WILLIE MELVIN HEARD II

The service will be streamed at:

Alamo Alphas YouTube Channel: Alamo Alphas –https://www.youtube.com/@AlamoAlphas OR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/willie.heard140

Willie Melvin Heard II was born 29 December 1946, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was the fifth child and the third son born to the union of Deacon Bennie Lee Heard, Sr. and Deaconess Lurleen E. Heard (née Calloway). He was reared in Homer, Louisiana. The family was in communion with First Ebenezer Baptist Church where he was baptized at an early age.

In 1964, he graduated from Mayfield High School. Despite a stellar academic career at Mayfield HS, matriculation to a post-secondary institution was deferred. At the age of 17 his parents signed for him to enlist in the United States Air Force (USAF). On 28 September 1964, Willie reported to basic training at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB). He subsequently attended technical school at Chanute AFB for training as a checkout test equipment technician. Upon completion of technical school, Willie reported to Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota.

During his 11.5 years of enlisted service, he worked as an electronics technician. He served over 4 years in the electronics laboratory for the Minuteman II ICBM system, where he worked as shift supervisor for 2 years. He subsequently served as an integrated avionics systems specialist/technician on FB-111A aircraft for 7 years, where he operated as shift supervisor for over 4 years. His highest enlisted grade was “Technical Sergeant (E-6).”

After completing Officer Training School and receiving his commission in 1976, Willie commenced his information technology (IT) career as a programmer and later as a systems analyst. This pathway afforded him the opportunity to gain experience as a designer, administrator, and manager of databases. He acquired faculty in both mainframe and client/server technologies and held multiple executive leadership and management positions, serving as Unit Manager, Branch Chief, and Director.

Willie’s personal industry saw him take maximum advantage of the educational opportunities provided by USAF. He pursued post-secondary and graduate education, in which he earned a baccalaureate from SUNY-Plattsburgh (1975) and dual core M.A. degrees in Business Management and Procurement Management from Webster University (1984). He completed many professional leadership courses (Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, Air War College Curriculum) as well as technical courses while with USAF. Willie is also a 1997 graduate of the Alamo Federal Executive Board Leadership Program.

After serving as an officer at Langley AFB; Randolph AFB (twice); Bolling AFB and the Pentagon; and Quarry Heights (Republic of Panama), Willie retired from USAF in 1998. His highest commissioned grade was “Lieutenant Colonel (O-5).” His service with USAF as both an enlisted man and an officer in defense of the Republic spanned 33 years, 9 months, and 3 days.

While stationed in upstate New York (Plattsburgh AFB), Willie met a fellow airman by the name of Johnnie M. Holliday of Camden, South Carolina. He became smitten by her and after a period of courtship they united in holy matrimony in December 1977. To their union, 2 children were born: a son, Willie Melvin, the Third (“Trei”); and a daughter, Tiffany Chiffon.

Following a long and distinguished career with USAF, Willie began his employment with USAA. He worked at USAA for more than 15 years having served as an IT Applications Manager of the Property & Casualty Software Engineering Process Group; as IT Manager of the Oracle Database Unit; and as IT Technical Manager of the Database Customer Service Support & SQL Services Unit of Database Management. Willie had more than 37 years of leading IT professionals and managing IT projects. Willie retired from his position with USAA on 30 June 2013.

In 1993, Willie and his family entered communion with the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church. Here, he was ordained as a Deacon and served as a Board Trustee. Additionally, he served as the Sanctuary Choir President and as the Chairman of the Building and Development Committee, Finance Committee, and Mission Outreach Committee. Outside of Shiloh, Willie served on the Board and multiple committees of the Guadalupe District Missionary Baptist Association and College, Incorporated. In 2000, Willie earned a B.A. in Religious Studies from the Guadalupe School of Religion, in San Antonio, Texas. He also served with the Citywide Baptist Brotherhood Union (CBBU) where he served as 1st Vice-President as well as on numerous CBBU committees. After announcing his call to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Willie was licensed (June 2011) and ordained (July 2012) as a Baptist minister under the guidance of Pastor Andrew Wilson (Shiloh MBC). Reverend Heard served as an Associate Minister at Shiloh. He performed hospital/home visitations, provided Communion, and assisted Pastor Wilson with worship, preaching and teaching duties.

Willie was a Life Member of the following organizations: Air & Space Forces Association; Golden Eagles (USAA Retirees); Military Officers Association; NAACP (Gold Life); and Tuskegee Airman Incorporated. He was past President of Tuskegee Airman Incorporated – San Antonio Chapter (1994-1996). Willie also served as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Golden Eagles. He was initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. – Pi Theta Lambda Chapter (Spring 2014) where he served as Chapter Chaplain.

As a proponent of continuing education, Willie championed the educational aspirations of young people. He served and/or chaired multiple scholarship committees with Shiloh MBC; CBBU; Pi Theta Lambda Educational Foundation, Inc. (PTLEF); and the Texas Council of Alpha Chapters (TCAC). For many years he served on the San Antonio Advisory Board for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Additionally, he helped to establish the Bennie Sr. and Lurleen Heard Memorial Scholarship Fund managed by the NAACP – Claiborne Parish Branch.

In 2013, Willie was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). In 2019, he began his participation in several clinical trials at the Mays Cancer Center (UT Health San Antonio) and at MD Anderson in Houston. In a media campaign to encourage more ethnic minorities to participate in clinical trials, Willie expressed, “Maybe I can help somebody else.” His faith did not waver, even after his disease progressed to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) 9 months following the initial success of a stem cell transplant (February 2022). Despite complications and setbacks, Willie continued to fight valiantly. On Wednesday, 7 August 2024, Willie passed peacefully at home with his family.

Willie was preceded in death by his beloved father and mother Bennie Sr. and Lurleen E. Heard; siblings, Bennie Lee Heard Jr., Vergie Delores Lewis (née Heard); and Gerald Wayne Heard.

To honor and cherish his memory, Willie leaves his loving and devoted wife of 46 years, Johnnie M. Heard (née Holliday); his supportive children, Willie M. Heard III, PhD and Tiffany C. Heard, MS; siblings Gloria D. Ramey (Oubin), David W. Heard, Sr. (Burnis), Jerlene E. Malone (Roosevelt); In-Laws: Natherine Heard, Gwen Ramey, Paula Heard; Harvey and Christina Poage; Horace and Debra Holliday; Barbara I. Green; Robert Holliday; Jerry L. Holliday; and Emily E. Holliday; a host of beloved nieces and nephews; cousins; special relatives: Dayshon Walker; grand godchildren; and “Little” Brother David; as well as countless friends, associates, colleagues, and loved ones.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the:

Bennie Sr. and Lurleen Heard Memorial Scholarship Fund

NAACP Claiborne Parish

P.O. Box 416

Homer, LA 71040