Donald Wayne Heaton

Donald Wayne Heaton of Loveland, Colorado and Toulon, Illinois. passed away on Monday November 10, 2014 at the age of 88.

Don was born 8/6/26 in West Jersey, Illinois to Lewis and Florence Heaton. He was raised with two brothers, Lewis and Willard and two sisters, Jean and Eileen.

At 16, Don and his grandfather (grandpa Beiderbeck), Uncle Ray and Cousin Marty Beiderbeck visited Colorado and Marty was reading the story of the face on the barroom floor. She read with such eloquence, that everyone in the room was mesmerized by the reading. This trip gave Don a desire to travel, and he took may other trips through his life.

Don graduated from Toulon High School in 1944 where he ran track and served as a cheerleader.

After high school he began farming with his Uncle Harley Beiderbeck until he was drafted into the army in 1946. He did his basic training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and then served as a rifleman and heavy equipment operator in the 181st Engineer Combat Battalion for one when he was honorably discharged for the "Convenience of Government".

After the Army, he attended Agriculture College at night through the GI Bill while he farmed during the day. Don worked as a farmer while selling Archer Oil and Pioneer Seed Corn in Stark County, Illinois for the remainder of his working life.

In 1950 Don married Olive Frances Reed and the moved to work with Henry Price outside of Lafayette, Illinois. Don farmed Henry's land, using Henry's equipment and worked under Henry's guidance. In 1960 Don and Olive leased the Morris farm NE of Toulon, Illinois close to Modina on the Spoon River. They purchased their own equipment and farmed the land for 50% of the crop until 1971. He then moved to the Hoadly farm on Ham Road outside of Toulon. He farmed this land along with another 240 leased acres for the remainder of his career.

During this time Don was a member of a bowling league, the American Legion, enjoyed watching football and baseball, visiting with friends and family and joining his fellow farmers for coffee each week. He enjoyed square dancing and ballroom dancing to big band Music. He continued his love for travel, visiting many places. One trip to Florida with Rolland Rice they purchased a stalk of banana's off the dock and left a trail of banana peels all the way back to Illinois. Don enjoyed bananas throughout his life.

Don and Olive enjoyed Branson, Missouri and visited several times to celebrate anniversaries.

In retirement, he moved to Loveland, CO to be near his grandchildren. He enjoyed watching their sporting events and seeing them grow up.
Don never lost his sense of adventure and for his 50th Wedding Anniversary, the family rented a house outside Glenwood Springs, CO and took a white water raft trip down the Colorado River

He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004 and given 6 months to live. But Don was a fighter and beat the cancer several times. During this 10 years, he was able to see his grandchildren graduate high school, visited both of them in college in Santa Barbara, California and Seattle, Washington, visited his sons Ron in Abilene, Texas and Mike in Paonia, Colorado. For his 60th Wedding Anniversary he took his wife, children and their spouses back to Branson, MO for one final trip where they enjoyed 4 days together in this place that he and Olive had had often visited.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his two sisters. His lifelong friends, Greg Rice, Wendell Witte, Clay Appenheimer and Dave Newman also preceded Don in death. These friends along with Rolland Rice spent many fun times together and enjoyed throwing shivaree's after friends weddings, traveling around the country, raising families and farming together. One time they were in New York City and a police officer jumped on their running board and asked if they'd been in the city before. They said no, and he directed them out of the city center to a hotel. They visited Yellowstone National Park, Colorado, Canada, New York.

He is survived by his wife Olive, his brother Willard, his two sons, Mike and Ron Heaton and his daughter Leanne Hoffman. He has two grandchildren Tyler and Alexie Hoffman, two step grandchildren Jason and Christie Hearon and five step great-grandchildren.

Don will be remembered for his keen eyes, being the first to spot four leaf clovers and morel mushrooms. He made sure that his children and grandchildren saw the world outside of their own sphere. Mike says that he observes more the world because of Don. "Look around and see what's out there", Don would say. Mike observed this in his dad and learned to take in more of his surrounding because of his father.

Don was a nature lover and would always be pointing out birds and wildlife along the way. Words that sum up his life include "caddywampus" and "taking your half out of the middle".

Don joined his family and friends in Heaven on November 10, 2014. He passed peacefully at home with his family by his side.

Services will be held 11:00 AM, Saturday, December 6th at Galilee Baptist Church in Loveland, Colorado.

Memorial Gifts can be made in Don's honor to Stepping Stones Adult Day Care, The Billy Graham Association, The Salvation Army, or your local cancer research organization.