Robert Ray Hearn, 65, died Sept. 8 at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday at Fairview Loop Baptist Church. Pastor Tom Hoffman will officiate. Bob’s ashes will be scattered over his beloved moose camp hunting grounds above Eureka.

Bob was diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, on Dec. 23, 2008. In eight months it stripped him of his ability to talk, write, eat, drink or walk. However it could not strip him of his strong faith in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His favorite verse was 1st Thessalonians 5:16-18. His joy was in knowing the Lord and being surrounded by his family.

Bob grew up and went to school in Kingman, Kan. He met and married Linda Linscott in 1965. She was the new elementary school teacher in Kingman. Bob proudly served 26 years in the Air Force. He was one of the very first married recruits in 1965 when the Air Force began to take married men. He and his family were stationed in Grand Forks, N. D.; Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Shemya AFB, The Aleutian Chain; and Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage. His son, Bobby, was born in Grand Forks. His daughter, KimMee was adopted in Seoul, South Korea while stationed in Okinawa. Bob served with the supply squadron as a refueling specialist where he supervised the Cryogenics Department.

After retiring from the military, Bob became a jack-of-all-trades serving his church. He attended First Baptist Church of Wasilla until 1993 and then transferred to Fairview Loop Baptist Church. In both churches he worked in new construction, running the sound, working with budget, finance, building and grounds. He also served as an Ordained Deacon at the First Baptist Church.

The prides of Bob’s life were his children and grandchildren. He loved hunting, fishing and watching his grandkids in hockey, wrestling and dance recitals.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Linda (Linscott) Hearn of Wasilla; son Robert Ray Hearn Jr. of Wasilla; daughter KimMee (Hearn) DeJesus of Kent, Wash.; daughter-in-law, DeKay; son-in-law, Enrique. Grandchildren Tylor, Cory and Caleb Hearn; Presley and Jacob DeJesus; step-grandchildren Nathyn, Justyn and Austyn Bayliffe; brothers Norman Hearn of El Dorado, Kan., and Edward Hearn of Great Bend, Kan.

While being treated for ALS at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, Bob donated blood for ALS research hoping it would help find a cure for this terminal disease. His daughter KimMee will be doing “The Walk to Defeat ALS” in Seattle on Sept. 26 to help raise awareness and find a cure. To support this cause, you can make a donation to The Walk to Defeat ALS ALSA-EC 19110 66th Ave. S. Ste. G 101 Kent, WA 98032. Please make sure to specify your donation is supporting walker, KimMee DeJesus in memory of Robert Hearn. 

Arrangements were under the care of Valley Funeral Home and Crematory.