Josephine has completed her earthly mission and returned home to the loving embrace of her Heavenly Father and Mother. She was third delivered among her siblings; and a 3rd generation Delawarean, Born in New Castle Delaware November, 3 1924 to Edward Clyde & Emily K. (Davis), Weer with ancestral ties back to Lithuania, Jo was the last of her siblings to pass. She was preceded in death by: Boat Capt. William “Bill/Willy” (Peg) Weer, Margaret “Peg” (Stew) Renberg, Jack (Mil) Weer, and Ruth (Spike) Cannon; her Husband: Rodney Lee Hearne; and two of her Grandchildren: Craig Patrick Morris (1988) and Seth Thomas Hearne (2005).

She is survived by her six Children: Gary (Gloria); Tom (Mary Lou); Sharon (Wayne) Morris; Cindy (Stanley) Sakowski, Jr.; Douglas (Sabrina); and Jeffery (Susan).

She was baptized: June 20, 1953 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and truly lived a Christ-like life, influencing countless lives for good. Her life was dedicated to others as she loved and served unconditionally.

Mother grew up on a 300 acre farm just outside the town of Old New Castle, New Castle, Delaware on Old Churchman’s Road across from the Greater Wilmington Airport, which was a large military base during WWII and the Korean War. Mom attended various schools in New Castle starting in the same one room school house at Hares’ Corner School through 4th grade that her Father had attended, and later attending a combined William Penn Elementary, Junior H.S., and High School. She lettered in Cheer Leading. She worked at Bellanca Aircraft during WWII as a Secretary in a plant making aircraft wing floats for PBY’s and PBM’s. Her Father raised thousands of chickens, a few other livestock, grains for the animals and for sale, and kept a good garden for the family. Later, he got involved in building construction, building many homes and office buildings.

After marrying Rodney Lee Hearne at the Old Swedes Church in Wilmington, DE on April 5, 1947, we lived in an apartment on Old Churchman’s Road until moving to one of three homes her Father had built on the farm (125 Old Churchman’s Road; and later, temporarily at 127 Old Churchman’s Road while building their new house) until 1960 when Mom and Dad finished their own home on three (3) acres of wooded land at 307 Riblett Lane, Wilmington, Delaware 19808 for $23,000. The 3 acres cost $10,000. Mom always worked side-by-side with Dad during all of the construction and land clearing. We began clearing 168 trees of standing hardwood forest the old fashioned way by axe and cross-saw or bucksaw in April 1960, until Dad could afford an old

chainsaw that he rebuilt. We sometimes used Prison Day-Laborers at $5.00/day and they ate with us. Some of the trees took all six of us, with our fingertips barely touching, to reach around the tree bases. We sure shoveled a lot of dirt by hand into two old 1940’s International pickup trucks Dad bought; and chopped a lot of wood. Mom’s Brother Jack owned Weer Construction, who did the majority of the work and other friends of Dad’s for plumbing and electrical work built the majority of the house. We moved in November 1960 without a heater in the house and only had heat from the downstairs fireplace. The home was not completed in many areas (Mom always thought that it was never completed even after she moved out of it upon Dad’s passing). To make ends meet, she started demonstrating toys for C&B Toy Club, Co. in 1959 mostly at night and was busy from June through December every year. She hired other similar sales associates that she trained and prospered, which earned her and her team many trips and cruises along with her goal of providing her now 6 children many wonderful Christmases to remember. While hurrying out one night, she accidently backed the car over her youngest son, Jeff, never knowing until coming home later. He was shaken, but not stirred.

The Weer’s were one of the few fortunate families to have a small cottage at the Indian River Yacht Basin, DE, affording us weekends and long summer vacations enjoying the beach, swimming, boating, fishing, clamming, crabbing, and mostly enjoying being all together as a large family, reveling in the large family dinners. Grandfather Weer & family completed their final home at School View Lane, Rehoboth Beach, DE just in time to keep the growing family gatherings going until all of our Aunts & Uncles had their own dwellings in the Rehoboth Beach area.

Rod & Jo took their children to many horse shows (for Sharon & Cindy to ride), many camping trips, and air shows, when they weren’t busy working, farming, and volunteering for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where they attended as regularly as possible. The Hearne’s were part of the building of the first LDS Ward Building in Wilmington, DE, not only in helping to raise money for the building, but actually physically helping to build the structure.

