Clifton R Heath

Cliff was born in Dover, North Carolina to Ray and Laura Heath on March 3rd, 1928. In October 1946 Cliff quit the life of a farmer where the workday began before sunrise and ended after sunset and joined the US Army Air Corps (Air Force). He met and married his wife, Margaret, in 1949 and they were married for 63 years until her passing in 2013. His Air Force career as an Aviation Fuels Manager took him all over the world. He retired from the Air Force in 1973 as a Chief Master Sergeant. Cliff entered Civil Service at Langley Air Force Base (LAFB) in 1974 and became the Chief of the Energy Management Plans and Programs Branch. He received many awards and honors during his career and was selected as the USAF Fuels Civilian of the Year for 1981 and again in 1988. He retired from LAFB in 1990.

In his retirement, Cliff enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren. To say he loved his grandchildren is an understatement. He was the best Papa to his two grandchildren (and their friends), and they adored him. Cliff kept up with technology, had a computer, and had spreadsheets for everything. He maintained relationships via email with his many longtime friends and family. He was interested in genealogy and did extensive research into the Heath family tree and shared it with his extended family. Cliff’s younger brother, Leonard, was his best friend. They enjoyed spending time together and usually got together several times a week. Len, Cliff’s nephew, often joined them for lunch. These Heath men had a special bond.

Cliff was a great storyteller and we will miss hearing his booming voice when he talked about his great adventures exploring new places, fishing and hunting. His children and wife were lucky to have traveled with him around the world, to France, California, Alaska, and Hawaii. Cliff had such a bigger than life personality and when you talked to him, he was always upbeat and friendly. If you were having a bad day, Cliff was the person you wanted to talk to.

Cliff was an extraordinary man. He lived a wonderful long life having a mental clarity that was unbelievable up until the very end. Anyone who met him and talked to him couldn’t believe he was 95 years old. Cliff had a real passion for life. He was sharper than most people half his age. He was smart, kind, considerate of others and we were so fortunate to have him in our lives. It gives us comfort to know he is reunited with Margaret.

Cliff was predeceased by his wife Margaret, sister Laura Moore and husband Tink, brother Alton Heath, and parents, Ray Heath and Laura Heath.

Cliff is survived by his daughter, Sandra Palko (George); son, Randy Heath (Patricia); granddaughter, Shelley Fiore (Chad); grandson, Brett Palko; brother, Leonard Heath (Barbara); and sister-in-law, Elsie Heath and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff at The Newport Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Newport News, for the wonderful care provided to Cliff during his final days. A celebration of Life will be held on Monday, October 9, 2023, from 1:00 - 4:00 PM, at First United Methodist Church, Fox Hill, 1 Salt Pond Rd., Hampton, VA 23364. The service will also be live streamed and recorded, please join the Celebration of Life here: https://firstumcfoxhill.org/ .The interment will be held Wednesday at 3:00PM at Parklawn Memorial Park.