Ronald Byron Hearn

Arrangements under the direction of Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, Columbus, GA.Ronald Byron Hearn passed away on Friday, January 20, 2017. Visitation and Funeral service will be held Monday January 23, 2017 at 11:00 AM in the Chapel of the Pines Mausoleum at Parkhill Cemetery, 4161 Macon Road in Columbus, GA. The Reverend Michael Reeves will officiate.

Ronald was born on March 19, 1935 in Columbus, Georgia, son of the late Andrew Franklin Hearn and Thelma Whetstone Hearn. He was, for forty years, a professor of English language and literature and taught English at the University of Arkansas, Auburn University, Columbus State University, University of Tubingen, Germany, where he served as the first Lektor in the American Language in the English Seminar Department. He was tenured by Columbus State and Auburn Universities. He taught on the graduate faculty of Columbus State. Arkansas University presented him the Felix McKean Award for poetry. His particular interests were English Romantic poetry, Byron biography, European literature, and Greek civilization. Professor Hearn was educated in Columbus public schools, Baylor University (B.A. with honors and Circle K Scholarship), Emory University (M.A. and Emory University Fellow), and the University of Arkansas (Ph.D.) He was a lifelong Baptist and served as pianist and organist for several Baptist organizations and for the Armstrong Browning Library. He traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

Survivors include a brother, Stephen Darrell (Sidre) Hearn, a sister, Connie Hearn (Phil) Clark, a niece, and several nephews.