Gerry Lee Heaton
1941 - 2022
VETERAN
Gerry Lee Heaton, age 81, passed away on Friday, October 21, 2022, in Wallsburg, Utah. He was born May 20, 1941, in Alton, Utah, to Lynn Hoyt and Lydia Wilson Heaton.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his six brothers and sisters. Gerry is survived by his wife, Kaye; children: Gerry Wayne, Julie, Scott W. (Annette), Samuel Wilkins, Celeni (Brandon) Richins, Lois (Matt) Gilson, 19 grandchildren and two great-grandsons.
Gerry grew up and attended schools in the Salt Lake City area, graduating from Granger High School prior to leaving on a mission to Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Upon returning from Brazil he attended Brigham Young University where he met his wife, Kaye, during his sophomore winter semester. They had two classes together every day so it was inevitable that they would meet! They dated for eleven months, getting married December 17, 1965, in the Salt Lake Temple.
The Vietnam War was in full swing and Gerry was drafted into United States Army. He was trained as a chaplain's assistant. He and Kaye spent time in New Jersey and Louisiana before Gerry was deployed to Korea for a year. Having served a mission in a foreign country caused him to feel very blessed to be an American and he was very patriotic. He felt that it was his duty to serve when called.
When Gerry returned from Korea he resumed his studies at BYU and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Portuguese. Having done roofing to support the two of them through school, he found he would rather do heavy work than office work, so, Portuguese took a backseat. However, he always had a deep love in his heart for the people and cultures of South America. After graduating they made their home on the outskirts Provo, Utah, in the Lakeview area. They raised their family there. After living there for 31 years, Gerry and Kaye built a home in Wallsburg, Utah, where they have lived for the past 24 years. He spoke two foreign languages and lived in five different countries.
After four years of marriage they started adopting their six children. Four of their children were adopted from Costa Rica and Chile. Gerry felt his biggest success in life was his wife and children.
Upon being introduced to foreign travel while adopting their first foreign children they found how much they enjoyed it. They consequently traveled to many interesting destinations.
Always an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he spent almost all of his service in leadership positions: priest advisor, Young Men president, elders quorum president, bishop a couple of times, stake presidency, Spain Madrid Mission president, and president of the MTC in Santiago, Chile. They also served a second mission to Santiago, Chile, where he was the executive secretary to the area presidency. Gerry spent ten years as a full-time missionary for the Church.
Gerry created and managed three successful businesses in the Orem area of Utah during his working career.
Gerry liked to spend fun time with the family. They built a cabin in Fairview Canyon together that was only accessible by snowmobiles in the winter. The kids loved it! They also water skied as a family. If Gerry didn't have any evening responsibilities it only took 45 minutes from the time he got home from work to be on the lake to ski. The family also spent wonderful times at Lake Powell. It became a family tradition to spend three weeks on the beach in Mazatlan, Mexico, every Christmas. A warm wonderful respite in the middle of winter! They never tired of boogie boarding, playing football on the beach, playing in the sand, and diving into the pool for pesos Gerry would toss into the pool for them. They enjoyed the foreign culture and looked forward to it all year. They almost always had families traveling along with them which everyone enjoyed.
Gerry was very service-oriented and looked for ways to help people and always loaned his equipment and tools to any friend or neighbor in need. He constantly made himself available to help shingle houses among family, friends, and neighbors. He was a kind, friendly, happy, energetic, generous, and helpful man and was liked and highly respected by all who knew him.
