Kathleen Diane Heaner Hannah

Kathleen Diane Heaner Hannah, age 83, of Houston, TX died Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at the hospital following complications from a surgery. She was a native Houstonian born to John Elbert Heaner II and Beatrice Loock Heaner. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years of marriage, David Wright Hannah, Jr., her parents, and brothers, John Elbert Heaner III and Anthony David Heaner. Kathleen grew up in La Porte (Shoreacres) and was Episcopalian by faith. Survivors include: (Daughters) Christina Hannah Storey and husband, James, and Jennifer Hannah and husband, Jared Grimley; (SISTER) Mary Jane Heaner, (COUSINS) Cynthia Chilton-Hauck and David Suhler, (GRANDCHILDREN) Margaret Hannah Grimley, Daniel Hannah Grimley, Nathaniel Storey and Theodora (Tortilla) Storey; (NIECES and NEPHEWS) Martha (Martica) Heaner, Anthony Heaner Jr., John Heaner IV, Mark Heaner, Andrea Heaner Nguyen (Tan), Gwendolyn Heaner (Jonathan Lenares), Shannon Meadows (Greg Norby) and Grant Emison (Lynn Betlock), plus numerous grandnieces and grandnephews. Kathleen was an extraordinary person with memorably-beautiful blue eyes. It is no overstatement to say that everyone who met her, loved her. She had a quirky sense of humor (she described her then boyfriend—later husband—to her cousin Cynthia, as her “main squeeze.”) Coupled with her matter-of-fact, non-judgmental perspective on life, talking to her felt easy. She was an amazing listener and most family members regularly shared thoughts and experiences with her to get help from her wisdom and perspective. Growing up in La Porte where her parents had a fig preserve factory, she did all the things that country life offered: riding horses, crabbing, and running wild in the woods with her brothers and her friends. She was on the basketball team at LaPorte High School. When her father started the Baby Giant convenience store chain and other businesses in Houston, she transferred to Lamar High School, from where she graduated. She received a BS degree in Archaeology from the University of Texas. She taught Biology at Sharpstown High School and later worked at St. Luke's Hospital in the phlebotomy lab. She took art history classes at the University of Houston and taught herself how to draw and paint. After her daughters were born, she became a full-time mom while teaching herself how to grow flowers and vegetables, fix lawn mowers, paint murals, fix and race bicycles, and weave baskets. She was happy to include her family in all of her interests, and even those who didn't actively participate absorbed her curiosity. Kathleen loved French bakeries and very regularly took her daughters out of school in the middle of the day for doctors’ appointments followed by lunch and the chance to eat and learn about French desserts. She also taught her daughters to crawfish in muddy Houston ditches, and they learned the art of patience during her sometimes quite long trips to bicycle shops. During the 1980s, she taught preschool, physical education, science and 4th grade at Ascension Episcopal School. While her daughters were in high school, Kathleen obtained a second degree, a BSN in nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center, making the Dean’s List. She became a Registered Nurse (RN) and worked at MD Anderson for 8 years, primarily in research as a study coordinator in the areas of dermatology and thoracic, head and neck cancer. Later, she worked as a clinical research associate (CRA) consultant in the pharmaceutical industry, travelling around the country monitoring sites involved in oncology clinical trials. She then returned to her nursing roots, working in a clinic and as a field nurse doing home-health work. She and her husband, David (who was a founder and 23-year-long race director of the Houston Marathon) were an active couple before active couples were a thing. In the 70s and 80s, while David was out running, she was participating in mini-triathlons. She cherished her custom-made bike and, in her 50s, rode it to and from work from West Houston to the Medical Center. She and her husband were decades-long members of Memorial Athletic Club and she loved her spinning classes. Kathleen was fearless. People might be fooled by her extremely petite frame, but she was strong and fit and had a daredevil streak. She was amused by weapons and owned a machete, brass knuckles and a switchblade. She loved watching fireworks, thunderstorms and hurricanes. She could wield a chainsaw like nobody’s business. But sometimes her risks didn’t turn out as expected: She was on a diving team in high school and “landed the wrong way” on one tricky dive and ended up with a concussion. She loved biking off-trail and regularly rode the paths on Buffalo Bayou, thrilled most when going downhill at speed. When cautioned, she would say that that was the way that she wanted to go out, horrifying all her family members(!) She broke her elbow riding a skateboard, and she broke ribs and her wrist from several different bike falls. Then, in her late 70s, she broke multiple ribs and cervical vertebrae when she fell 10 ft after climbing one of her backyard trees to chop a limb. But that didn’t stop her. Once recovered she was back at it. She had many scars from her zest for life. Kathleen was arguably the coolest grandmother around. In her 70s, she rode dirt bikes with her grandson, Nathaniel, and taught him how to do wheelies. She had a stash of thousands of Legos, along with a fully-stocked candy dish at her home for the grandkids. She was a regular at grandkid events, from spelling bees to rugby matches to holding dress up afternoon teas for her youngest granddaughter. In recent years, she was a regular helper with Christina’s kids, having sleepovers with her 2 youngest grandkids where she would get on the floor and play any game requested. She and her grandson Daniel built a platform in the trees in her backyard with the intent that it be used by all visiting children. She and her granddaughter Margaret talked & texted regularly about football and would chat on the phone during important games. A long-time Rolling Stones and 70s punk fan, she showed the young people in her life that music could bring joy and life to a quiet existence. She was also an active member of Ascension Episcopal Church, working as a member of the vestry and Altar Guild. She was head of the church’s Sound Ministry for many years, stationed in the back during Sunday services making sure the music and clergy sounded their best. Kathleen had a love of tools. In recent years she and her daughter, Jennifer, spent Saturdays at the Shamba Ya Amani Farm of Peace, a local community “farm.” She was respected for her gardening wisdom and love of fixing the tools. Along with her love of family and all the things that life had to offer, Kathleen, along with her husband, were guinea pig, cat and dog lovers. Her dogs, Andrew, Matthew Nails and John Bucky, and cat, Luke, were their special babies, and preceded her in death. She found peace and comfort from her 2 cats, Frances and Freddy, after the loss of David. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 11am at Ascension Episcopal Church, 2525 Seagler Rd, Houston TX 77042. In lieu of flowers, please consider a charitable donation in Kathleen’s name to the charity of your choice.

Kathleen Diane Heaner Hannah

December 9, 1941 - May 13, 2025