Richard Drew Heath December 5, 1936 - May 11, 2025 Richard Drew Heath, 88, passed away peacefully at his home in Madison, Mississippi, on May 11, 2025. Born in Morris, Minnesota, on December 5, 1936, to Drew and Miranda Denbrook Heath, Richard dedicated his life to education and faith. He was a respected college professor specializing in business computers and information systems. Throughout his career, he served at the University of Minnesota and St. Cloud State University, retiring in 2006 after many years of guiding and mentoring students. Richard was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in many areas of the church throughout his life including the role of Bishop. He will be remembered for his quiet strength, sharp intellect, and unwavering love for his family. He is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth Espey Heath; children, Steven Heath, Robert Heath (Kristen), John Heath (Paige); Susan Heath Ramsey (Jon); and Benjamin Heath (Janelle); sister, Helen Heath Jorgensen (Rodger); brothers, Donald M. Heath and John S. Heath (Connie); 15 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Brenden Heath; and sisters, Barbara Jelinek and Beverly Wolfe. A visitation will be held at Natchez Trace Funeral Home on Saturday, May 17, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., followed by a service celebrating Richard’s life in the funeral home chapel at 10:00 a.m. Interment will take place at 1:30pm at Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery in Meridian, Mississippi. It was a dark and stormy night and we were all seated around the campfire. The Captain rose and said… do you want to hear the rest of it? Yes? It was a dark and stormy night and we were all seated around the campfire. The Captain rose and said… do you want to hear the rest of it? Dick was a master storyteller. He loved to sit down and tell you a story and you never knew until the very end if he was telling the truth or stringing you along. He loved to make others laugh and his dry sense of humor would always get you going when you least expected it. Richard Drew Heath was born on December 5, 1936 to Drew Malone Heath and Miranda Henrietta Rose Denbrook Heath in Morris, Minnesota. He was the third of six children and the first boy. He grew up in Wilmar, Minnesota where music was an important part of his life. His father’s family were all accomplished musicians, all playing the violin, while his mothers family were vocalists. When the family would come and visit, the home would be filled with music. He was taught the piano at a young age and would often play along. Though he never played professionally, he would often be found at the piano playing for his children as they danced around. As a child, he was not academically advanced. His report cards indicated he was shy, reserved and hesitant. He didn’t apply himself with his education and settled for B’s, C’s and D’s including a D- in PE. He played baseball and football with his friends in the neighborhood and loved to be outside. However, at the end of his 10th grade year, on August 9th 1951, he contracted spinal poliomyelitis. He was hospitalized for one month and then sent home to complete treatment there. His right arm and legs were weak but he never experienced full paralysis. His mother faithfully helped him complete his exercises each day to strengthen himself. After about 6 months of being fairly weak, he began to fully heal. Dick graduated high school at the age of 17 in 1954. After working locally for a short time, he joined the National Guard and served for 2 ½ years before being honorably discharged. On his first day, his group was asked who liked to eat. Dick raised his hand and was immediately assigned kitchen duty and learned to cook. He stayed local to Minnesota and was never shipped out of the country. After his time in the military, he attended the University of Minnesota. In January of 1960, he first saw Elizabeth Espey walk past him as she was being given a tour of her new job at the University. He couldn’t take his eyes off Liz and with a stroke of good luck, a friend introduced the two of them officially. Their first date was the second week of February 1960. They quickly fell in love and were married July 1, 1960. The honeymoon didn’t last long before they welcomed their first child, Steven Richard Heath in February of 1961. They welcomed a second son, Robert Joseph Heath in July 1962 and a third son, John Edwin Heath in June of 1964. Being married and a father, kicked Dick into second gear and he quickly learned to apply himself to his schoolwork. He had a marvelous brain and learned that mathematics was quite easy for him. In fact, most things came fairly naturally to Dick when it came to learning if he simply applied himself. He understood things that were complicated to most people quite easily. Dick then graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelors of Applied Mathematics degree in June of 1960. This was followed up with additional education where he earned his Masters of Science degree in July of 1967. His love of learning didn’t end there as he continued on to receive his PhD of Philosophy in March of 1973. Dick’s career allowed him to work at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, the College of Medicine at the University of Minnesota and St. Cloud State University where he was a professor of computer science and information technology from 1973 until his retirement in 2006. His two younger children were spoiled, as they grew up with a computer in their home from the very beginning and learned to use them well before most families and schools could obtain them. Dick was a math and computing wizard and could compute complicated math strings in his head quickly. Using that gift, he discovered he had a knack for computers and spent his entire life learning about and teaching others about computer science. In 1976 two missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints knocked on his door. The message they shared sparked his interest and he began a deep study into their faith and beliefs. After almost two years of investigating the church and its practices, He, Liz and two of their three sons joined the church. It was during this time Dick had an overwhelming feeling that they were supposed to have another child. Their children were 12, 14 and 15 at the time and Liz was well past the diaper stage of her life. However she agreed and they welcomed their only daughter Susan Marie Heath in 1977. Because they didn’t want her to grow up as an only child of the younger clan, they welcomed their 4th son, Benjamin Thomas Heath in 1980. Dick served in a variety of church assignments such as Elders Quorum president, Bishop and Executive Secretary to the stake president. He and Liz also served a service mission in Wilmar, MN helping and supporting the congregation there. He was always happy to serve and help those in need and enjoyed spending time with the missionaries. Dick was blessed with a beautiful voice which allowed him to sing in the church choir, and was known as the candy man who liked to make his own homemade candy. His favorites were fudge, caramels, tootsie rolls, divinity and taffy. He had a major sweet tooth and was well known for sneaking his children and grandchildren treats. He especially loved ice cream and we made sure his last meal was a fudge bar which he greatly enjoyed. Dick’s main hobby was photography. As a teenager he purchased his first camera and was rarely seen without a camera everywhere he went. He was the secretary for his camera club in St. Cloud, Minnesota and documented all his grandchildren's lives constantly. He was especially good at creating photo videos and photo books which we all cherished and appreciated. Dick was also a gardener and enjoyed planting and caring for a garden with Liz and took immaculate care of his grass. His funniest hobby, if we can call it one, was locking the doors. He couldn’t walk past a door without locking it, which meant you were often locked out if you stepped outside for a moment. When his youngest Ben was a senior in high school, an opportunity to visit Germany was presented to them. This sparked a love of the country. Dick knew some German and dedicated his life to learning the language, becoming fluent in it as well as visiting an additional 4 more times. Traveling to and living in Germany were his favorite trips. Though given many talents in this world, his greatest talent was making Liz laugh. He knew how to get her rolling. His greatest joy was hearing her laugh. Even after 65 years together, he still found ways to make her laugh. During one of their yearly trips to Mississippi to see Liz’s family they were driving a Volkswagen bus. When they stopped for gas the attendant asked if they were one of those freedom writers. Dick looks at the man with a serious face and says, well my brother’s riding free, but I’m paying. And just like that, he’d get you. His comedic timing was impeccable. Dicks memory began fading several years ago and it has been difficult for the family to watch the light that was always there fade. Despite his struggles to remember all things, his comedic sense of humor never vanished. He was always proud of his 5 children, 16 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He will truly be missed by all. We love you dick.