Janet Louise Learned Hevey

Janet Louise Learned Hevey

1942-2021

Janet Louise Learned Hevey, 78, of Fairview, Texas, passed away on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at Faith Presbyterian Hospice Center in Dallas after a 16-year battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.  The family gives God the glory for His blessings on Janet and His mercies and grace in her illness and passing. 

Janet was born Dec. 20, 1942, in Iowa City, to Audrey Smith Learned and Clarence Learned. Her maternal grandparents were Rebecca Piersall Smith and Orville Smith of Bennett, Iowa. Her paternal grandparents were Floyd Bertrum Learned and wife Nellie Long of Des Moines.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Audrey Learned, of Kinross; and two children, Daniel Jason and Cara Ruth.  Janet is survived by her husband Richard of Fairview; daughter Kimberly Meeks and her husband Michael of Frisco, Texas, and their children Matthew and Tanner; son Jeffrey of New Orleans; brother Gary Learned of Kinross; sister Cara Brouse and husband Bob of Mifflinburg, Penn.; brother-in-law Edward Hevey and wife Michele Hevey.  

Janet was raised in the farming community of Kinross. Janet graduated from Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in Kirksville.  After graduation, Janet was hired as a teacher in Bettendorf, Iowa. Janet met her husband Richard Thomas Hevey in the Quad Cities. They married Dec. 21, 1968 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wellman.

Dick and Janet moved to DeRidder, Louisiana, in mid 1970 where daughter Kimberly was born in 1971. In 1973, the young family moved to Shreveport. There Janet gave birth to Daniel Jason who soon passed away from congenital heart defects. In 1975, the family moved to Alexandria. Janet gave birth to Cara Ruth who also passed away from heart defects. Son Jeffrey was born in 1977.

In Alexandria, Janet continued her work as an artist and taught private art lessons in her home studio for 14 years while raising her family. She led the 4-H club at Country Day School and was honored with a national 4-H leadership award in Washington, D.C. 

The Heveys moved to Baton Rouge, La., in 1989 where they lived for 25 years. Janet taught and worked in her home art studio. She studied portraiture with artists in Georgia and New Orleans; she began sculpting with European-trained commission sculptor Jean Spann of Baton Rouge.

Janet also became an advocate for children with disabilities and their parents, lobbying state legislators to fix a broken system.

Janet welcomed people from all walks of life into their home—from the street construction crew she found in her backyard hot tub (at the kind invitation of a young Jeff) to business colleagues from Italy and California. She enjoyed entertaining and was an exceptional cook. She had a passion for gardening that bordered on obsession. 

Together, Janet and Dick traveled to South Africa and Japan and made numerous trips to Europe. In 2003, they purchased an RV and spent the next decade traveling through North America. 

In 2006, Janet was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with a three-to-five-year life expectancy. A routine surgical procedure in 2013 triggered her need for oxygen. In 2014, she was preliminarily accepted into the Duke lung transplant program but chose to spend quality time with her family instead. The Lord blessed her with seven additional years. After 45 years in Louisiana, Dick and Janet moved to Fairview in 2015 to be closer to family.

Prior to her passing, Janet expressed immense love and gratitude for Dick and his selfless attention to her care. Aside from her salvation in Jesus, she said Dick was her greatest gift. She loved Kim and Jeff; she loved Mike like her own--but her favorite people in the world were her grandsons Matthew and Tanner.

Visitation for Janet was held at Turrentine Jackson Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas, on Friday, May 7. Funeral services were held at Turrentine on Saturday, May 8 with the Rev. Justin Lokey officiating. A recording of the service may be viewed online at https://celebrationoflife.tv/blog/janet-learned-hevey.  Honorary pallbearers were Jeff Hevey, Mike Meeks, Matthew Meeks, Tanner Meeks and Patrick Hevey (nephew). Interment will be scheduled this summer in South English, Iowa. Donations may be made in Janet’s name to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation at https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/PFFTribute/JanetHevey .