James W. Heaton, Jr., son of the late James W. Heaton, Sr. and Clara Mae Petiford Heaton, was born on September 14, 1938 in Sikeston, Missouri and departed this life on May 24, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff at the age of 76.
Mr. Heaton retired from the United States Army with the rank of Command Sergeant Major and was a resident of Dudley.
Sergeant First Class Heaton distinguished himself on August 13, 1970 in Kien Hoa Province, Vietnam while serving as an Air Movement Advisor with the US Army. SFC Heaton’s helicopter was searching for two American Advisors who had been involved in heavy contact with a Viet Cong Force. When low level visual reconnaissance located the wounded advisor, SFC Heaton braved potential enemy fire and waded through waist-deep rice paddy mud where he rendered first aid to the wounded advisor with the enemy fifty meters away. Sergeant Heaton was able to safely evacuate the wounded advisor. Sergeant Heaton later located and evacuated the other advisor who had been killed in action. Through his strong determination and exceptional bravery and courage, Sergeant Heaton was directly responsible for saving an advisor from certain death. He was awarded the Bronze Star, 3 Purple Hearts, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry and the Vietnamese Honor Medal, First Class
On June 15, 1958, he was united in marriage to Mary Jane Smith in Charleston, Missouri. Mrs. Heaton preceded him in death on May 20, 1992.
He is survived by four sons, James W. Heaton, III of Illinois, Michael Heaton and wife Dixie of Rock Hill, South Carolina, Richard Allen Heaton and wife Tonya of Columbus, Georgia and Gregory Dale Heaton of Newport, South Carolina; by one daughter, Teresa Heaton of Dallas, Texas; by three brothers, Billy Ray Heaton of Wappapello, Danny Heaton of Marlow, Oklahoma and Buddy Joe Heaton of Bloomfield; by six sisters, Nellie Geneva Allen of Phoenix, Arizona, Patricia Wood of Bloomfield, Brenda Laffoon of Dudley, Ocie Robinson of Dexter, Dorothy Keith of Dexter and Lisa Ann Rieffer of Dudley; by seven grandchildren, Matthew Lindsey, Brittany Pate, Kyle Heaton, Jeremy Heaton, Ashley Becker, Sydney Heaton and Casey Heaton; and by seven great-grandchildren.
In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by one daughter, Lisa Heaton; and by one brother, Harold Heaton
His services will be held in Columbus, Georgia at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.
