Eldon Eugene Heath

Eldon Eugene Heath of Port Orchard WA is a man of stalwart character, very moral, a hard worker and provider for his family, not only financially but in guidance and teaching of how to live a good upright life. He has a tender servants heart, covered by a tough exterior, liberally woven through and through with humor. He worked hard in this life and expected everyone else to do the same, expecting you to do much more than you thought you were capable of and because of that you found you were. He never complained, just did what was needed and what was right: a man who stands tall and strong, who we can look to for how to be. One of his favorite sayings sums up very well who he is, “Be a leader, not a sheep.” He never tried to be or pretended to be anything he wasn’t, and always did what he felt was right no matter what anyone else was doing.

Born in Seattle Washington to Milton and Alice Heath on March 17th 1936, Eldon Eugene Heath was the second to the youngest of six children. He grew up in central Seattle. He loved learning and was very good at sports; however, he dropped out of school in the 9th grade and went into the family bricklaying trade, thinking that was a more logical course.

Eldon served honorably in the Marines from 1954-1962. Part of that service was in Korea at the end of the conflict. He was always very proud of his service to his country and having been a Marine. In 1954 he married his ex-wife Sharon Meyers by whom he had three children. On March 24 1958 he married Gyneth Rae Smith of Seattle Washington. They had three children and adopted two more.

Eldon went back and got his High School diploma in 1969 with the plans of becoming a nurse. Due to three back operations he could not continue in this career so returned to the bricklaying trade. Eldon was an artistic person and took great pride in his brickwork, which was his medium of artistic expression. He was a bricklayer for 56 years, 37 of those in Oregon as a contractor before retiring and moving back to Washington.

Eldon was always in very good shape, playing basketball up till the age of 72 when he became ill. He was very proud that he was playing with, and keeping up with, college-age men at that age. He retired in 2008, a month later he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Due to a botched tumor resection he suffered multiple related problems from that for the next six years. On July 9th 2014 the doctors gave him one week to live. He came home on hospice and proceeded to live another month and 2 days. During that grace period most of his loved ones had a chance to say good-bye to this wonderful man. More than that, during that time Eldon, who had been involved with church for many years, confirmed his trust in Jesus Christ as his Savior.

On August 10th 2014 at the age of 78 Eldon Eugene Heath went home to be with his Lord; he is missed greatly but his legacy to his family and friends follows after him: a man who is a leader, a leader in loving, working, serving, laughing, and standing tall.

He is survived by his wife of 56+ years, Gyneth Rae, his children Raymond Eugene Heath of Tacoma WA, Jody Renee Bentler (Jerry) of Renton WA , Penney Lee VanLieu of Friday Harbor WA, Teri Lynn Comroe of Longview TX, Jef Jay Heath (Heather) of West Linn OR, Alea Ann Watterberg (Cleave) of Lakewood WA, Justin Levi Heath of Portland OR and James Lewis Heath (Melissa) of Huron SD, 15 grandchildren, 7 step-grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, his sister Barbara Rowland of Pacific WA and his sister Audrey Haines (Robert) of Redding CA, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on September 27th at 1 pm at Christ the Rock Community Church 410 SW Old Clifton Rd., Port Orchard WA 98367. Please bring your memories of Eldon to share. There will be a reception after.

In lieu of flowers please send donations in memory of Eldon Heath to Christian Biker Tabernacle www.christianbikertabernacle.org/index.php?p=1_13_Make-a-Donation , or to Missionary TECH Team and the Teri Comroe ministry area www.techteam.org/mtt/contribute.php .