Later, Mom and Dad bought a double-wide mobile home to locate at 9 Lightship Drive, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware 19971. Their homes were always open to everyone. Mom left C&B after 20 years and just in time to take care of her Mother before she died in 1979. She then managed like a Hallmark gift and card store called “The Carousel Gift Shop” until she was in her 70’s for about 15 years. She knitted, cross-stitched and quilted for a time; always enjoying baking cookies, pies, cakes, and bread involving her children in all of her chores. My funniest memory was when she tried to chop the chickens’ heads off for a family dinner and chased them around the yard. Large family gatherings were a major part of our life all year long, especially at holidays. She was always very active in the LDS Church Relief Society taking meals to other families, caring for Children, cleaning, preparing for events, and teaching in Sunday School; was even a Cub Scout Leader for several years; and even bowled on the woman’s bowling league at Prices Lanes Bowling Alley for over 25 years. Her biggest and favorite project was making candy; first as Church Projects, then at home. She used to make huge batches of the stuff (Fondant) for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, and the whole family worked to box a wide variety of chocolate covered soft-centered candies, which we all sold to make extra money. Her candy was always in high demand; it was the best. She sometimes had the Church Sisters and many other friends involved in the project. Mom was always a great example of humanity and a wonderful loving Mother and Wife. She devoted her whole life to her 6-Children, 28-Grandchildren, and 40-Great-Grandchildren.

I, Gary Lee Hearne, was with my Mother, Father, Brother-Douglas, Sister-Sharon, Sabrina, Wayne Morris, and Wife-Gloria when my Mother received her Endowment and was Sealed to her Parents on December 28, 2002 at about 5:45 pm. Mother chose not to be Sealed to my Father at the time, because of issues with my Father. Earlier in the day, all of my Brother Doug’s Family, Mom & Dad, myself, my Daughter, Alison, my Brother Jeff’s Children Jade and Jeffery II were together in the Washington, D.C. Temple Baptismal Font doing work for my Uncle Bill and his Wife, Peg, and several others. That was my spiritual highlight of the day – Gary.

Within a few months of Dad’s passing, Mom moved to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and sold the old homestead on Riblett Lane. It took a lot of money and effort on both my Brother Tom and Mary Lou’s part and my part to go through a lot of reconstruction and other upgrades to get it ready for sale, but it was worth it in the end. I took two weeks’ vacation just to get Dad’s affairs in order and get Mom squared away and moved. The Family

all came together to go through the literally tons of stuff that Dad left behind to sort through it and throw out or sell, or divide up what was left.

Josephine had both of her eyes operated on for cataracts in May and June of 2007 with great success. She no longer needed to wear glasses. She broke her right foot in 2008, but seems to have recovered from that. Mom and my Sister, Cindy, traveled together in early Spring of 2009 to vacation in Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. Mom really enjoyed it. She has Scoliosis of the spine, arthritis, bursitis, and osteoporosis. She had her hips x-rayed on June 8, 2009, because of pain in both hips that sometimes left her unable to move. She has stayed very busy since Dad’s passing and has traveled much the length of Delaware to visit Friends and take care of her Children and Grandchildren, including me on several occasions for my various surgeries.

In March of 2010, a very dear Friend of Gary Hearne (Dennis Brown) was struggling for his life far away in Seattle, Washington. Dennis’ Wife, Laurie Brown, began a friendship and dialogue with Gary over the many weeks from January through April 2010 and bore her testimony on a number of occasions about her failed marriage and reconciliation with her Husband before he finally passed on April 7, 2010. I asked her if I could share her testimony with my Mother to which she agreed; and at the same time, my Mother’s Bishop asked her to prepare a talk on “Forgiveness.” The day before she gave her talk, which she struggled nearly a month to prepare, my Mother called me and stated that from what she has learned, that she needed to forgive my Father and be Sealed with him and her Children as soon as possible. This service was scheduled for May 28, 2010. Gary, Sharon, Douglas, and Jeffery are prepared to enter into this Eternal Covenant with their Parents. We will pray for Thomas and Cindy in hopes that they may join the family in this life before their passing. Amen – April 11, 2010!

