There’s this story about a doting young husband who tears himself away from his hectic job on the road and hustles home to witness the birth of his first child — only to realize he’s arrived too late. The child is born.

“Don’t tell me about the pain,” he greets the new mother and her attendants, “just show me the baby!”

Somehow this story personifies the spirit of a man like Bob Heaton, a self-made son of the Great Depression, whose 90th birthday was celebrated this week with an open house and reception at his beloved Butler County Community College. Hundreds of people showed up to greet and congratulate Heaton, who was accompanied by his daughter, Leanne Heaton.

Bob Heaton had every reason not to become a smashing success. A Butler native, he defied the odds. And when he’d made it, he had every reason to keep the fruits of success to himself. But he refused. And we’re a better community because of Bob Heaton’s generosity.

Leanne Heaton recalled how her father was born six months before the “Black Monday” stock market crash of October 1929, a financial meltdown that triggered the Great Depression. Bob entered the workforce at age 11, coincident with the release of two blockbuster movies: “Gone With the Wind” and “Wizard of Oz” — escape dramas intended to divert a Depression-era audience away from an economic and spiritual doldrum that would take a world war to shake. Indeed, a colossal world’s fair in New York City in the summers of 1939 and ’40, heralding a bold, technology-driven future prosperity, was cut short by that world war when Nazi Germany invaded Poland.

Maybe an 11-year-old was too young to fully understand the impact of Nazi aggression. He certainly was old enough to know that hard work put money in his pocket. “He made enough money and then put himself through college,” Leanne Heaton said.

Bob Heaton later became an owner of his own business and a well-known entrepreneur. He donated $1 million toward the construction of BC3’s learning center. The building now bears his name.

“I’m thrilled to death,” Heaton said of his contribution. “It’s been the highlight of my life.”

Nick Neupauer, president of BC3, spoke to the crowd about Heaton’s role in the rise of the community college. Neupauer said Heaton is an incredible person.

“He’s always about doing the right thing,” Neupauer said. “When he believes in something, he goes all out.”

Heaton said he will always be proud of the help he could offer the college.

“BC3 has been a very big thing in my life,” Heaton said. “It’s been a source of pride for me to help people here.”

He said he still remembers the day the learning center opened. He remembers the words that came out of his mouth when it was official.

“I said, ‘This is a day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice,’” Heaton said. “Today, I am rejoicing.”

That’s an interesting verse. When you think of the opposite, it brings to mind the Harry Chapin song, “Cat’s in the Cradle,” a father’s lament for being too busy to enjoy raising a child. You might say the song is so much about the pain, the parent entirely missed the baby.

As a community, let’s not choose to sing “Cat’s in the Cradle.” Let’s instead follow Bob Heaton’s example and live joyously today.

Show us the baby? Thank heavens, BC3 is Bob Heaton’s baby. We are Bob Heaton’s baby, too.