Clifford Allen Heaton

Clifford Allen Heaton 1919-2010 Funeral service for Clifford Allen Heaton(Cliff), age 91 of Princeton, will be Wednesday, Dec 08, 2010 at 11:00 AM at the First United Methodist Church, Princeton. Rev. Tom Ostrander will officiate. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, Dec 08, 2010 from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM at the First United Methodist Church. A Memorial Service will follow at 11 AM at the church. Clifford Allen Heaton passed away on Sunday, Dec 05, 2010 at Perry Memorial Hospital. He was born on Dec 02, 1919 near Walnut IL. to Cecil and Merle(Ioder)Heaton.He lived in the Lee and Bureau County area of Illinois his entire life. He married Minerva(Anderson)Heaton on Feb 28, 1948 in Dover IL. He graduated from Walnut High School in 1938 and farmed with his father until entering the service Dec. 10,1941. During World War II and after the war(1941-1946),he served in the Army Air Corps in Africa,Sicily,Italy,France and Germany as an aircraft crew member in the 314th Troop Carrier Squadron and the 12th Tactical Air Command. He was awarded the Air Medal for flying combat missions over enemy territory in unarmed,unarmored, and unescorted aircraft dropping paratroopers and towing gliders in the Sicilian and Italian campaigns. In addition, he was awarded the European-African-Middle-Eastern service medal with seven bronze stars. He returned in 1946 to farm. Over the years, Cliff served on a variety of boards for organizations such as the Kasbeer School board and the Farm Bureau board. He was a member and former trustee of the First United Methodist Church. Cliff never really retired. He continued to work on the family farm up until a few days before his passing. In retirement he enthusiastically embraced all new technologies developed in the areas of aviation,energy, and agriculture. Everyone knew him as a lifelong learner, always curious and aware of his world around him. He is survived by his wife Minerva, sons Stephen(Isabel)Heaton of Fairfield IA. and Ted(Luanne)Heaton of Ohio Il. and daughter Linda(Chuck) Matthews of Tucson,AZ. He was also blessed with four grandchildren: Luke Heaton,Ohio Il. Eric(Heather) Heaton of Huntsville,AL. Melissa(Patrick)Trainor of Mahomet, and Brian(Debbie)Matthews of Issaquah,WA; and great grandchildren Jack and Gabriel Heaton of Huntsville AL. and one sister,Marilyn Andrews of Dixon,IL. He was preceded by his parents and brother Donald. Memorials may be directed to First United Methodist Church or Perry Memorial Hospital,Princeton.

Clifford Allen Heaton

December 2, 1919 - December 5, 2010