Larry Heathington Obit

[Outdoor Writer]

I was googling for something else and came across this obit. There are likely many members here who never heard of Heathington. For a long time, he was a notable guide, especially for bighorn sheep.

As mentioned in the obit, one of his regular clients was Robert Petersen. I recall one time sitting at the same guest table at an AZ Elk Society banquet. During the auction, Heathington was on his phone with Petersen so they could coordinate bids on the various permits being auctioned. I can't recall if they won any, though. 

Fast forward to 2009 when he and a booking agency scammed a hunter out of $70K that was supposed to pay for a bighorn hunt in Mexico. You can read all about it here. In an earlier incident that year, he disappeared for a time while supposedly travelling to guide several hunters, leaving them in a predicament. He later claimed that he had been beaten & robbed -- a tale that was later debunked. 

 

From the Kingman Miner newspaper:

Larry Heathington crossed his final plateau on earth on Sept. 10, 2020. He was 70 years old.

Larry was the first of four children to parents Lawrence Heathington and Faye Anne Wood. He grew up here, a typical childhood in rural America in the 1950s.

He was a family oriented child and he spoke fondly of playing with his siblings and cousins. He attended grade school in Kingman, and graduated just in time for the Vietnam War. He served his country well and was proud of his service.

Upon coming back home he continued his public service by becoming a police officer in Kingman as well as Gilbert, Arizona in the 1980s.

Somewhere along the way he discovered a passion for the wilderness. He started hunting and learning from his mentor, Bernie Lawrence, and he turned this into a successful guide service.

Along this path he met another adventurer and they became great friends. His name was Robert Peterson. Their adventures were legendary to say the least. They hunted from Mongolia to Africa, Alaska to Peru, and everywhere in between.

Pick up an old copy of Petersons Hunting Magazine and you can read all about it. His journals speak of “wind in the tall grass, trees at first light, sunrises, sunsets, unblemished landscapes in fresh snow, and mornings at high altitude on a clear day.”

He reveled in his life and would tell fantastic tales from the expeditions around the world. In his last days he spoke to me about the end. He said “I’ve lived an incredible life; I’ve seen things most men will only dream about. I started with next to nothing and couldn’t have dreamed any of this would happen. A little hard work and a couple of breaks along the way and you can go further than you ever expected. I have few regrets in life and the ones that I brought along are in my distant past. While I’m not looking forward to the end of this chapter, it will certainly take me on another adventure.”

Larry was more than just an adventurer. He was loved and cherished by his family.

He was preceded in death by his father Lawrence, mother Faye Anne, and sisters Leanne Thornton and Lori Kay Blair. He is survived by his brother, Tom Heathington; his four children, Autumn McNamara (Dominic), Dorothy Heathington, Claudia Desandro (Christopher) and Kevin Heathington; and his grandchildren, Avery McNamara, Cole McNamara and Aiden DeSandro. There will be a celebration of life on Oct. 3 2020 at Metcalfe Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please bring a lawn chair to sit and visit.

[azelkhunter2]

Larry left this earth a liar and a thief.....He owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to numerous individuals he had ripped off....He never took any responsibility for any of his crimes.... And in private conversations laughed about all of it...There was a time in his life he was a tremendous individual and one of the best sheep guides you could find but later in his life he became an embarrassment of a human being....

[Outdoor Writer]

7 minutes ago, azelkhunter2 said:

Larry left this earth a liar and a thief.....He owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to numerous individuals he had ripped off....He never took any responsibility for any of his crimes.... And in private conversations laughed about all of it...There was a time in his life he was a tremendous individual and one of the best sheep guides you could find but later in his life he became an embarrassment of a human being....

Yup, as I referred to. I'm not sure of the amount other than the $70K for sure, but there was no doubt more such as those hunters he left stranded. If I recall he even faked his death one time to escape his responsibilities. 

[biglakejake]

6 hours ago, Outdoor Writer said:

disappeared for a time while supposedly travelling to guide several hunters

 

[Outdoor Writer]

43 minutes ago, biglakejake said:

 

I remember that thread. That was different than when he supposedly died of liver cancer way back in 2010 or 2011. But...he's gone now and can't scam anyone again. 

[Jimmer Negamanee]

1 hour ago, Outdoor Writer said:

I remember that thread. That was different than when he supposedly died of liver cancer way back in 2010 or 2011. But...he's gone now and can't scam anyone again. 

That's what he wants you to think...😂

[Outdoor Writer]

16 hours ago, Jimmer Negamanee said:

That's what he wants you to think...😂

You might be right. There was no actual funeral mentioned, just a 'celebration of life' dealie. I seem to recall that there was also an obit the last time he supposedly died. Maybe he's like the energizer bunny and just keeps going & going & going.....

. 

 

 

[naturebob]

I remember when He did that garbage. To bad People gotta be like that........................BOB!