! President Sterling D. Colton (1999-2002), who was Gloria Hearne’s first Bishop when she became a member in 1983, performed the Sealing Ceremonies. Gary Lee Hearne was proxy for Rodney Lee Hearne for his Sealing to his Spouse, Josephine Jane Weer; and Jeffery Clay Hearne II was proxy for Rodney while the following Children were Sealed to their Parents, Rodney and Josephine: Gary L. Hearne, Sharon Em Hearne, Douglas Payton Hearne, and Jeffery Clay Hearne. Wayne Morris and Michael Davis Messervy (Doug’s Daughter’s Husband) were appointed witnesses to both services. The Ceremony was conducted in Sealing Room Number One by flashlights after a fallen tree near the Temple property had taken out electrical power to the whole community, including the Temple Complex, and the Temple’s Automatic Backup Emergency Generator System failed to start. Our Ceremony was the only one conducted the rest of that day and the Temple was closed. President Colton commented that he did not recall there ever being a flashlight-held Sealing Ceremony in the Temple’s 36 year history since it was dedicated in 1974. Our Family Prayer prior to leaving home that all obstacles would be removed from our path and the Lord’s Will and His Work would go forth that our Parents would be Sealed this day and we would be Sealed to our Parents became truth in spite of all of Satan’s efforts to prevent this great work of Sealing our Family together Forever. It was truly a very happy and joyful occasion for everyone, especially all of the Temple’s Staff of some 20 people, who attended the only Ceremony being done in the Temple at that time and the rest of that day.

An extra attraction came when my youngest Brother Jeff announced that he had been called as the Second Counselor in the High Priest Group in the Newly Created New Castle Ward. His High Councilman came to the services and we were asked to set Jeff apart as a High Priest. This was my first occasion to perform this ordinance.

Also, Jeff’s Son, Jeffery Clay Hearne II (tallest man in the whole family) leaves on his Mission to Salt Lake City, Utah – Tuesday, and Douglas’ Sons; Aaron went to San Paulo, Brazil; and Joshua Hearne leaves on his Mission in Meridian, Mexico early July and both were able to witness these Sealings with JC acting as one of the witnesses. If my count is right, the Hearne Family has now sent 4 Missionaries out to the field around the world, including Chile, Utah, Wyoming, and Brazil. Since that time, Jeff’s Daughter Jade has gone on a Mission to San Antonio & Austin, Texas; and Doug’s other Son, Issac went to Las Vegas, Nevada.

On April 16, 2014, I had been prompted while visiting Mother to ask her what plans she had when her Sister, Peg, passed since I was prompted that this would be her year and I felt it would be sooner rather than later. I did not expect it would be this soon, April 26, 2014 – she passed. I am glad that my prayers were answered and that she was not made to linger and went quietly in her sleep. I will miss Aunt Peg. – Gary

Probably one of the best compliments that a Grandmother can get is from one of her Grandchildren who said,

“Heaven received one of the truly most beautiful people on this earth today. Grandmother and Great-Grandmother “Mom-mom” was compassionate, giving, generous, and loving. She will be sorely missed, as will her cooking and candy that she was so famous for. Almost 98, wow! The picture is of Mom-mom holding Makayla. Heaven gained a truly special woman this past Thursday evening. Jo Hearne was a month and a half shy of her 98th birthday! She went by many names: Josephine, Jo, Aunt Jo, Mother to 6 Children, and Mom-mom to us 28 Grandchildren and 40 Great-Grandchildren. She was a strong-spirited, caring, and fun Grandmother. Needless to say, the holidays were the BEST at Riblett Lane or Lightship Drive with the largest most beautiful family ever. We had good food (I loved her banana cream pies she’d keep cool in the garage.), large Easter egg hunts, the fattest Christmas trees with tinsel, and she joined us with sledding down the back hill of the house. We enjoyed camping in the pop-up camper or tent; even though that one trip to New York, the camper caught fire; so we had to stay in a hotel. I said Pop-pop, I see smoke from the trailer. This was from sitting backwards in the rear wood panel station wagon. Lots of laughs! She never missed anyone’s birthday or anniversary either (for anyone in the family), which always amazed me, considering how large the family grew.

