Virgil Heaton

Virgil Heaton, 93, of Bettendorf, passed away peacefully at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, surrounded by family, on Saturday evening, December 17, 2016.

Funeral services celebrating his life will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at First Baptist Church in Bettendorf. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Burial will be at Davenport Memorial Park. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church in Bettendorf.  McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf is assisting the family with arrangements.

Virgil was born July 16, 1923 in Rushville, Illinois to Ross and Roxie (Stropps) Heaton.  He graduated from Macomb High School prior to his enlistment into the US Army Air Force from 1943–1946.  Virgil served in Burma and Southeast Asia during World War II. After his service to his country, Virgil earned his pilot’s license.  His brief flying career ended when his plane flipped while hitting a sinkhole upon landing in a clover field. He was united in marriage to Dessie Ewing in 1946.  They later divorced.  He married Linda Cabel on June 30, 1973.  The couple resided in Bettendorf and LeClaire, Iowa.  He retired from John Deere Harvester, East Moline, Illinois.

Virgil was an avid outdoorsman, camping, hunting, fishing, and hiking through forest searching for mushrooms.  In his younger years, he was a Golden Glove’s Champion at 135 pounds.  Virgil retired saying that he was tired of black eyes and sore jaws. He was proud to have fished in 40 states and all of the Canadian Providences west of Ontario.  Virgil was known as an excellent cook and catered several events with his dual-wheeled hog roaster. Most of all, Virgil enjoyed spending time with his loving wife Linda and their family.

Virgil is survived by Linda; children, Rosalie (Dean) Clark of East Moline, Cheryl (LaVerne) White of Ocoee, Florida, Ronald (Shaula) Heaton of Rock Island; stepchildren, Susan (Rich) Hanas of Anchorage, Alaska, Gary Cabel of Bettendorf, Wayne (Rolonda) Cabel of Davenport, David (Julie) Cabel of Bettendorf, Lyn Jester (Jim Ross) of Keosauqua, Iowa; and several grandchildren, step-grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  He is also survived by his two brothers, Ben and William.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Bernard, Irvin, Ross, and Vernon, Vivian and sisters Maxine, Doris, Ariel, and Betty Nell.