Longtime Staffer Retires to Pursue Creative Endeavors

By Julianne Coyne | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 10:40 AM

Photo by Julianne Coyne

     After 20 years of service to the UIL, Ramona Heard, an academic administrative assistant, retired from the League in January.

      For most of her tenure at UIL, Heard assisted with the speech and debate contests and wrote the booklets for the elementary and junior high spelling contests.

      In two decades, Heard has seen the League offices move to three different buildings.

      “I’ve seen the UIL grow and change tremendously,” she said. “We’ve added contests, technology and so much more since I started working here.”

      One thing that didn’t change, though, was working with teachers and school personnel.

    “I loved talking with all of the schools and speech and debate coaches,” Heard said.  “I always tried to help them as best I could.”

---

    Another highlight of her job was writing the spelling booklet.

    “It made me feel good to be part of something as important as the spelling contest,” she said. “It was time consuming, but it was so satisfying.”

    Heard said she has already planned what she will do in retirement.

    “I want to get into catering, create a line of clothing and start writing short stories about my animals,” she said.

    Heard, an animal lover, has a horse, a burrow, two dogs, two cats and two birds. She said she has stories about each of them.

    “I may try to publish my stories, but even if that doesn’t work out, it will be good to write them down for the future and for my grandchildren to read,” Heard said.

    Those who worked closely with Heard will miss her dedication to her job, said Jana Riggins, speech and debate director.

    “Ramona has a wonderful work ethic, and we will certainly miss her,” Riggins said.  “I know the schools and coaches who she communicated with will feel the same.”