Hazel Heard
Hazel Humberd Heard, Chattanooga, 100, died on Thursday, December 7, 2017.
In 1933 she married Charles Phelps Heard, her devoted husband until his death in 1999. They loved traveling and after his retirement she and her husband traveled extensively.
She was knowledgeable regarding the participation of her forefathers in the American Revolution and the Civil War and her family’s history as pioneers of Tennessee.
She, along with her family, were participants in the beginning of Red Bank Baptist Church, which first met at the church so called “the church on the hill’ where the present Presbyterian church is located. At the time of her death, she was recognized as being the person with the longest membership, having joined in 1925.
Teaching Sunday School began in her teen years and as she matured she began teaching adult Bible classes; this activity was her love in the church. Her last class was the Faith class, still in existence and from which at her retirement she was named Teacher Emeritus.
She worked for the Federal Government at Volunteer Ordinance during WWII and until 1948, when her son was born.
She was an avid reader and collector of rare books and a member of the North Chattanooga Book Club, of which she served a term as president. As a member of the Friends of the Library she did volunteer work at the Chattanooga Public Library for many years.
For the past several years she lived at the Terrace of Chattanooga where she conducted a Bible class. At the Terrace she facetiously called her apartment the unofficial “lending library” from which she loaned many residents selections from her favorite authors.
Preceding her in death was her husband, Charles Phelps Heard, her parents, Oscar Lake Humberd and Mary Elizabeth Cecil-Humberd, and a sister, Edythe Humberd-King.
She is survived by her son Christopher Phelps Heard and daughter-in-law, Teresa, Unionville, Tn., and a granddaughter, Rebecca Elizabeth Heard-Nye, Knoxville.
A Celebration of Life service will be at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at Red Bank Baptist Church with Dr. Fred Steelman and Bill Harvey officiating. Visitation will be one hour before services. Interment will be private.
Contributions may be made to Red Bank Baptist Church Library.
Visit www.lanefh.com to share condolences.
Arrangements are by Lane Funeral, 601 Ashland Terrace. 423-877-3524