Mr. Donald Ray Heard's Obituary
Donald Ray Heard was born December 21, 1943 in Quitman, MS to the late Reverend Ernest and Annie Mae Heard. He was the youngest of four brothers. At an early age, Donald accepted Christ at the Elwood Church of God (Mississippi). After graduating from Shirley-Owens High School in 1963 he was united in holy matrimony to his high school sweetheart, Ida Lee Shanks. Shortly there afterwards he and Ida moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where he became a member of the First Church of God. Donald has always been a hard worker and while attending high school full time in Quitman, he also held a full time job at Holiday Inn in Meridian, MS. After moving to Cincinnati, Donald took a job at Frisch's and later worked for John Morrell. He then became employed within the trucking industry proceeding to Nash Finch while starting and operating his own business, Heard & Sons Landscaping Services. He later retired from both. Donald Ray is survived by: his loving, kind, caring and devoted wife of 50 years, Ida L. Shanks-Heard, eight (8) children, twenty-three (23) grandchildren, one (1) brother, Raymond Lee Heard (Leticia), two (2) sisters, Bessie Williams and Eddie D. Jordan of Baltimore, MD, one (1) brother-in-law, Jessie J. Shanks of Baltimore, MD, six (6) sisters-in-law, Annie Pickens of Flint, Michigan, Mary Bryant (Cathon), Pearl Bradshaw, Eleanor Shanks, Lillian Davis, and Sarah Shanks all of Chicago, Illinois, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends; two (2) special friends: Lewis and Tyrone.
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