Margaret A. Heaven

Margaret A. Heaven, 69, died peacefully of cancer at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center March 23, 2013.

A celebration of her life is planned for Fourth of July weekend at Heaven’s Hayfield in Wasilla.

In lieu of flowers, send donations for the Margaret Heaven memorial plaque and library fund to Troy Heaven, 2341 S. Davis Road, Wasilla, AK 99654. Write “MEMORIAL FUND” in the subject line.

Margaret was born Aug. 2, 1943, to Hugh and Leona Johnson in Bryn Mawr, Penn. In 1949, her family moved to Palmer. She always remembered the Palmer years, when she was ages 6 to 12, as the fondest and most formative of her childhood.

In 1955, her family moved to Cambridge, Mass., and then to Arlington, Va. She attended schools in Palmer, Arlington, Va., and finally Colorado State College in Greeley, Colo., where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education in 1965. She taught in Tucumcari, N.M., for one year before loading up a Jeep with a dog, a cat and a bird and driving to Alaska to remain for life.

In Wasilla, where she taught high school physical education for several years, she met LeRoi Heaven. They were married Dec. 21, 1968, and enjoyed 42 years of a very happy partnership, sharing their time, their energy, their giving spirits, their love and joy with countless people. They adopted their son, Troy, in 1977, and welcomed their foster daughter, Deborah, into their lives in 1979. They offered their beautiful 40-acre parcel of farmland for community uses for numerous activities, including school field days, Boy Scout and Girl Scout campouts, church picnics, field dog training and Fourth of July celebrations.

Margaret and LeRoi were chosen as the 2008 Grand Marshalls for the Wasilla Fourth of July Parade to honor them for their community work. In 2009, the Alaska Legislature honored them “for their numerous contributions to and hard work on behalf of their community.”

After LeRoi’s death in September 2010, Margaret was an inspiration as she involved herself even more in volunteer work and Valley endeavors, including taking over LeRoi’s role as manager of the Wasilla Farmer’s Market, continuing to be a board member of the Friends of Wasilla Public Library and keeping Heaven’s Hayfield open to the community.

Margaret was also an inspiration as she went through her very difficult six-month illness with amazing grace, patience, peace and love, and with concern only for others rather than herself. Before her death, she enjoyed a very special six weeks at home with her family and was visited by countless friends.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Hugh and Leona Johnson; her husband, LeRoi Heaven; and her brother, Everett Johnson.

Margaret is survived by her son, Troy Heaven of Wasilla; foster daughter, Deborah Harrison of Wasilla; and sister, Barbara Johnson of Anchorage.