It was at the beginning of their last mission to Chile that they started to notice symptoms of Parkinson's disease. He had been afflicted with Parkinson's disease for over thirteen years prior to his death. His Parkinson's caused him to need 24 hour attention. He spent his final six months in a memory care facility in Provo, Utah. Kaye was able to bring him home to Wallsburg, Utah, where he died peacefully October 21, 2022, surrounded by his family.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Location: Wallsburg Ward Chapel | Wallsburg, Utah
Interment: Wallsburg Cemetery
— Nelson Family Mortuary | 2022
1941 - 2022
VETERAN
Gerry Lee Heaton, age 81, passed away on Friday, October 21, 2022, in Wallsburg, Utah. He was born May 20, 1941, in Alton, Utah, to Lynn Hoyt and Lydia Wilson Heaton.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his six brothers and sisters. Gerry is survived by his wife, Kaye; children: Gerry Wayne, Julie, Scott W. (Annette), Samuel Wilkins, Celeni (Brandon) Richins, Lois (Matt) Gilson, 19 grandchildren and two great-grandsons.
Gerry grew up and attended schools in the Salt Lake City area, graduating from Granger High School prior to leaving on a mission to Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Upon returning from Brazil he attended Brigham Young University where he met his wife, Kaye, during his sophomore winter semester. They had two classes together every day so it was inevitable that they would meet! They dated for eleven months, getting married December 17, 1965, in the Salt Lake Temple.
The Vietnam War was in full swing and Gerry was drafted into United States Army. He was trained as a chaplain's assistant. He and Kaye spent time in New Jersey and Louisiana before Gerry was deployed to Korea for a year. Having served a mission in a foreign country caused him to feel very blessed to be an American and he was very patriotic. He felt that it was his duty to serve when called.
When Gerry returned from Korea he resumed his studies at BYU and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Portuguese. Having done roofing to support the two of them through school, he found he would rather do heavy work than office work, so, Portuguese took a backseat. However, he always had a deep love in his heart for the people and cultures of South America. After graduating they made their home on the outskirts Provo, Utah, in the Lakeview area. They raised their family there. After living there for 31 years, Gerry and Kaye built a home in Wallsburg, Utah, where they have lived for the past 24 years. He spoke two foreign languages and lived in five different countries.
After four years of marriage they started adopting their six children. Four of their children were adopted from Costa Rica and Chile. Gerry felt his biggest success in life was his wife and children.
Upon being introduced to foreign travel while adopting their first foreign children they found how much they enjoyed it. They consequently traveled to many interesting destinations.
Always an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he spent almost all of his service in leadership positions: priest advisor, Young Men president, elders quorum president, bishop a couple of times, stake presidency, Spain Madrid Mission president, and president of the MTC in Santiago, Chile. They also served a second mission to Santiago, Chile, where he was the executive secretary to the area presidency. Gerry spent ten years as a full-time missionary for the Church.
Gerry created and managed three successful businesses in the Orem area of Utah during his working career.
Gerry liked to spend fun time with the family. They built a cabin in Fairview Canyon together that was only accessible by snowmobiles in the winter. The kids loved it! They also water skied as a family. If Gerry didn't have any evening responsibilities it only took 45 minutes from the time he got home from work to be on the lake to ski. The family also spent wonderful times at Lake Powell. It became a family tradition to spend three weeks on the beach in Mazatlan, Mexico, every Christmas. A warm wonderful respite in the middle of winter! They never tired of boogie boarding, playing football on the beach, playing in the sand, and diving into the pool for pesos Gerry would toss into the pool for them. They enjoyed the foreign culture and looked forward to it all year. They almost always had families traveling along with them which everyone enjoyed.
Gerry was very service-oriented and looked for ways to help people and always loaned his equipment and tools to any friend or neighbor in need. He constantly made himself available to help shingle houses among family, friends, and neighbors. He was a kind, friendly, happy, energetic, generous, and helpful man and was liked and highly respected by all who knew him.
