George Eugene “Gene” Hearn
George Eugene “Gene” Hearn could do just about anything he put his mind to. From the moment he was born his mother Gloria could tell that he was strong, in every sense of the word.
“He had an unusual sense of body rhythm and timing,” said Gloria, a retired educator. “Therefore, he did well in everything he attempted to do.”
Gene succeeded in just about every sport he tried, including baseball, football, basketball, and field and track. But he possessed other talents that you may not find on a letterman jacket. He was a “natural born” leader, and those qualities won admiration and respect from his peers.
Late one football season, when he was the kicker and center for Pineville High School, Gene suffered a shoulder injury. With the impending Homecoming game, his teammates pled with the football coach and Gene’s parents to let him kick for the game with the promise that they would protect Gene at all costs. His parents reluctantly agreed, and his teammates followed through on their promise, guarding Gene every time he kicked during the game.
“He had a lot of friends and people just loved him,” said his sister Gail, who now lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband. “He was loyal and very committed. Once he knew he wanted to do something, he was determined.”
Despite being his older sister, Gail always felt a sense of security when she was with Gene. She recalled one summer when they took a bus to visit their grandparents in Shreveport and it broke down along the way in the pouring rain. She says she and Gene never felt afraid the entire time.
“It was a real adventure,” said Gail, “but we both felt secure knowing the other was there.”
After completing his bachelor’s degree at Baylor University, Gene decided to go to law school and returned home to attend the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center. Some students tend to be disillusioned by the false notion that they will have to remain in Louisiana to practice if they go to law school in Louisiana. Gene, on the other hand, only considered law schools in Louisiana because he wanted to stay here. And he never regretted his decision to go to LSU Law.
“He always loved Louisiana,” Gail said. “He had followed some local politics and was interested in actively facilitating good things for Louisiana.”
His plan was to graduate from law school and practice at his top choice law firm in Shreveport; Blanchard, Walker, O’Quin, and Roberts. But shortly before he could set foot at the Law Center, he faced an obstacle that not even his high school football team could block him from.
Gene was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph tissue. While the survival rate of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma exceeded 75% in the 1980s, Gene had a particularly debilitating strain of cancer. He received a good prognosis until his second year of law school when the cancer returned.
Gene Hearn (’86) competing at a moot court competition.
Gene was determined to finish his studies at LSU Law. If it meant he had to drive to and from M.D. Anderson in Houston, Texas every weekend for treatment, he did it. He continued this regime while maintaining his academic standing and participating on the Moot Court Board. Eventually, the routine became unsustainable, and he was forced to move to Houston in his final semester of law school.
His final course at LSU Law was a research class with Professor Howard L’Enfant, who worked with the administration and Chancellor William Hawkland to allow a rare exception: let Gene finish his studies at Southwestern School of Law in Houston and graduate with his LSU Law class. During commencement, the entire student body, faculty, and audience gave Gene a standing ovation when he received his J.D. in May 1986.
After clerking for Judge Charles A. Marvin (’57) of the Second Circuit Court of Appeal, he landed his dream job as a trial lawyer with Blanchard, Walker, O’Quin, and Roberts in Shreveport. Not surprisingly, Gene was an incredibly effective and devoted attorney. In one instance, a memorandum he drafted to advise a client on a multi-state issue was so well received that it was circulated to guide counsel across the country.
Gene remained close to home and continued to care for his family. His first case after being admitted to the Louisiana Bar was settling a dispute on his mother’s behalf.
Despite a brief remission, his cancer returned with a vengeance in the spring of 1987. Gene sought treatment at Johns Hopkins University and participated in a stem cell research trial. Although it was successful, the effects of the stem cell transplant were minimal.
Facing limited treatment options, Gene spent his final days in Shreveport close to his law practice and his family. He passed away in June 1988.
Gene is remembered for his “legal acumen” and “fighting spirit and courage,” as detailed by an official memorandum from the Shreveport Bar Association. In his memory, Gene’s family established the Gene Hearn Memorial Scholarship.
“I have appreciated how thoughtful the LSU Law school has been to our family,” said Gloria. “Gene was a strong believer in the goodness of God. He wanted to serve mankind.”
“He accomplished more in 28 years than many do in a much longer period of time. I am so happy to be able to share Gene’s story.”
About the Scholarship
An endowed scholarship is awarded to a deserving student on the basis of demonstrated academic achievement and financial need.
