Andrew M Heath III

Andrew (“Dana”) McClary Heath, III was born on August 14, 1953 at what was formerly known as St. Raphael’s Hospital in New Haven, CT. He proudly recalled attending Assumption School and serving as an altar boy at its affiliated parish of Assumption Roman Catholic Church. At the age of 13, he experienced the tragic loss of his mother, Elizabeth Anne Chapman Heath, in a car accident. This event was a clear inflection point for his entire family, including Andrew’s father, Andrew McClary Heath, Jr., who survived the car accident himself, along with Andrew’s younger siblings, Duncan, Honor and David. This event could be especially credited with igniting Andrew’s lifelong search for the highest sources of meaning and belonging he could find in this life, including notably his high school and college wrestling teams, the United States Marine Corps, his academic study of law, as well as his personal study of various philosophies, languages (his favorite being French), cultures and religions. He was proud to have become an attorney and chief compliance officer during his career years. However, he was no prouder of anything more than his family. His wife, Frances, his daughter Jacqueline and son Ryan, along with his beloved siblings, cousins, aunt and uncles, nieces and nephews, were who he poured his primary energy into during the years his health permitted. From family vacations, to scholastic sporting events, to investing as much energy as he could muster into his children’s futures, to seizing any opportunity to connect the “east coast” and “west coast” Heaths for visits or conversation, to enjoying many holidays surrounded by the local family he had nearby, he could not help but repeatedly say “it’s all good” during so many of the occasions of his family-life years.

A new inflection point in his life occurred when he was diagnosed with kidney cancer, which years later metastasized to his brain, causing (despite invasive neurosurgery and gamma knife radiation) progressively debilitating seizures which profoundly changed his ability to walk or even speak without tremendous effort. He eventually became completely bedbound with, at first, clearly visible frustration in the early stages of his progressive difficulty speaking. Yet, even as these symptoms progressed and worsened over the final two years of his life, leading to further and further limitation, he inspired so many by how his joy and lightness of heart seemed to simultaneously increase. His patience with himself and others who cared for him in his condition, but more so his joy and tender appreciation of the smallest moments of love shown to him, exemplified the virtue of perseverance in its highest form. For, he did not simply persevere begrudgingly, but he did so with boisterous laughter and infectious smiles. There was hardly a person who spent time with him during his two years at Arbor Ridge Rehabilitation Center who did not find themselves smiling every time they saw him. How could one leave out too how tearfully moved he was while receiving weekly Holy Communion, and praying (eventually with complete assistance) Psalm 23 and the Our Father.

His final two years marked a battle, undertaken with the strength of spirit of a U.S. Marine, with the immense love of a family man, and with the trust and faith of the Catholic school student and altar server who found a transformative love for God in the most difficult moments this life would offer him. Andrew McClary Heath, III searched his entire life for what was true and good, and for where he belonged. He, who always wanted the best for his family, was able to receive the best his family could offer in the final moments before his death—their loving voices (both in person and over video call), their comforting touch, and the prayers to support him during his transition from this life to the next. He took his final breath just after the completion of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, while wearing a brown scapular, in the 3 o’clock hour traditionally known as the hour of Divine Mercy. What a triumph his life truly was—it showcased what it looks like for someone to finally and truly know goodness, feel belonging, and finally be able to say that “it’s all good” now.

He is predeceased by his mother, Elizabeth Anne Chapman Heath, and his father, Andrew McClary Heath, Jr. He leaves behind his wife of 34 years, Frances Heath, his daughter Jacqueline Liza (Heath) DeBenedetto, her husband Michael C DeBenedetto, III and his granddaughter Anne Siena DeBenedetto, his son Ryan Andrew Heath and his wife Semra (Shemo) Heath, his brothers Duncan and David Heath, his sister Honor Heath, as well as nieces Evan Heath and Elizabeth Heath-Heckman, nephews Loren and Elias Heckman-Heath, his cousin Kathy Reboul, his aunt Laura Reboul, along with countless other friends and family who have loved him.

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