Obituary of Anita Heard

“Give me the heart of a servant, tender and faithful and true. Fill me with love, then use me, O Lord, so that the world can see You.” (Heart of a Servant). A true servant of God is someone who helps another and F. Anita Heard was the epitome of a servant and lived her life helping others to succeed. Anita, the only daughter of three children, was born on October 25, 1929 in Marks, Mississippi to Willie and Maggie Glover. As a youth, Anita attended the segregated school of J.P. Campbell College in Mississippi where she was embraced by a teacher who was influential in shaping her career. She often told the story about how her high school teacher was instrumental in developing her strong speaking skills. The nurturing and guidance that she received from her teacher had such a major impact on her education that it inspired her to become an educator. After graduating high school, Anita attended Tennessee State University where she received her bachelor’s degree and was crowned Miss Tennessee State. She later returned to school and completed her master’s degree at Temple University. In 1959, Anita married the love of her life the late Honorable Judge Elliott G. Heard, Jr., who, during their marriage was a Philadelphia policeman, then attorney at law, and, finally the first Black Superior Court Judge in Gloucester County, New Jersey. They shared 32 years of marital bliss until his passing on July 9, 1991. Judge Heard was her biggest champion and supported her throughout her career and community activism. Upon graduating from college, Anita started her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher. After teaching for several years in the classroom, Anita became a counselor. She served as a counselor for the Disciplinary School for Girls and provided intensive counseling and guidance for girls exhibiting atypical and self-defeating behavior. She emphasized to them that their current circumstance did not define who they were or dictate who they could become in the future. After leaving the school for girls, Anita continued her career as a Guidance Counselor and Director of Guidance at Glassboro High School for 25 years until she retired in 1996. She shaped the lives of many students, encouraging them to pursue higher education and community involvement. She always modeled the principles that she taught: honesty, courtesy, respect and faith. Her grace and her gentle, but firm, voice inspired students to aim for greatness. Anita led by example and embodied the qualities of Leadership and Service. She was a creator and organizer of impactful programs. She proposed and received a grant to establish a Career Resource Center, which served as a model for other schools in the area. Anita initiated the “College for High School Students” program in conjunction with Glassboro State College (Rowan University). Due to the success of the two-year pilot program, not only did Glassboro High School juniors and seniors enjoy the privilege of taking college courses for college credit, but the program was later adopted by the Gloucester County Professional Counselors Association whereby all schools in the county could participate. Her program on Counseling the Handicapped was showcased in the Effective Secondary School Programs in Pupil Personnel Services of the New Jersey Department of Education. Following the passing of her beloved husband, Anita founded, and was the President of, the Elliott G. Heard Jr. Memorial Fund, Inc., which for 20 years recognized individuals who deliver significant community service with the “Upstream Navigator” Award and provided scholarships to deserving law students in his memory. Anita was active in her community; she served as President of the South Jersey Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and was appointed by the late Chief Justice of New Jersey Supreme Court Robert Wilentz to the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct. Anita served on the Juvenile Justice Crime Committee, which dealt with first-time offenders, and on the Board of Trustees for Thomas A. Edison College for four years. Anita’s character was above reproach. Her calm presence eased tensions, opened hearts and minds to discussion and dialogue and brought about unity. Whenever the task at hand seemed too great, she would turn to God to show her the way. A devoted Christian, her faith was a central part of her life. Not only did she dedicate her life of service to her students and community, she was also committed to her church family and the teachings of God. She was a longtime member of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church where she was a spiritual leader, having served at all levels, and a member of the choir. Not content with just serving within her church, she also served as President of the AME Lay Organization. Although Anita received numerous awards for her work throughout her lifetime, her greatest reward came on December 29, 2020, when the Lord welcomed her home and said, “Well done thou good and faithful servant”. Anita leaves to cherish her memory: her loving niece, Yolanda Hawkins-Bautista, Esq.; her nephew, Leo Bautista; her niece, Rosalyn Sistrunk; two great-nieces, Eliana Bautista and Brandi Myatt; her Aunt Louise Holloway; godchildren, Marvin and Olivia Tucker; two sisters-in-law, Wesley Ann Moore (Jesse) and Dr. Delano R. Heard; and a host of nephews, cousins, other relatives, Bethel AME Church family, and friends. Anita truly made a difference in all their lives.