It was at the beginning of their last mission to Chile that they started to notice symptoms of Parkinson's disease. He had been afflicted with Parkinson's disease for over thirteen years prior to his death. His Parkinson's caused him to need 24 hour attention. He spent his final six months in a memory care facility in Provo, Utah. Kaye was able to bring him home to Wallsburg, Utah, where he died peacefully October 21, 2022, surrounded by his family.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Location: Wallsburg Ward Chapel | Wallsburg, Utah
Interment: Wallsburg Cemetery
— Nelson Family Mortuary | 2022
Gerry Lee Heaton
1941 - 2022
VETERAN
Gerry Lee Heaton, age 81, passed away on Friday, October 21, 2022, in Wallsburg, Utah. He was born May 20, 1941, in Alton, Utah, to Lynn Hoyt and Lydia Wilson Heaton.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his six brothers and sisters. Gerry is survived by his wife, Kaye; children: Gerry Wayne, Julie, Scott W. (Annette), Samuel Wilkins, Celeni (Brandon) Richins, Lois (Matt) Gilson, 19 grandchildren and two great-grandsons.
Gerry grew up and attended schools in the Salt Lake City area, graduating from Granger High School prior to leaving on a mission to Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Upon returning from Brazil he attended Brigham Young University where he met his wife, Kaye, during his sophomore winter semester. They had two classes together every day so it was inevitable that they would meet! They dated for eleven months, getting married December 17, 1965, in the Salt Lake Temple.
The Vietnam War was in full swing and Gerry was drafted into United States Army. He was trained as a chaplain's assistant. He and Kaye spent time in New Jersey and Louisiana before Gerry was deployed to Korea for a year. Having served a mission in a foreign country caused him to feel very blessed to be an American and he was very patriotic. He felt that it was his duty to serve when called.
When Gerry returned from Korea he resumed his studies at BYU and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Portuguese. Having done roofing to support the two of them through school, he found he would rather do heavy work than office work, so, Portuguese took a backseat. However, he always had a deep love in his heart for the people and cultures of South America. After graduating they made their home on the outskirts Provo, Utah, in the Lakeview area. They raised their family there. After living there for 31 years, Gerry and Kaye built a home in Wallsburg, Utah, where they have lived for the past 24 years. He spoke two foreign languages and lived in five different countries.
After four years of marriage they started adopting their six children. Four of their children were adopted from Costa Rica and Chile. Gerry felt his biggest success in life was his wife and children.
Upon being introduced to foreign travel while adopting their first foreign children they found how much they enjoyed it. They consequently traveled to many interesting destinations.
Always an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he spent almost all of his service in leadership positions: priest advisor, Young Men president, elders quorum president, bishop a couple of times, stake presidency, Spain Madrid Mission president, and president of the MTC in Santiago, Chile. They also served a second mission to Santiago, Chile, where he was the executive secretary to the area presidency. Gerry spent ten years as a full-time missionary for the Church.
Gerry created and managed three successful businesses in the Orem area of Utah during his working career.
Gerry liked to spend fun time with the family. They built a cabin in Fairview Canyon together that was only accessible by snowmobiles in the winter. The kids loved it! They also water skied as a family. If Gerry didn't have any evening responsibilities it only took 45 minutes from the time he got home from work to be on the lake to ski. The family also spent wonderful times at Lake Powell. It became a family tradition to spend three weeks on the beach in Mazatlan, Mexico, every Christmas. A warm wonderful respite in the middle of winter! They never tired of boogie boarding, playing football on the beach, playing in the sand, and diving into the pool for pesos Gerry would toss into the pool for them. They enjoyed the foreign culture and looked forward to it all year. They almost always had families traveling along with them which everyone enjoyed.
Gerry was very service-oriented and looked for ways to help people and always loaned his equipment and tools to any friend or neighbor in need. He constantly made himself available to help shingle houses among family, friends, and neighbors. He was a kind, friendly, happy, energetic, generous, and helpful man and was liked and highly respected by all who knew him.
