Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Linden Earl Heavner (Ret), 81, of Winchester, VA, formerly of Hampshire and Berkeley County, WV, died Friday, July 12, 2019 at his home.
Linden was born in 1937 in Slanesville, WV, the second of seven children born to the late William Glenn Heavner, Sr. and Opal (Grapes) Heavner. He was reared in Slanesville and attended the old Slanesville Grade School and Capon Bridge High School, Class of 1955. Linden dropped out of high school mid-term of his junior year to pursue his goal of being a truck driver. As a teenager he primarily drove for Moran Coal & Trucking Company, Westernport, MD.
Linden married Ruth Simmons of Salisbury, MD, formerly of Augusta, WV on March 3, 1957 at Zion Church of Christ, Hoy, WV. Linden joined the Air Force and served 20 years (’57-’77) retiring with the rank of Senior Master Sergeant (E-8). He served 7 of the 20 years overseas, 3 years (Germany and Pakistan) unaccompanied and 4 years (Germany) accompanied by his family. Stateside he was stationed at Presque Isle AFB, ME, Barksdale AFB, LA, Lowry AFB, CO and McClellan AFB, CA. While in the Air Force Linden obtained his high school GED and an Associate degree in Business Management from American River College, Sacramento, CA.
Following his military service Linden worked as a Road Driver for Roadway Express, Inc. out of their Hagerstown, MD terminal for 22 years (’77-’99) driving over one and a half million accident free miles. Six of those years (’93-’98) Linden served his Teamsters Union Brothers and Sisters as the Principal Executive Officer of Teamsters Local Union 992, Hagerstown, MD.
Surviving with his wife of 62 years are two sons, Air Force Colonel Leonard Glenn Heavner (Ret) of Dover, DE and Barry Mark Heavner of Winchester, VA; grandson, Jack Leonard Heavner of Dover, DE; siblings, Robert “Bob” Heavner of Martinsburg, WV, Donald “Don” Heavner of Slanesville, WV, William “Bill” Heavner, Jr. of Winchester, VA, and Nancy Heavner of Slanesville, WV.
Along with his parents he was preceded in death by two siblings, Ralph Heavner and infant Roger Heavner.
A visitation will be from 6 pm to 8 pm on Wednesday at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel.
A funeral service will be at 11 am on Thursday at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel with Pastor Tracie Martin officiating. Interment will be in Mount Hebron Cemetery.