Kathleen Heard

Kathleen Anson Heard

Being “one of 18” was a lifelong reason to be proud for the family members of JW and Velma Anson; being the first to leave was the heartbreaking reality of their daughter, Kathleen Anson Heard.

The Ansons were well-known locally and even featured in national media for the size of their family. All 18 siblings survived until the death this week of their third oldest child at the age of 79.

Kathleen died peacefully in her sleep, in the arms of her own children, Tuesday morning, May 27, 2025, at her home north of Seminole.

She was born Feb. 25, 1946, at Holdenville General Hospital. The family was reared in the New Lima area, where Kathleen attended school for 12 years, graduating in 1964.

Being a member of the largest family in the area wasn’t only a source of pride; it was a foundation of comfort, inclusion and community. In addition to being part of a tightly-knit family, the Ansons felt the lifelong love and support of their church, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

Kathleen worked at Wrangler for several years both before and after marrying her high school sweetheart, Buddy Heard, on June 2, 1967. They settled in the area south of Wewoka, where they built a home and raised four sons and a daughter.

Although Kathleen wasn’t the oldest child in her family, she was the first married and so led the way for the others – like her mother, demonstrating the way of life for the other young wives and mothers. She was an exemplary model for her brothers, sisters, in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews, and later her own grandchildren.

She was fun-loving and enjoyed silliness, card games, volleyball, reading, bowling, baking, making candy and Hallmark movies.

As a mother and grandmother, she was warm and comforting, attentive and loving.

After her children were out of the nest, she worked retail at Wall’s and Sharpe’s in Seminole. She loved interacting with her customers and became close to several.

As in most lives, Kathleen’s was not without heartbreak. She lost her youngest son, Richard, to a car accident on March 12, 1999. And then her beloved husband succumbed to cancer in August, 2020; they were married 53 years. She was also preceded in death by her father, Joe Anson; her mother, Velma Anson; her father-in-law, Louie Heard; her mother-in-law, Zella Dansby; her sister-in-law, Melba Joyce Parker; her brothers-in-law, Ronnie Heard and Billy Gillespie; and three nieces, Jennifer Gillespie, Tina Conatser and Tracy Burnett.

Despite all the loss in her life, Kathleen continued to display the strength she received from her parents and family and carried on until her own life was rocked with illness.

Leaving to cherish her memory are her three sons and daughters-in-law, Warren Heard of Edmond; Brian and Kourtney Heard of Edmond; and Drew and Tammy Heard of Blanchard; daughter and son-in-law, Jessica and Ryan Perry, Seminole; and grandchildren, Braxton Heard, Anson Heard, Reagan Heard, Bailey Heard, Kennedy Heard, Corbin Perry and Rylan Perry.

She is lovingly survived by her 17 brothers and sisters and their families: Linda and Ross Donnelly of Apex, N.C.; Joe Jr and Rebecca Anson; Patty and Tommy Moore, Chris and Teresa Anson, Jerry and Karen Anson, Mary Black, Teresa Dice, Annie Gillespie, Priscilla Freeman, Robert and Terry Anson, Eddie Anson, Lisa and Pat Lee and Danny and Kim Anson, all of Seminole County; Doris and Loyd Perry, Pink; Sue and Tom Wolf, Newkirk; David Anson of Wetumka; and Pam and Jim Browning of Irving, Texas.

Other survivors include a brother-in-law, Marvin Parker of Mustang, and a sister-in-law, Linda Heard of Wewoka.

A private memorial service is planned at a later date; cremation is under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Center for Dementia Research.