2023 Citizen of the Year

A Few Good Men Inc. Has selected as Citizen of The Year for 2023 Mr. Robert L Heath. He is a former president of A Few Good Men. He will join an outstanding group of former recipients of this recognition.

J.W. McDow 2003, Annie Jordan Allen 2004, Rosa Bell 2005, Oscar White 2006, Ralph Bolden 2007, Herman Cunningham 2008, Louisiana Robinson 2009, Jeanette Sherrod 2010, James Mungo 2011, Johnny Sowell 2012, Frank Dreese 2013, Rev.Larry Leak 2014, Minnie Crowder 2012, Diane Burns 2014, Rev.Waymon S. Jordan 2015, Ernest Collins 2016, Hattie Gail Coffee 2017, Nathan Hailey 2018, Joan Laverne White 2019, Frank McGee 2022. No recipients in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In July 2022, Robert Heath was chairperson of the committee that lead to the install of the NC Civil Rights Trail Marker at the Monroe Country Club old pool site. In 1961 the pool was closed rather than integrated in August,1961. He was the chairperson of the committee that lead to the install of the Robert Williams Highway Marker on the corner of Boyte Street and Highway 74(2023). In 2019 he was named the NAACP Humanitarian of the Year. As President of the Winchester Alumni Association (2015), he developed the fundraising campaign to install a Buffalo Statue in front of the old Winchester High School site. The Winchester Alumni Association raised over $20,000 to fund the Buffalo Statue Project.

Robert Heath is a native of Union County, Monroe NC and the son of Sam and Alice Heath Ingram. He is one of four siblings Nathaniel Heath (deceased) Jennye Ruth Smith and Sam Ingram ll. He attended Winchester Avenue High School and graduated in 1962. Before attending college, he worked at several jobs in Newburgh, NY. Most of the time he worked at West Point Military Academy. He received a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a minor in History from Winston Salem State University in 1967 and a master’s degree in administration supervision from Nova University, Ft. Lauderdale FL. in 1979.

He has received awards and accomplishments: Teacher of the year 1978, Principal of the year 1992 Region 2, Principal of the year and district Finalist 1993, United Way Paul Bell Award, IBM Excellent Award, Concern African American women Award; and Trustee of the Year Langford Chapel CME Church. He retired from the Miami-Dade Public School System in 1999 and returned to Union County. After taking a year off, he worked part time at the Department of Social Service Food Stamp Division for five years.

He is a member of Langford Chapel CME Church, former member of the Trustee Board, former chairperson of Men Ministry. Chairperson Health Workshops, former president of the Winchester Alumni Association, former president of A Few Good Men Inc., Robert Franklin Williams Scholarship Committee, Faith Community Health Ministry, and a member of the NAACP. He served on the Turning Point Board, Union County Head Start Board and Union County Public School Foundation Board. He co- founded the Langford Chapel CME Church Learning Center in 2001.

He is married to Lillie C. Heath, and they have been married for 53 years with one son Derrick Ingram Heath (Latanya F. Heath) and three grandchildren, Angel Monique Heath(deceased} Lauren Alexis Heath and Derrick Ingram Heath ll. His favorite title is “Papa,” and his favorite quote is “I cannot be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be.”

A Few Good Men, Inc. Citizen of the Year Banquet is March 30 @ 7pm at The Old Armory Community Center. The tickets are $35 each or a reserve table of six $225.For more information please contact members or go to afewgoodmennc.org.