Lake Lure, NC- Mary Ann Jones Heaton, a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, entered the eternal realms of God's glory on October 23, 2015 after a beautiful life of love and service to her family, church, and the many communities in which she lived. Born on November 7, 1931 in Elbert County, Georgia to Henry Paige Mattox and Mary Henrietta Wall Jones, she was the youngest of five children: Thomas Brown Jones, Rebecca Jones Dye, Martha Jones Mills, and Mack Jones, Jr., who, in addition to her parents, predeceased her. After graduation from high school, where she was a noted scholar and athlete, she received the R.N. degree in 1953 from Anderson Regional Hospital in Anderson, S.C. It was there that she met the love of her life, James Leslie Heaton, Sr., to whom she was married for 52 years until his death in July 2002. Together they raised four beloved children: Susan Bates (James, deceased) of Lewisville, N.C., Les Heaton, Jr. (Sissy) of Kingsport, TN, Alan Heaton (Jody) of Wellford, S.C., and Marty Hinson (Robert) of Charlotte, N.C. In various ministries and service to the United Methodist Church for most of her adult life two areas of distinction emerge: her being the administrative assistant to the first Pastoral Counseling Ministry of the Spartanburg, S.C. district founded in 1975 and, with her husband, embracing the Lay Speaking ministries of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the UMC for over 10 years. Ever seeking to learn and to grow she received the B.S. in Professional Arts from St. Joseph College in Standish, Maine in 1983. She was also the devoted business partner of her husband and son, Alan with Tem-Per, Inc. in Marion, S.C. for more than 20 years. Mary Ann was the beloved grandmother of six children: Lindsay Jones, Rebecca Taylor, Andrew Bates, Allison Bates, Maggie Hinson, and Robert Hinson and four beloved great grandchildren. Her final days battling cancer characterized her amazing faith, as her witness was made even more powerful and her spiritual beauty even more radiantly revealed. A graveside service will be held at the Old Silver Brook Cemetery at 1405 White St. in Anderson, S.C. at 2:00 pm, Sunday, October 25, 2015.The family is profoundly grateful for the excellent and compassionate medical care received from Hospice of Rutherford County, especially from Nancy and Alison.Memorial gifts may be made to Hospice of Rutherford County as well as to Grace of God Rescue Mission in Forest City, N.C.
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