Obit – Don Wallace (Donnie) Hearn
Don Wallace (Donnie) Hearn, age 77, of Alexandria, passed away at home on June 14,2024.
During his elementary school years, his family moved to Murfreesboro where he attended Mitchel Nielson Elementary and Murfreesboro Central High School before his family moved back to Alexandria. He graduated from Watertown High School and attended Cumberland University and Middle Tennessee State University.
He served four years in the US Navy during the Vietnam War, aboard the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, the USS Nathan Hale, SSBN623, and was a plank owner of, and served aboard, the nuclear fast attack submarine, the USS Hammerhead, SSN663.
He was a lover of vintage cars, and 18 wheeler trucks. His first jobs were truck driving jobs working for his dad. He never lost his love of the road. He hauled milk from farms across Middle Tennessee to local milk plants. Later he transported milk over the eastern portion of the US from Northern Michigan to South Florida, from Wisconsin and Kansas, to North and South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama.
He served as Manager of the State of Tennessee Motor Pool under the Blanton Administration. He Owned and managed Parkview Apartments.
Donnie is a charter member of the West Main Baptist Church.
In his final years, he was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, that robbed him of his ability to move and eventually took his life. Donnie was a part of a John Hopkins research study’s effort to learn more about PSP for which there is no treatment or cure.
Donnie is survived by his wife of 54 years, Carol Buterbaugh Hearn, and his son Rob Charles Hearn; his brother and sister-in-law Ben and Kathy Hearn, sister-in-law Tammy Hearn; sister-in-law Judy Buterbaugh Morgan; sister/brother-in-law Kay and Ricky Vantrease; nieces Kelley Morgan Broome, Mary Katherine Keltner; nephews, Bill Morgan, Timothy and Tyler Hearn; Brady and John Bratten Hearn; Paul and John Vantrease, Jacob Wiloth.
Donnie is predeceased by his parents, Edward and Katherine Hearn, his precious daughter, Dana Carol Hearn, his brother Joe Hearn; brother in law, Bob Morgan, his nephew, Adam Hearn; parents-in-law Millard and Lucille Buterbaugh.
Graveside service with military honors was held on Wednesday, July 19 at 12:30 p.m. at Hearn Hill Cemetery following the visitation.
Memorial donations are encouraged to be sent to Cure PSP to find a cure for this horrific disease. AFH accepts these donations or visit psp.org.
