Obituary of Elizabeth Heath Danziger

Betty Hastings Heath Danziger died peacefully of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease at the Carolina Meadows Health Center on Tuesday at the age of 85. Betty Heath was born in Durham, NC, the middle child of Clara Cole and Milton S. Heath, a professor of economics at UNC Chapel Hill. Betty attended the Chapel Hill public school system, graduating from high school in 1948. As a Chapel Hill town girl, Betty was able to enter UNC as a Freshman, was a member of the Chi Omega sorority, and graduated with a BA in Economics with a minor in History in December 1951. During the spring and summer of 1952, she traveled in the UK, France, Switzerland and Italy. Upon her return to Chapel Hill, she studied at Duke and received her Masters of Teaching degree in 1954. She taught world history in the Charlotte school system until 1956 when she married Erwin Danziger, also of Chapel Hill. The couple lived in Detroit MI, Midland MI, where their first daughter Elizabeth Ann was born, Syracuse NY, Stockholm Sweden, where their second daughter Clara was born, and Atlanta GA. In 1965, in a desire to raise their children in their own home town, Erwin accepted the position of Director of Administrative Computing at UNC, their alma mater, and they moved back to Chapel Hill. After both children entered the Chapel Hill school system, Betty returned to work, first at the Population Center at UNC Chapel Hill, then as an instructor of data processing, and then as a Budget Analyst for the Duke Medical Center, from which she retired after 20 years. Betty was an active member of the Colonial Dames and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She also loved genealogy and her research into family history led Betty and Erwin on many trips throughout the US, Nova Scotia and Europe, particularly England. These trips resulted in detailed documentation of the family history. Betty loved continuing the long and distinguished family tradition of gardening. She was also a faithful caregiver for her daughter's many golden retrievers. Betty was a great supporter of the Neuse River Golden Retriever Rescue organization. She was a fiercely loyal sports fan, closely following the North Carolina Tar Heels, the Washington Redskins, and the Chicago Cubs. Betty is survived by her husband Erwin of 61 years of marriage, her children Elizabeth Ann Chorvat of Chicago, IL and Clara Neyhart of Chapel Hill, their spouses Terry and Greg, and two grandchildren, Emily and Christopher Neyhart. She is also survived by her brothers Milton Heath of Chapel Hill and Robert Heath of Auburn, Alabama. A Funeral service will be held on Monday April 17 at 10 am at her daughter's church, St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 940 Carmichael St., Chapel Hill. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Neuse River Golden Retriever Rescue, P.O. Box 37156 Raleigh, NC 27627. http://www.goldenrescuenc.org/ Walker's Funeral Home of Chapel Hill is honored to serve the Danziger family. Online condolences may be offered at www.walkersfuneralservice.com.