Douglas Heaton, 90, of Salem, passed away on December 17th, 2025, at Helia Healthcare of Salem. He was born to Donald and Robertus (Lee) Downs on June 3rd, 1935, in Roodhouse, Illinois.
He would marry Patricia Vandiver on August 23rd, 1956, and they would spend 69 wonderful years together.
Douglas was a member of the Grace United Methodist Church in Salem. He was a proud veteran of the U.S. Army. He was a banker for many years before his retirement. When Douglas was young, he was a good athlete, playing football and basketball in high school. In his later years, he became an avid golfer and would take golfing trips with his friends. He loved the outdoors, especially working on his yard’s landscaping.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia Heaton; son, Brad Heaton; two grandchildren, Travis (Whitney) Heaton and Tessa (Jeffrey) Pupilli; two great-grandchildren, Johnathan Pupilli and Sadie Heaton; two sisters, Donna Downer and Twyla Heaton; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Donald Heaton and Robertus Downs.
Cremation rites will be accorded, per his wishes. A memorial service to honor Douglas will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Cancer Society and will be accepted at Sutherland-Rankin Funeral Home, PO Box 97, Salem, Illinois 62881. Online condolences may be left by visiting www.sutherlandfuneralhome.com or the Sutherland-Rankin Facebook page.
