PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – Michael Gene Heaton, 63, of Palm Springs, Calif., formerly of Dixon, passed away Wednesday, June 2, 2010, at Palm Desert Hospital, Calif., after a long illness.
Michael G. Heaton was born Jan. 31, 1947, in Jacksonville. He was the first child and only son of Herschel H. and Marilyn (Edgington) Heaton. Michael was a 1965 graduate of Dixon High School. He served in the Air Force for 8 years as a linguist and oral intercept operator for Russian, Vietnamese, and German languages during the Vietnam conflict.
Mike earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of California at Santa Barbara and his Juris Doctorate from the University of California at Davis (King Hall). Michael specialized in water law. Michael served as elected president of the UCSB Veterans Association and as elected president of the King Hall Law Students Association.
After Michael passed the California bar, he practiced water law with the firm of Dan Gallery in Sacramento, Calif.
He later served as general counsel for Westlands Water District, Fresno, Calif.
Among his co-workers, Michael was recognized for his integrity and concern for both human and environmental needs. Returning to Davis in 1995, Michael continued in private practice, and later worked for and retired from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
Michael married Mary Mallory in 1978 in California. Their daughters are Amanda Mallory Heaton, a NASA engineer, of Huntsville, Ala., and Amelia Mallory Heaton, student and artist, of Cayucos, Calif. Michael married Dixon High School classmate Joyce Teeter Willhouse in 2001 in Palm Springs, Calif.
Michael was preceded in death by his father, Herschel and stepmother, Yvonne Heaton; and one nephew, Jeffrey Michael Hall.
Michael is survived by his wife, Joyce of Palm Springs, Calif.; his mother, Marilyn Heaton-Dias of St. Petersburg, Fla.; two daughters, Amanda and Amelia; and three sisters, Susan (Marvin) Van Weelden Sr. of Elgin, Patti Dale of Laurinburg, N.C., and Linda Vest of Dunedin, Fla.
He also is survived by two stepchildren; one stepgranddaughter; five nieces and nephews; six great-nieces and great-nephews; and many friends.
Memorial service will be in June in Sacramento, Calif. A memorial gathering will be from 2 to 4 p.m. July 2 at the Brick Room, Brandywine Inn, Dixon. Arrangements were completed by Forest Lawn Mortuary, Cathedral City, Calif.