Submitted by Scot Beaton
Ian W. Beaton passed away March 23, 2018. He was born in Nova Scotia, Canada, on March 10, 1924 and moved with his parents, William and Margaret Beaton, to Flint, Michigan when he was a toddler. He is preceded in death by his sister Donna, and his beloved wife, Carol Beaton, who died 2-12-18. Ian is survived by his daughter, Lynda Beaton (Bob), his son Scot Beaton (Pattie), granddaughters Kelly Ainsworth and Christie Beaton, and grandson Ian Beaton.
Ian W. Beaton Born March 10, 1928 died March 23, 2018
Ian graduated from Flint Central High School in 1942 and enlisted in the army to fight in WWII. He served in the Aleutian Islands. Ian became a naturalized citizen on July 10, 1945, in Shemya, Alaska, where he was sworn in by a Federal judge flown in from the mainland. After the war, Ian attended and graduated from Northwestern University, where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. He was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and met his future wife Carol at NU. They married in 1950 after graduation and moved to Flint, Michigan. He joined AC Spark Plug as a Technical writer in the sales promotion department. From there, he joined D.P. Brother in Detroit, which later became the Detroit office of Leo Burnett Advertising. When he retired in 1987, he was a Senior Vice-President at Campbell-Ewald in Warren, Michigan. In that capacity he was Management Supervisor of GM Parts Marketing Worldwide and GM components Divisions. Ian and Carol moved from Flint to Birmingham and then to Bloomfield Hills, where they raised their children. They moved again to Rochester Hills when Ian retired, after which Ian and Carol headed for Arizona to enjoy an active retirement in Sedona and then in Oro Valley. In retirement, Ian stayed busy golfing, traveling, and writing. He wrote a book about the war efforts in Alaska during his tour of duty in the Aleutian Islands using letters he wrote to his parents and sister during that time. Ian and Carol died within 39 days of each other and two years to the day his only younger sister; and although their children and grandchildren will miss them terribly, we are so grateful to have had them in our lives for such a long time. We will cherish our memories of them forever.
Ian and Carol Beaton’s ashes will be interred at the Kirk in the Hills in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan as their final resting place per their request.
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