Obituary of John T. Hearn

John T. Hearn

May 6, 1949 - September 3, 2024

John T. Hearn, 75, of Fort Plain NY, passed away at home on September 3, 2024, surrounded by his family after a courageous 4-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

John was born in Fort Plain on May 6, 1949, to John (Jack) Hearn Sr. and Elsie Hearn. He was a lifelong athlete and basketball standout in Fort Plain, where he graduated in 1967. During the Vietnam War, he served in the US Army in Germany as a chef for the Officer’s Club and later returned to Fort Plain, where he worked at Waffle’s, BeechNut, and MDS before taking a position with the US Postal Service in Fort Plain where he worked for over 30 years, making many cherished friends, and serving as a representative for the Rural Carrier’s union.

John was committed to making the community he loved a better place.  He gave freely of his time and shared his love of Fort Plain with others. Over the years, John volunteered as a Biddy Basketball coach, Tee Ball Coach and started a branch of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) in Fort Plain, bringing soccer to hundreds of children over the years. He could also often be seen volunteering to help make the 4th on the 3rd at Wiles Park a success for the community or serving on both the Town of Minden Zoning and Planning Board. In his spare time, he was an avid reader and could tell you just about anything about the history of the Mohawk Valley that he loved so much.

John’s three greatest loves were his family, golf, and the outdoors. He was an avid golfer, often playing several times a week in retirement and once even shooting a hole-in-one. For years, it was not uncommon to find him hiking in the Adirondacks, camping and kayaking at Forked Lake, cross-country skiing, tending to his gardens, or riding his bike around Otsego Lake. If he was doing something in nature, he was happy.

John was predeceased by his parents, Jack and Elsie Hearn, his brother, Mark Hearn, and cherished uncle Acton Suderley. He leaves behind his greatest treasure, his family. John is survived by his son Matthew and daughter-in-law Janel Hearn (Fort Plain), daughter Kelly and son-in-law Travis Eckler (Lancaster, NY), sister Linda Hearn (Chandler, AZ), niece Kaitlyn Hearn (Little Falls) and the apples of his eye, grandchildren Conner and Isabella Hearn. John also leaves behind his beloved partner of over 20 years, Elisa Crosson (Fort Plain). In addition to his family, John cherished his many lifelong friends with whom he played golf, cards, basketball, and anything else where he could be competitive and have fun with the guys. He often said his family and friends were what carried him through his darkest days as he battled this terrible disease. 

Calling hours will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. on Friday, September 13th, at Houghtaling and Hanley Funeral Home, 20 Otsego St., Canajoharie, NY 13317. A service will follow at 11, and interment will be at Fort Plain Cemetery immediately following. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to pancan.org in support of pancreatic cancer research and advocacy.

The family invites you to attend a celebration of John’s life at the Otsego Golf Club, 144 Pro Shop Drive, Springfield Center, NY 13468, and kindly asks that if you plan to attend to RSVP by text to Kelly at 585-507-0979 with your name and number attending by Tuesday, September 10^th.