Joseph Edward “Jock” Heaton Jr., 67, of Dixon, passed away Tuesday, June 27, 2017, at home surrounded by his beloved family, after a brief but courageous battle with cancer.

Jock was born Dec. 19, 1949, the son of Joseph and Mary Elizabeth “Bette” (Elmer) Heaton. He grew up in Dixon, and attended South Central Elementary School and Madison Elementary School. He graduated in 1968 from Dixon High School, where he was active in student government, sports, and music. He attended Indiana University, where he was a proud member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and graduated in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in business economics. He graduated in 1975 from The John Marshall Law School, with a Juris Doctor (JD) degree.

During his freshman year at Indiana University, he met Mary Jo Schock of Hammond, Indiana, the love of his life, who he married in August 1972. After Jock graduated from law school, he and Mary Jo returned to Dixon to pursue their careers. They made their first home in Grand Detour, and Jock began his law career at the firm of Dixon, Devine, Ray & Morin. In 1977, Jock joined Ward, Ward, Castendyck, Murray & Pace (which later became Ward, Murray, Pace & Johnson), where he dedicated the next 40 years of his professional career. While Jock practiced numerous areas of the law, he was especially drawn to health care, real estate, and land development. For more than 30 years, Jock proudly served KSB Hospital, initially as a member of the board of directors, and subsequently as legal counsel. He was active in the local community, notably as a board member of The Next Picture Show, as a board member of Dixon Country Club, as an elder of First Presbyterian Church, as a member of Lee County Bar Association, and as a member of civic organizations such as Rotary Club and Gyros.

Jock is survived by his wife; his son, Jon (Christy) Heaton of Winnetka; his daughter, Beth (Eric) Seling of New Orleans; his daughter, Sarah (Jordan) Miller of Englewood, Colorado; his daughter, Ellen (Danny) Fritts of Chicago; his grandchildren, Graham Heaton, Margaret Heaton, Thomas Seling, Percelane Seling, Quinn Seling, Josephine Miller, Hadley Fritts, Emma Fritts and Edward Fritts; his brother, Jim Heaton of Atlanta; his brother-in-law, George Dimitri of Chicago; his brother-in-law, Timothy (Colleen) Schock of Munster, Indiana; his stepmother, Lois Heaton; and his nieces and nephews, Michel Dimitri, Jamie Dimitri, Dana Dimitri, Hadley (Heaton) Abernethy, Alex Heaton, Austin Heaton, Amanda (Schock) Fletcher and Alison (Schock) Eldreth. He will be greatly missed by all.

Jock was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Bette Heaton; his sister, Julie (Heaton) Dimitri; and his sister-in-law, Cindy (Stolnitz) Heaton.