Dean Heaston
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Dean Robert Heaston passed away February 12, 2022 .Born October 30, 1943 in Beloit, Wisconsin to Gaylord E. Heaston & Elizabeth Barbra (Burrow) Heaston. Dean was the second twin along with older brother Dale Raymond Heaston. Raised in Beloit, graduating from Beloit Memorial High School class of 1961. In high school he belonged to the ROTC program and was a member of McNeil Marching drill team and Rifle team. After high school Dean attended Stout State Collage for one year. Then Dean was accepted to the Landis/Gardner Machinist Apprentice Program in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. In Waynesboro he met his future wife Nancy Louise Brien. Dean joined the 357th Transportation Army Reserve Unit in 1965 in Hagerstown, Maryland. They were called to active duty several times for riot control in Washington DC then in February 1968 to serve in Vietnam. In Vietnam Dean was assigned to the 520th Transportation Company, Air Mobil attached to the 25th Infantry at Cu Chi, Vietnam. Upon returning from Vietnam Dean & Nancy were married on November 29, 1969 by her father Rev. B, DeFrees Brien at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Hancock, Maryland. They lived in Waynesboro, PA, Rockton, IL and Dayton, OH. Where Dean received his Mechanical Engineering degree from Sinclair College using his G.I. Bill. He accepted employment with Charmin Paper Company in Cheboygan, MI. Transferring to Green Bay, WI. Charmin became part of Proctor & Gamble in 1979. For 30 years Dean managed Maintenance & Engineering projects in all of their American paper plant sites, plus Manchester, England and Lucca, Italy. Retiring in 2002. Dean then took a job with Paperela Paper Company in Gutamala, Centeral America installing a paper machine and converting equipment. Dean & Nancy contracted and built their retirement cottage designed by their son Brien on Mullett Lake, Indian River, Michigan. Dean then joined the East Mullett Lake Volinteer Fire Department training and qualifying as a Level I Michigan Fire Fighter. Dean was an active member of St. James Episcopal Church. Dean's hobbies included Boy Scout Leader troop 1201, canoeing all rivers in the U.P., bicycling with his buddies anywhere there was a bike path usually biking close to a 1,000mi per year, hunting and fixing just about anything. Putzing, as he liked to call it. The best of times were when he had a chance to spoil his grandkids. He never found enough time to spend with them, at the lake, or on one of the many trips they took with him and Nancy. He always said, "They were his future and as long as they were alive he would be remembered."
Dean is survived by the love of his life for 52 years, Nancy, son Brien & Amy Heaston and son Jackson Carter Heaston of Canton, MI, daughter Monica Heaston and grandchildren, Denon, Jai, Coulter & Iva Ingalls of Menasha, WI. Sister Diana Bittrick of Grand Rapids MI., niece Brenda (Doug) Wunder, nephews Brett (Amanda) Bittrick, Holland, MI & Brandon (Maureen) Bittrick, of Appleton, WI.. Great nieces & nephews Landon, (Katarina), Pace Bittrick, Ava Bittrick, Dylan Wunder, Sophia Wunder, Great, Great Elijah Bittrick.
Dean was preceded in death by his twin Brother Dale Raymond in 1959, parents Gaylord & Betty Heaston; services will be at St. James Episcopal Church, Cheboygan, burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery off Hwy #33 south of Cheboygan, MI.
"Thank you to the my Angels of Hancock Haven Retirement Village"