Willie James "Will" was the fourth of eight children. He was born August 7, 1947 in Chambers County, Alabama to the late Mr. & Mrs. Homer (Emma Lee Lovelace) Heard. Mr. Heard accepted Christ at an early age and joined Mt. Hermon Baptist Church under the pastorage of the late Rev. W. J. Reynolds. His educational journey began before the appropriate age to attend school at Shawmut School, Shawmut, Alabama. After the closing of that school, he attended Drew Jr. High School and graduated from Rehobeth High School in Fairfax, Alabama in 1964. He furthered studied at Wenonah State Vocational School in Birmingham, AL and received his Certification in Plumbing and Heating in 1966. After receiving his certification, he was gainfully employed with Heard's Plumbing Company for over 30 years. He later partnered with Blake Fears and they established Fears' and Heard's Plumbing Company where he worked until his health failed.
Will was joined in holy wedlock to Virginia Ann Huguley on January 23, 1987. This union was blessed with five children.
He was preceded in death by: two siblings, Lutesia Heard and Willie Joe Heard; maternal grandparents, Johnnie and Mamie Sherman Lovelace and Irene Andrews Lovelace; paternal grandparents, Homer and Annie Bell Brooks Heard.
A legacy of love is entrusted to: his loving and devoted wife, Virginia Ann Heard, Lanett, AL; five children, Shania (Mike) Davidson, Sedrick Heard and Kelvin Patterson all of West Point, GA, Latwion (Gerald) Willis, Lanett, AL and Aaron Patterson, Valley, AL; one sister, Catherine (James) Calhoun, Hartford, CT; four brothers, Homer (Mildred) Heard, Fob (Brenda) Heard and Jamie (Janice) Heard all of Lanett, AL and Bob (Susie) Heard, Montgomery, AL; a niece reared as a sister, Tracey (Joe) Kendrick, Montgomery, AL, ten grandchildren; devoted niece and caregiver, Amber Heard, Lanett, AL; a niece whom he helped rear, Asanti Jennings, Phenix City, AL; six aunts, Leila Macintosh, Barnegat, NJ, Mae Fannie Flowers, Bennetta Hurston and Gertrude Brooks all of Lanett, AL, Ezella Merritt, Baltimore, MD and Catherine Williams, Chattanooga, TN; two brothers-in-law, Walter Huguley and Edward Huguley both of Lanett, AL; sister-in-law, Ceila Huguley, Lanett, AL; adopted daughter, Makeisha (Chris) Walton; adopted brothers, Willie Joe Tucker and Henry (Myrtis) Goss both of Lanett, AL; devoted cousins, J. T. (Terri) Ware, Larry (Lorraine) Zachery and Phyllis (Bobby) Stiggers; devoted friends, Eugene Bailey, Alton Scrogins, Morris Buchanan and Blake Fears; and, an array of loving nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.