Harold Melville Heath

Hal was born September 13, 1927 in Westbrook, Maine; youngest of 5 children of Harold M. Heath & Pearl Gookin Heath, (The Heath & Gookins were Puritan immigrants from Ware & Kent, England in 1634 & 1621 respectively.) When Hal was 2 the family moved to West New York, NJ. Hal graduated from Memorial High School in 1946 and enlisted in the army for 18 months before the end of World War II. He stayed in Fort Knox the whole time because of spinal meningitis during basic training. He was assigned to the personnel dept. Then he finished a year of college at Hope College, Holland, Michigan, sinus problems moving him to the University of Arizona where he graduated with 2 BA majors, Philosophy and Psychology. Getting a call to the ministry, he turned down a philosophy scholarship. He spent only 1 year at the Episcopal School of Religion in CA realizing from the help of 5 pastors in Tucson each saying, “You are a Presbyterian.” So, Hal got his MDiv. From McCormick Presbyterian Seminary in Chicago in 1956 & ordained that year in Tucson. The year before he married his beloved Jane Tencer.

Hal served 5 churches from 1956 to 1988: Upland and San Pedro and Linda Vista Church (for 17 years) CA; Globe and Peoria in AZ. Within the Presbytery of San Diego, he served on the Worship, Crisis Center, College Concern, PUM, Westminster Fellowship (at SDSU) committees. Served as member and chair on presbytery’s Peacemaking and Social Justice Ministry Team for over 15 years. In retirement years he taught Bible studies at Presbyterian Urban Ministry weekly for a year. With his daughter, Judy Phipps, created and hosted 4 Musical Reviews at 3 of our churches to raise funds for PUM. All professional performers donated their talents. Also, in retirement he recruited and supervised for 7 years volunteer receptionists at the presbytery office.

Within the San Diego community while pastoring Hal was chair of the huge San Diego Ecumenical Council in 1980. At the same time, he was vice president of Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Imperial Counties. Before retirement he moonlighted as a paid professional singer with the San Diego Opera Company’s chorus for 6 operas. Before his 1988 retirement he also got a teaching credential to teach ESL (English as a Second Language) at our city schools and colleges 3 or 4 times a week in the evening. He also persuaded his elders to open 5 empty church rooms 3 times a day during the week as ESL rooms. These classes helped hundreds of young and older adults to speak English between 1975 and 2013, then college rooms opened up in its place. Hal taught ESL for 10 years until 1990. He volunteered as an assistant evening teacher at the Miramar College Campus 1 or 2 nights a week. When retired he also became a volunteer San Diego Opera Docent for 27 years to schools and adult groups.

During his pastoring and retirement years Hal also managed to complete all required doctoral studies at San Francisco Presbyterian Seminary and the same for Pastoral Counseling at San Diego’s Professional School of Psychological Studies.

After retirement the Heaths worshipped for 25 years at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Pt Loma. There he appeared in 23 plays and musicals. He is best remembered for his Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of OZ, the wicked Wazir in Kismet and the inspector in An Inspector Calls.

In his final years, Hal enjoyed the loving fellowship of the Mira Mesa Presbyterian Church. He is survived by is wife Jane, His son Daniel Heath, his daughter Judith Phipps and granddaughters Jenna Phipps and Hope Phipps.