SALISBURY ---- Former NH State Senator Roger C. Heath, 80, of Salisbury, NH, passed away peacefully, after a long and hard-fought battle with Parkinson’s Disease, on Thursday, May 18, 2023.
Born in Franklin, NH, on January 21, 1943, he was the son of the late Everett and Madeline (White) Heath.
When the family moved from Wilmot, NH to Kelsea Ave, Center Harbor, NH in 1945 his childhood was, as he often said, “idyllic”. He attended a 2-room schoolhouse for the first 6 grades within walking distance, a field fit for baseball at the end of Kelley Court, and a sledding hill across the street. He graduated from Inter-Lakes High School in 1961. Studying to be an educator in English and Art, he graduated from Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, AZ.
His first job was on the Hopi Indian Reservation at Keams Canyon teaching Hopi and Navajo children. He was elected to the NH House of Representatives for three terms, and the NH State Senate, for four terms. Roger found adventure and made friends where ever he was. He trained and raced a 5-dog team of sled dogs. He was a talented artist, an accomplished writer and always, always the teacher. Critiquing and teaching his friends and family in art, literature, gardening, cooking and much more. He enjoyed bird hunting with his English setters, goose hunting in PEI, deer hunting, fishing at his camp on Rolfe Pond and a garden every year wherever he lived… even on an apartment balcony.
Roger leaves behind his stepdaughters, Beth Cone (Shawn) of Medford Lakes, NJ, Ruth Tomczyk (Mark) of Doral, Fla, and Sherry Davenport (Craig) of Cortland, NY, stepson Robert Ryman (Karen) of York, PA, and his eight step-grandchildren, his brothers, Robert Heath (Roberta) of Center Harbor, NH and Rick Heath (Susan) of Moultonborough, NH, and nieces, Holly, Kim and Heather. Holidays were large family treats in Salisbury with most, if not all, in attendance. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Martha (Weeks) Heath in 2013.
A Graveside Service will be held on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at 11:00am, at Maplewood Cemetery, located .5 mile south on Rt 4 from the Rt 127 intersection in Salisbury, NH.
In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation in Roger’s name to the Salisbury Historical Society, 651 Old Turnpike Road, Salisbury, NH 03268, or to the Salisbury Community Church, 13 Franklin Road, Salisbury, NH 03268.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit wilkinsonbeane.com.