter member of the Tulsa Vette Set corvette club. He continued to be active in clubs throughout the years. 

Golf was his game and continued playing until P.D. forced him to retire. He played golf in many of the 39 countries during business and pleasure trips including sharing the golf course with monkeys in Malaysia and kangaroos in Australia. He truly valued the friendships of many business associates and co-workers.

Charles is survived by his wife of 62 years, Ann Lynn; his brother, Larry Hearne (Joan), Wichita, Kans.; daughters, Laurie Reed of Tulsa, and Susan Richardson (Craig) of Atlanta; son, William (Bill) Hearne of Germantown, TN; and grandchildren, Nick Reed, Will Hearne, Molly Richardson and Reese Richardson.

Predeceased by grandparents, Charles and Edna Pool Brown, Neosho, MO; William Thomas and Itaska (Tassie) Chiles Hearne, Goodman, MO; and aunt, Mary Hearne Rader, and uncles, Cannon Hearne, Louis Hearne and William F. Hearne, formerly of Goodman.

A Celebration of Life service to honor Charles will be held on Saturday, March 11 at 1:00 p.m. at Asbury Church Chapel, 6767 So. Mingo Rd., Tulsa, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions may be made to your charity of choice or: to the Oklahoma Parkinson's Alliance. Donations may be sent to 7134 So. Yale, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74136, phone 918-574-8499. Online donations available online -- oklahomapa.org

Donations may also go to APDA Oklahoma (American Parkinson's Disease Assoc.) P.O. Box 3113, Broken Arrow, OK 74013 and online-at www.apdaparkinson.org/ok. Please note on check or online to be "In Memory Of Charles William Hearne". Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com