John Thomas Hearn, Jr., MD

Class Year

1953

Affiliation

Alumni

Posted on: January 2, 2024

Dr. John T. Hearn of New Market, Va., loving husband of Jan Danley Hearn, died on December 16, 2023, at Sunnyside Retirement Community. John Thomas Hearn was born August 22, 1927, in Fredericksburg, Va., the first-born male, the second child of the late John Thomas and Nellie Armstrong Hearn.

J.T. graduated from James Monroe High School in 1944. World War II was still raging and he joined the Navy’s Combat Air Crewman Corps. After being discharged from the service, he attended Mary Washington College and after the first year, he transferred to the University of Virginia. After receiving his medical degree from UVA, he did an internship at Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, Washington as a 1st Lt. in the U.S. Air Force. After being discharged, he came back to Virginia and started his family practice at Penn Laird, Va. He was on the staff at Rockingham Memorial Hospital and retired after 41 years. He also served as medical director at Sunnyside Presbyterian Retirement Community since its inception, until retiring in 1995.

J.T. was a member and past president of Rockingham Medical Society and was for many years a delegate to the Medical Society of Virginia. He was also a past president of the Rockingham Memorial Medical Staff. He was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

He was an avid golfer and notably had 16 holes-in-one, the last one at age 94 at The Shenvalee on Miller #8. He was a member of Spotswood County Club, joining in 1954. He was also a member of The Shenvalee in New Market.

J.T. and Jan were married on August 19, 2016, and shared many interests including golf, traveling and a love of adventure.

Dr. Hearn is survived by daughters, Cathy Showalter and husband, S. Frank of Timberville, Va., Debby Hearn and husband, Ron Farley of Signal Mountain, Tenn., and Mary Helen Butler of Miramar Beach, Fla. He is also survived by a brother, James B. Hearn of Fredericksburg, Va. and eight grandchildren, seven greatgrandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He is also survived by a step-daughter, Stacy Proctor and husband, Tom of Broadway, Va., and a step-son, R.J. Morris, Jr. and wife, Anne, of Grottoes, Va.

He was predeceased by his wife Mary Blanche Hearn in 2001 after nearly 50 years of marriage; a son, Dr. James A. Hearn and a grandson, Clinton T. Showalter. Also predeceased by a brother, Charles “Pete” Hearn; sisters, Kitty Metz and Virginia Whiting, and his second wife, Phyllis Weaver Hearn.