Richard Heath

Richard Heath of Lake Elmo passed June 25th at home surrounded by family. He was born in Kansas City Kansas, May 14th, 1933 to Henry and Nellie Heath. Rich was husband to Betty for 60 plus years, having celebrated their 60th Anniversary last September by skydiving together. He was father to Beth Anne, Jane, Bart, John, Maggie and Rob, grandfather to Jim, Liz, Anna, Kathleen, Chris, Robin, Marina and Ally and great grandfather to Ashton, Anabelle and Avan Heath.

In 1984 he retired as part owner in UFE, Stillwater having begun there as a college student in the tool room in 1955. Retirement for Rich was a great adventure. Being an avid sailor, he sailed a Tartan 37 named "Impetuous" through the Great Lakes, the St Lawrence, up and down the Intercostal waters, to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, the Atlantic Seaboard, the Bahamas and beyond. His next vessel was a trawler christened "P. Gannet" which opened up a whole new area of cruising. In 1997, aboard P. Gannet, he was one of eight boats representing the US at the Cabot 500 Sail on Newfoundland, commemorating the 500th anniversary of the historic sailing of John Cabot from Bristol, England to "New Founde Lande" . P. Gannet would return to Newfoundland and Labrador again in 2002 via the North Shore of the St Lawrence. This trip included a circumnavigation of Newfoundland. It was a five year venture as boating season in the Northern climate is short. Richard and Betty returned each winter to their home in Lake Elmo, leaving P. Gannet on the "hard" either on Newfoundland or Maine. They returned P. Gannet to her home port of Madeline Island in 2007.

For business and pleasure Rich flew his private aircraft, a Beechcraft Bonanza with call letters "5614 Kilo". His flying adventures crossed the United States as well as several jaunts to the Bahamas. Rich was comfortable in the air, on the sea or in a boardroom.

Many hours were spent "Up North" at the cabin which his parents had built on the edge of the Boundary Waters Area north of Lutsen, MN. He loved fishing for walleye and hunting grouse in the fall.

Rich moved to Duluth in 1943, graduated in 1951 from Duluth Cathedral and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1958 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

The family would like to thank Dr. Randolph Marks and the staff of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester for their eight years of care. The staff at Lakeview Hospital Hospice made it possible for him to remain at home and to them goes our heartfelt thanks.

Gifts can be made to the Richard Heath Memorial Scholarship at Stout University Foundation, Menomonie, WI for a Plastic Engineering student.

Takin' the long trip
Out on the tide,
crossed the bar
See you on Fiddlers Green

"Fiddlers Green" is defined by Earnest Gann as the Heaven of fishermen and sailors... "A place with no stormy sea."

Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday July 5th, 11AM at CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL, 611 South Third Street, Stillwater. Visitation Monday July 4th, 4-7 PM at BRADSHAW, 2800 Curve Crest Boulevard, Stillwater and also one hour prior to the Mass at church.