"Professor Of Fun" <! >
Alma Heaton, age 88, graduated from this life on Wednesday, October 30, 2002.
He was born on June 18, 1914 in Kanab, Utah to Israel H. and Charlotte Cox Heaton. He served a mission in Canada from 1935-36. Alma served in the Army during World War II. He married Marie Bishop on April 13, 1943 in the Salt Lake Temple. He developed an early love of dancing in his youth and after being discharged from the army in 1946, was trained to be a teacher for Arthur Murray Dance Studios. He and Marie managed the studio in Ogden where he attended Weber College for two years and then Utah State University, receiving a Master's in Recreation and Physical Education and also receiving a Teacher's Certificate.
Alma taught elementary school in Ogden for two years before coming to Brigham Young University in 1953 to develop the recreation and dance programs. After retiring (on paper only) from BYU in 1979, Alma and Marie served an 18-month international mission in India. They were the first assigned missionaries to baptize there. They also were called on several mini missions to Europe teaching dance and activities to the leaders and members of the church. He has also served in various ward, stake, and church positions, including 15 years on the LDS Church Mutual Improvement Association general board dance committee.
He believed the purpose of life is preparing for eternal joy through activities. Seldom a week went by when he didn't present a fireside or workshop in activity lessons, family recreation, directed a youth conference in activities, or conducted a party for a ward or stake. He traveled as many as 50,000 miles in one year to different states and foreign countries directing social recreational activities. Alma has written 56 books, made 27 dance instruction records and participated in 10 films on dance and recreation. He has been vice-president of the Utah Park's and Recreation Association and chairman of the American Association of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Dance Section. Alma has received many awards for his years of service and contribution.
The real joy of his life was his family. He built a home and yard designed for exciting family recreation. His nationally recognized "Heaton's Back Yard" is constantly used by family, neighborhood children, and groups coming from all over the state. He had a knack for turning broken equipment into games, including the original bungee cord he has been using for 50 years. He called it the "human slingshot" or, simply, the elastic rope.
Alma is survived by his wife Marie, children Randel (Sue), Hal (Karynn), Rochelle (Robert Zahrt) and Debra (Sam Wimpfheimer), 17 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren, two brothers, Israel and LeRoy Heaton, and one sister, Charlotte Young.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, November 5, 2002, at 11:00 a.m., in the Bonneville 2nd Ward LDS Chapel, 85 South 900 East, Provo. Friends may call Monday, November 4th, from 6-8 p.m., at the Berg Mortuary of Provo, 185 East Center Street, or Tuesday morning, at the Ward Chapel, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Interment, Provo City Cemetery.