Ralph Heath, Reporter cartoonist, had a great journey through life

Ralph Tilbury Heath, 76, who lived in Stowe and in Osprey, Fla., died peacefully with his family by his side on Monday, March 14, 2016, after a courageous battle with leukemia.

Ralph was a true Renaissance man whose interests and talents led him on a wonderful journey through this world, and he loved sharing his gifts with others in the form of a cartoon, a poem, a joke or a kind word. He balanced his fantastic sense of humor and sensitive spirit artfully, and was a true gentleman with a bright mind who was lots of fun to be around.

Ralph was born in Bermuda to a Canadian mother and American father, and came to the United States as an infant on one of the last ships to leave Bermuda at the start of World War II.

Ralph was raised in northern New Jersey, where he honed skills in bow hunting, doodling in his school notes and selling Christmas trees, laying the foundation for his keen observation skills that were later applied to his artistic and professional pursuits.

His family moved to Stowe in 1953 and converted the Reed estate to a country inn, Edson Hill Manor, which remained in the family until 1990. Ralph earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce and economics at the University of Vermont, where he raced on the downhill ski team and, ever the hard worker, spent summers working at a pea cannery in Washington and shoveling coal for the Barre City Hospital (following which, jobs involving peas and coal were removed from the bucket list for good).

Insatiably curious and with the spirit of adventure, he moved to California to pursue the investment field, starting as a stockbroker and later becoming a real estate appraiser, loan correspondent, and vice president of corporate finance for a real estate development company; all the while continuing his education with the New York Institute of Finance and becoming a graduate in real estate at UCLA after attending six years of night school.

He was a lifelong musician and music lover and belonged to a folk trio in the 1960s that was offered a recording opportunity in New York. Later in life, he wrote and published a song, “Montana Man,” reflecting his love of the West.

He met his wife, Anita, while his trio was performing at a bar in Manhattan Beach, Calif. While her girlfriends were enthralled by the musicians, Anita fell soundly asleep at the after-party. Never one to shy away from a challenge, he knew he had found his match. He later referred to Anita, his wife of 53 years, as his “best long-term investment.”

Ralph and Anita returned to Vermont in 1970 when Ralph secured a job at National Life Insurance Co., and soon their daughter, Melissa, was born.

Ralph retired in 1987 as founder, president and CEO of National Property Advisors, an SEC-registered investment firm responsible for investing pension fund capital for Fortune 500 companies and a variety of public and private clients. His innovative investment strategies and creative approach to partnerships generated professional success and he was quoted and published in Barron’s, The Wall Street Journal and numerous trade journals.

Ralph always valued Stowe as his home and enjoyed contributing to the community by serving as president of the Stowe Rotary Club and a trustee of Copley Hospital and by quietly supporting local students who needed financial assistance to further their education.

He deeply enjoyed cartooning for the Stowe Reporter, stirring the pot of local politics and Vermont culture and adding a healthy dash of mischief.

A graceful skier and clever sailor, Ralph loved golf the most and had many trophies to show for it. More importantly, he respected and enjoyed the game and the wonderful friends with whom he shared that interest.

Ralph maintained his love of the markets by actively trading equities and scouting real estate opportunities long after he technically retired, and enjoyed oil painting as a peaceful outlet to contrast the fickleness of the economy. He relished travel and explored six out of seven continents with friends and family on countless adventures, beholding the beauty of the world with a deep sense of faith and connectedness, warmheartedly embracing the people and cultures he encountered along the way.

Whether fly fishing in Alaska or absorbing the grandeur of Mount Everest from the cockpit of a tiny plane, Ralph’s varied experiences deepened his sensitivity for the natural world and humankind as reflected in his poetry, which can be found at the entrance to Riverbank Cemetery, on the Stowe Recreation Path, at Stowe Area Association and, further afield, in the collections of The Royal & Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews in Scotland.

Ralph was a prolific reader and loved to learn. He had particular interest in Native Americans, history, mountaineering and politics, with a focus on leaders and pioneers in all categories. He was a committed patriot and served in the Air National Guard and the Army National Guard and wrote to President Obama and the SEC when he felt the equity markets needed regulatory tightening.

Whether bellowing along with Pavarotti, gently caring for his little poodle, Charlie, or dreaming up a script for a crank call to a friend, Ralph had a natural charm and warmth that made him a cherished friend to many. His costumes, gags and poems brought the house down on many occasions and he enhanced the lives of those around him immeasurably.

Survivors include his wife, Anita, and daughter, Melissa, with whom he treasured a very close and wonderful relationship; and a sister, Sandra, and brother, Larry, all originally of Stowe.

In lieu of flowers, please consider purchasing his books at the Stowe Reporter: “Reflections of a Country Poet” and “Local Color in Black and White: Cartoons from the Stowe Reporter.” All profits are donated to charity.