Sad News (Military thread)

[GeraldTodd]

Re: Sad News

It's been many years of knowing and dealing with "The Heef" for many of us. At times is could be excruciating, other times it could be frustrating, then there were times when you couldn't imagine having done it without him.

He wasn't perfect, not even close. I've seen people make that nails-on-chalkboard face at the mere mention of his name. He said what he thought and pulled no punches. Some of us were convinced he contained several, if not many, separate Heef's each of which playing us for his own amusement.

BUT, along with all of that, he was a fixture of our hobby, that thing we do for the love of doing it. Regardless of what you thought of him, you thought of him. If you had the slightest hand in organizing anything in the part of the hobby that cares about history - "Chawls" came to your mind. Charles Heath was often the devil on our shoulder, the angel on the other shoulder, or, more often than not, both.

He was a great asset, our conscience, a prolific historian, a pain in the ass, a visionary, a nutcase, and a friend. He will be greatly missed by us all.

I am so very sorry to hear of his passing.

[Jim of The SRR]

Re: Sad News

Here are two pics from Encampment at Pittsburg Landing in 2007. Charles handled the entire commisary (as he has done at other events). The one picture shows the commissary tent which highlights the great attention to detail he put into his efforts. He did his research for each event and made sure that the experience was as close to historical as possible (down to pickled potatoes, desicatted potatoes and salted fish).
I don't have any images of him from Struggles of Secession at Westville last year (probably because he was out down at the farmhouse minding the BBQ pit). Again, his attention to historical detail was great. I offered to get him chicken wire for the BBQ pit and he declined stating he would make his own with period wire and materials. I doubt anyone at the event knew how authentic their BBQ meal was down to every little detail in the process.
Having gone from frustration to friends with Charles, I grew to appreciate his humor as I knew he was someone I could count on at an event to volunteer to bring so much to all of us at the events he attended (maybe more than people realized).
Charles had already made plans for the 2010 Westville with the role to run a Boarding House. I truly pray he is at a wonderful boarding house with the Lord.

Regards,
Jim Butler

[jfeagin]

Re: Sad News

Sad News indeed. I had the luck of meeting him in three different events. My condolences and prayers to his family.

John Feagin

[Old Reb]

Re: Sad News

Some people and their influence on the hobby can never be replaced. Charles was one of those people. I have lost a good friend.

[unionprivate]

Re: Sad News

I had the pleasure of meeting Chawls at Winter 64 in 2008. It was his smoked fish, which he left in our hut as a gift, that became the object of retribution, thinking we had been had by a rotting fish in newspaper. A good laugh was had by all, after we realized it was to be edible. At High Tide, he was the man responsible for keeping many in the march, as it were, for if he hadnt been hauling a water buffalo in his pickup, many would not have completed the trek. I was very much lookin forward to serving with him again at the upcoming Death March. Hopefully, in good time, we will meet again...

[boreguard]

Re: Sad News

I met Charles at the Antietam event back in '97. Myself and three others from my unit served in company with him. At the end of the event me and him each cut a button off our coat and traded. I have that North Carolina button here in my war room and am looking at it now thinking of Charles and praying for his family as they try and deal with his sudden passing. Rest in peace my friend.

[SCTiger]

Re: Sad News

I will miss him. My deepest sympathy to his family. I know his reenacting family will miss him. This attached photo is Charles at Westville, it was my last one of him.

[Clark Badgett]

Re: Sad News

I'm rather at a loss for words right now.

[LindaTrent]

Re: Sad News

I'm rather at a loss for words right now.

As am I. My sincere condolences to Bev and the family.

Linda.

[JimConley]

Re: Sad News

Charles and I never really saw eye to eye. Pleasant is not a word I would use to describe his demeanor. He always managed to find an interlude to insert entertaining and curt remarks into his lengthy writings. He did not sugar-coat anything, nor do I think he would want us to when remembering him.

Despite my differences with Da Heef, we always managed to put those aside and enjoy our time out in the field together. I remember one instance at Outpost III that we had fun scheming our intent to capture and hog-tie a certain officer on the other side because of our shared distaste for that particular fellow. And while everyone was near death at Pat Landrum’s Mississippi Scorchfest ’07, Charles mixed up some lemonade and personally issued each of us salt from his spoon to help replenish all the sugars and sodium.

As others have already pointed out, he did a lot to promote progression and attendance in the hobby. I did always enjoy reading his statistical analyses of how small our hobby really is when it comes to active participants. He was at damn near every event, big or small, that I have attended in the Western Theatre over the last several years (plus the ones I did not attend), and the guy lived in Maryland! He truly loved this hobby, even though he could be quite a pain in the ass. He was truly a unique individual.

I’ll miss Ol’ Heath. I wouldn’t go as far as to consider him a friend, but I like to think we had enough of an understanding of each other to still share and enjoy the hobby when we were out in the field. He knew how to get under my skin, but you have to respect a guy who could test your wit and patience the way Charles Heath did.

My sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends. Despite the fact that we saw things differently in a lot of ways, I would never wish anything bad upon Charles. His untimely death is truly hapless.

[Huck]

Re: Sad News

I have known Charles for many years now and I will say he will be missed. I can remember two events over the past 7 years that stuck out in my head, one was Athens in 2002 in the Portal to Hell and the Raid (08) were I almost had taken him captive instead I stirrd up a hornets nest. After spending sometime in the hands of the federals, Charles made sure my canteen was full and was was my belly.

Huck will miss him.

[Possum Skinner]

Re: Sad News

Despite conversing with him online many times, I only met Charles in person twice. At Athens, MO and Fort Donelson.

Both times we had great conversations and I liked him very much. I knew he rubbed some people raw, but he and I never really had any of those moments. I believe that a very unique and singular person has departed from our midst.

I can't say that I will miss mule feed in my rations, but I will miss the commissary man that put them there.

God speed Charles and my dearest sympathy to his loved ones.

[BenjaminLDavis]

Re: Sad News

It is very hard to think of the cookfires without the irrasable Mr. Heath tending to
the comestibles ~ it will not be the same. My sympathies to his family and dear
wife.

Some memories of the man who cooked for so many of us at so many events:
The "mule food" at Duffield.
The way Charles mother-henned us in the heat at Vicksburg - I will always be thankful
for it.
The meals at Marmaduke's, the last of his cooking I will ever eat.
Shock and sadness.

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Sad News

Wow. Very sad to read this today.

Heef always treated my boy and I very kindly and with lots of laughs.

Rest easy ole boy.

[Rmhisteach]

Re: Sad News

It is suprising how one man can have such an impact on others.

My prayers to Mrs. Heath and loved ones.

I remember ...... Stews


Mule chow stew.

Fish head stew.

Plaid stew.



RM