We also had fun times with extended family (her siblings and their families) at the Weer’s beach house. You see the unfinished basement there was filled with beds from wall to wall and down the middle. Us kids would jump from bed to bed all around. It seemed like at least 20 beds were down there. I know my Dad’s twin bunk beds were down there, but separated. We’d spend our days on Rehoboth Beach and nights on the boardwalk with Dolly’s popcorn and Funland Amusement Park.

I’ll always remember the great memories of visiting her at the “Carousel Store,” where she worked, and collecting our “Precious Memories” figurines for our birthdays; her homemade Easter chocolate-filled candies (buttercream was my favorite); and watching her whip up a bowl or boxing all of the candy and eating just a few. She was a great card player with “hand and foot.” I could just go on and on. She was truly a remarkable woman. Thank you Mom-mom for teaching us all so many values too! You are loved and missed by all!”

Mother continued to live in her Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home, mowed her 1/3 acre of grass, weed-whacked it, pulled weeds, trimmed bushes, and was very active in Church, keeping two or more callings continuously.

I have given two Blessings to Mother, one with the Bishop attending, and in both Blessings she was told that she would be made to linger and tarry here for the Lord’s purpose and she would be sustained in health, body, mind and spirit until the Lord was ready to call her home. Both times, I was prompted to tell Mother that she would be a Centurion and that she had better live her life accordingly. I also told her that she could either continue doing what she has been doing, or seek medical help to continue; or she could spend her next 7 years or so in bed on her back, that it would be her choice. She got shots of cortisone in her knees and shoulders to ease her pain and help with movement. She started into blinking her eye lids uncontrollably and more rapidly. Her eye doctor told her that she was fine, but if the blinking continued past the end of November 2018, that she could get Botox injections in the nerves to slow the blinking (it is a very standard procedure). He never did the Botox, but did inject her left eye for Macular Degeneration which caused her to lose her sight for a few weeks, but her vision returned much improved.

She suffered a stroke on the left side of her brain in September 19, 2019 and after a week in the Lewes Beebe Hospital for many tests and a few medicines, she went into Rehab for three weeks at Cadia in Middletown, DE; then returned to her daughter Cindy’s home for a few weeks and back to her home with her Son, Doug and Wife, Sabrina, joining her for two weeks. She had to make a few minor adjustments to her life, like not driving her car any more, but was otherwise looking forward to 100 years. She cried 3 days when we sold her car.

As her health deteriorated, Cindy decided to move Mom into her home where she and Husband, Stan, helped with her extensive care assisted by Hospice, who were a great help, while Cindy worked her Real Estate Business from home and Stan with his business. Together, they refinished and sold Stan’s previous home,

established and sold another home on a lot two blocks from their current home; and purchased land and prepared to build a third home in which all three of them would live.

Mom’s Rehoboth home was sold with items distributed amongst family. She struggled to work right up to the end insisting on helping with home chores and was active in Church and Scripture studies. She loved watching “Dancing with the Stars.”

We’re missing a real special lady. She was a bowling pro, a lover of babies, best cook and baker in the world, great taxi driver, a card shark (hand & foot), and a quick-witted, hard-working, wise, adorable, loving, spunky old gal that everyone loved to be around. I can’t wait until the day that I get another one of her sweet cheek kisses. Love you forever – Mom-mom.

I’m afraid that the void left from her passing can never be filled.

Funeral Services will be held Monday, September 26, 2022 at  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 500 West Chestnuthill Road, Newark Ward Building, Newark, DE 19713 as follows:

Friends may Visit/Viewing 11:00am to 12:00pm;

Funeral Service Begins (Casket is Closed) from 12:00pm to 1:00pm;

Cemetery is 1:00pm (Transport); Graveside 2:00pm (Closed Casket & Grave Dedication);

Luncheon is from 2:30pm to 4:00pm at the LDS Church (for those that remain or return from Grave).

Burial Services will be held at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear, Delaware 19701; Phone: (302) 834-8046 at 2:00pm  under the direction of the RT Foard and Jones, Inc.; website: www.rtfoard.com – 122 West Main Street, Newark, DE 19711; or call: 302-731-4627

Flowers may be sent to the Foard Funeral Home above; or in lieu of flowers, it is suggested that donations be made in Josephine’s Memory to the Hospice of Sussex County, Delaware (VITAS) – 866-672-0245; 30265 Commerce Dr., Suite 202, Millsboro, DE 19966; or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; or a charity of your choice.