Obituary of Lillian Mae Heath

Lillian Mae Heath of Chapel Hill, NC, died Sunday March 18, 2018 at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. 

Known to her friends and family as Mae, she was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on July 31, 1923, the only daughter of the late Charles Alfred Olmstead and Lillian Henderson Olmstead.  She had a happy childhood, gaining a love of the theater and horseback riding.  Her first marriage was to Steven Wrathall, an artist.

After being widowed at an early age, she traveled to England where she met Milton Sydney Heath Sr., who was an Economics professor at UNC-Chapel Hill and also widowed for many years.  Though Mae was still living in Canada, the couple carried on a long distance courtship, which culminated in their marriage in Toronto in 1965.  They (along with Mae’s Beagle Toby) immediately moved to Milton’s house on Glenburnie St. in Chapel Hill.  Mae was at once welcomed into the family, which included Milton’s three children and seven grandchildren.  Mae fulfilled the role of surrogate grandmother in her cheerful and loving way.  She and Milton enjoyed traveling, gardening, listening to the phonograph and reading.  Mae became a US citizen in 1969. 

After Milton’s death in 1970, Mae began a long career as an administrative assistant in the personnel department at UNC Medical School.  Mae rented rooms at the Glenburnie St. house to a series of UNC students.  She also took in a series of cats some of whom she chose, and some of whom chose her.  Mae continued her interest in theater, music, and gardening, as well as bird watching from her back porch.  Mae had a close group of friends who enjoyed traveling together to beaches and mountains both at home and abroad, as well as following UNC football and basketball.  Mae moved to Carolina Meadows several years ago, where she made a new group of friends. 

Her grandchildren remember Mae as a very important presence in their lives, and she adored her great-grandchildren.  Mae was truly a beloved central figure in both the Heath and Danziger families, and she will be missed. 

Mrs. Heath is survived by stepsons, Milton Heath of Chapel Hill, Robert Heath of Auburn, AL; step son-in-law, Erwin Danziger; step grandchildren, Clara Neyhart, and her husband, Greg, of Chapel Hill, Elizabeth Chorvat, and her husband, Terry, of Chicago, IL, Frank Heath, Margaret Heath, both of Chapel Hill, Charles Heath, and his wife, Zevey, of Haydenville, MA, Robert Heath, Jr., and his wife, Cecelia, of Peachtree City, GA, Edward Heath, and his partner, Dianne, of Pittsburgh, PA; step great grandchildren, Emily Neyhart of Roanoke, VA, Christopher Neyhart of Chapel Hill, Eli Heath, Liana Heath, both of Haydenville, MA;  and Eleanor Heath, the mother of Frank, Margaret, and Charles, of Chapel Hill.

In addition to her husband and parents, Mae was preceded in death by her stepdaughter, Betty Danziger.

A memorial service for Mae will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday March 29 in the Gallery at the Fairways building, Carolina Meadows.  The family will have a private burial next to Milton in Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Orange County Animal Services, 1601 Eubanks Rd., Chapel Hill, NC  27516.