Donald "Don" Melvin Heard

Donald “Don” Melvin Heard, 75, of Garner, went to his Heavenly home on December 14th, 2025, at TerraBella Asheboro, surrounded by family.

Don was born on July 17th, 1950, in Cherokee County, GA, to the late Claude Junior and Dorothy Ellen Bobo Heard. He is preceded in death by his parents and his great grandchildren, Sarah and Haley Rierson.

Don was a 1968 graduate of Jordan-Matthews High School. Then he went to Wingate College where he graduated in 1970 with his associates. He then went back to college and graduated in 1975 from Rowan Technical Institute where he received his associates degree in fire protection technology. In 1972, Don was a firefighter for Guilford College Fire Department, after which he worked briefly in insurance. He then worked for Mecklenburg County Fire Administration Office. In 1979, he started working with the Randolph County as as Fire Marshall and stayed with them until 1988. After that, he went to work for the North Carolina Crime Control and Public Safety Division in Emergency Management. Don loved the Lord and was active in his church. He was a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Garner where he was a Sunday School teacher, he sang in the church choir, he worked the sound system, and he was a deacon and was awarded Deacon emeritus. Don loved his church and his church family. In his spare time, Don loved music, computers, and taking photos. Don and Ruth lived on a farm and raised horses while living in Asheboro. Don’s biggest love was his family and making memories with them all.

Left to cherish Don’s memory is his wife of 43 years, Ruth Simmons Heard; his children, Donna Smith, and Tonya McManus and her husband, Al, and Joseph Heard; his grandchildren, Hannah Murphy and her husband, Dan, Elaina Staley, Adam Rierson, and Caitlin McManus; his three great grandchildren, Zoe Murphy, Avery Murphy, and Charlie Parrish; his sister, Carole Barr, and her husband, Wayne; his niece, Keri Henley and her husband, Mark, and their daughter, Kiya; and his nephew, Chris Barr and his wife, Michelle, and their sons, Alex and Andrew.

A Celebration of Life service will be held January 4th, 2026, at 3 pm, at Smith & Buckner Chapel. There will be a visitation from 2-3 pm prior to the service. Services will be officiated by Pastor Mitch Lockamy.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Randolph Hospice, 416 Vision Dr., Asheboro, NC 27203 in Don’s name.

Smith & Buckner Funeral Home will be assisting the Heard family.

Online condolences can be made at www.smithbucknerfh.com