Charles ‘Junior’ Heron Jr. / Oct. 19, 1940-Sept. 20, 2010

Published 10:40 pm Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Junior’s life began on Oct. 19, 1940, in Lansing, the son of Charles Heron Sr. and Naomi (Cooper) Heron.

He was united in marriage to the former Charline Hendrix-Thompson on March 13, 1960, in Dowagiac.

Junior, 69, of Dowagiac, was employed by Fairmont and Century Homes as a truck driver and eventually ran his own trucking company.

Junior was a member of the Dowagiac Eagles and served as head trustee for several years. He was a past member of Dowagiac Moose Lodge.

As a young man, he enjoyed racing cars and was a NASCAR fan.  He loved the Chicago Bears and cooking on his grill.

Junior helped to raise his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and had a strong sense of family.

His loving family includes: his wife, Charline of Dowagiac; daughter, Linda Jean (Jeffrey) Yant of Buchanan; son, Charles (Debbie) Heron of Marcellus; grandchildren, Jeffrey Yant Jr., Jason Yant, Joey Heron, Cassie Heron, Randy Heron and Makayla Heron; great-grandchildren, Brandon, Nathan and Alexie Yant, Hunter Johnston, Colt Heron, Keegan Mead and Madison Mead; brother, Joe Heron of Florida; mother-in-law, Peggy “Mammie” Thompson of Dowagiac;  brother-in-law, Rick (Pat) Thompson; and sisters-in-law, Barbara (Ledale) Bolton and DeeDee (Phil) Hoekstra.

Charles passed away on Monday, Sept. 20, 2010, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He is preceded in death by a brother, Jim Heron.

His family will gather with friends on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Yazel and Clark Chapel, where his service will be held on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. led by Dave Kuertzel. He will be laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery.

Please sign his guestbook and leave a memory of him at www.yazel-clark.com <http://www.yazel-clark.com/>.