Thomas A. Heward, Jr. (SGM, U.S. Army, Ret.)

Sergeant Major (Ret.) Thomas A. Heward, Jr., 65, died peacefully at his Hinesville, GA home on Saturday, March 6, 2021 after a long illness.

He was born on December 7, 1955 in Baltimore, MD, to Alice L. Heward and Thomas A. Heward, Sr. SGM Heward joined the US Army in 1975, serving in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC, and in 1999 completed his military career in the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, GA. He loved the Army, loved taking care of his soldiers, and loved being an infantryman. He was a combat veteran of Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada) in 1983 and the Gulf War in 1991.

Thomas was preceded in death by his mother, Alice, and step-father, Archie Greeson; two brothers, James E. Walker and Richard L. Walker; and a sister, Susan L. Council. 

He is survived by his wife, Susan, of 40 years; four children, Nicole, Andrew, Jeffrey, and Jessica; ten grandchildren; brother, David D. Crites of Marsh, MD; and sister, Linda L. DeRossett in VA. 

Thomas was a cut-to-the-chase type of guy. He loved to read, adored Reba McIntire, and enjoyed working on home fix-it and improvement projects. He loved dogs -- especially his dog pound rescue, Marius. 

A private service with Military Honors will be held at Carter Funeral Home Oglethorpe Chapel on Friday, March 12, 2021. Burial will be in the Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Army Emergency Relief: https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org/donate/ or the American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/.

Arrangements are provided by Carter Funeral Home Oglethorpe Chapel. To share a memory or leave a condolence, please visit www.carteroglethorpe.com.