JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Citizens of the Capital City and those in the political realm are remembering the passing of a legendary figure in Jefferson City this week.
John Hearne, an attorney, conservative, and father to Sarah Steelman, Missouri’s Commissioner for the Office of Administration, passed away on Sunday, May 6, at the age of 92.
Hearne was a staple in Jefferson’s legal world, practicing law for more than 60 years. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1950. He was a senior partner at the Jefferson City-based law firm Hearne and Green, with his office being set up across from the Cole County Courthouse for more than half a century.
In his long career, Hearnes mentored numerous lawyers and judges, while clients of his remember him for his ethics and heart, always putting them first and foremost.
Hearnes was also known for his activities in the community and with the Republican Party, having served on the Jefferson City School Board and as the chairman of the Cole County Republican Committee.
Steelman and her family have often recalled ringing doorbells for Barry Goldwater in 1964. Following his defeat, Hearne opened the conservative bookstore, known as The Freedom Center, in Jefferson City in an effort to nurture the pulse of conservatism and encourage the discussion of ideas.
Hearne often liked to host political discussions, both at home or in his law office, a tradition that still continues to this day.
That same home was the location from which Steelman chose to announce her second run for state treasurer. In her speech, she called the Hearne home a magical place in which she as a child had been privileged and welcomed to participate in political discussions, ideas, and the future of the state and nation.
The visitation will be held at Freeman Mortuary from 11:30 am until 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 11, 2018.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 pm Friday, May 11, 2018 in the Freeman Chapel with Tim Cook, Pastor of Greentree Christian Church in Rolla, officiating. Interment will be at Riverview Cemetery.
Benjamin Peters was a reporter for The Missouri Times and Missouri Times Magazine and also produced the #MoLeg Podcast. He joined The Missouri Times in 2016 after working as a sports editor and TV news producer in mid-Missouri. Benjamin is a graduate of Missouri State University in Springfield.