It was at the beginning of their last mission to Chile that they started to notice symptoms of Parkinson's disease. He had been afflicted with Parkinson's disease for over thirteen years prior to his death. His Parkinson's caused him to need 24 hour attention. He spent his final six months in a memory care facility in Provo, Utah. Kaye was able to bring him home to Wallsburg, Utah, where he died peacefully October 21, 2022, surrounded by his family.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Location: Wallsburg Ward Chapel | Wallsburg, Utah
Interment: Wallsburg Cemetery
— Nelson Family Mortuary | 2022
1941 - 2022
VETERAN
Gerry Lee Heaton, age 81, passed away on Friday, October 21, 2022, in Wallsburg, Utah. He was born May 20, 1941, in Alton, Utah, to Lynn Hoyt and Lydia Wilson Heaton.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his six brothers and sisters. Gerry is survived by his wife, Kaye; children: Gerry Wayne, Julie, Scott W. (Annette), Samuel Wilkins, Celeni (Brandon) Richins, Lois (Matt) Gilson, 19 grandchildren and two great-grandsons.
Gerry grew up and attended schools in the Salt Lake City area, graduating from Granger High School prior to leaving on a mission to Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Upon returning from Brazil he attended Brigham Young University where he met his wife, Kaye, during his sophomore winter semester. They had two classes together every day so it was inevitable that they would meet! They dated for eleven months, getting married December 17, 1965, in the Salt Lake Temple.
The Vietnam War was in full swing and Gerry was drafted into United States Army. He was trained as a chaplain's assistant. He and Kaye spent time in New Jersey and Louisiana before Gerry was deployed to Korea for a year. Having served a mission in a foreign country caused him to feel very blessed to be an American and he was very patriotic. He felt that it was his duty to serve when called.
When Gerry returned from Korea he resumed his studies at BYU and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Portuguese. Having done roofing to support the two of them through school, he found he would rather do heavy work than office work, so, Portuguese took a backseat. However, he always had a deep love in his heart for the people and cultures of South America. After graduating they made their home on the outskirts Provo, Utah, in the Lakeview area. They raised their family there. After living there for 31 years, Gerry and Kaye built a home in Wallsburg, Utah, where they have lived for the past 24 years. He spoke two foreign languages and lived in five different countries.
After four years of marriage they started adopting their six children. Four of their children were adopted from Costa Rica and Chile. Gerry felt his biggest success in life was his wife and children.
Upon being introduced to foreign travel while adopting their first foreign children they found how much they enjoyed it. They consequently traveled to many interesting destinations.
Always an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he spent almost all of his service in leadership positions: priest advisor, Young Men president, elders quorum president, bishop a couple of times, stake presidency, Spain Madrid Mission president, and president of the MTC in Santiago, Chile. They also served a second mission to Santiago, Chile, where he was the executive secretary to the area presidency. Gerry spent ten years as a full-time missionary for the Church.
Gerry created and managed three successful businesses in the Orem area of Utah during his working career.
Gerry liked to spend fun time with the family. They built a cabin in Fairview Canyon together that was only accessible by snowmobiles in the winter. The kids loved it! They also water skied as a family. If Gerry didn't have any evening responsibilities it only took 45 minutes from the time he got home from work to be on the lake to ski. The family also spent wonderful times at Lake Powell. It became a family tradition to spend three weeks on the beach in Mazatlan, Mexico, every Christmas. A warm wonderful respite in the middle of winter! They never tired of boogie boarding, playing football on the beach, playing in the sand, and diving into the pool for pesos Gerry would toss into the pool for them. They enjoyed the foreign culture and looked forward to it all year. They almost always had families traveling along with them which everyone enjoyed.
Gerry was very service-oriented and looked for ways to help people and always loaned his equipment and tools to any friend or neighbor in need. He constantly made himself available to help shingle houses among family, friends, and neighbors. He was a kind, friendly, happy, energetic, generous, and helpful man and was liked and highly respected by all who knew him.
It was at the beginning of their last mission to Chile that they started to notice symptoms of Parkinson's disease. He had been afflicted with Parkinson's disease for over thirteen years prior to his death. His Parkinson's caused him to need 24 hour attention. He spent his final six months in a memory care facility in Provo, Utah. Kaye was able to bring him home to Wallsburg, Utah, where he died peacefully October 21, 2022, surrounded by his family.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Location: Wallsburg Ward Chapel | Wallsburg, Utah
Interment: Wallsburg Cemetery
— Nelson Family Mortuary | 2022
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