Betty Rose Abernathy Heath, 85, of Shelby died November 17, 2012 at Hospice.

Born in Salisbury, NC, on October 6, 1927, to John F. Abernathy and Gladys Wise Abernathy, she spent most of her life in Shelby, NC. She was a straight-A student and valedictorian of her 1944 Shelby High School class. She attended Women’s College of the University of North Carolina (now UNC at Greensboro) for two years. She then transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the school year 1946-47 during the era when very few women attended Carolina.  In 1947 she married Charles Heath and was married for 30 years. She was a part-time bookkeeper and secretary for Heath and Associates and later worked for the City of Shelby in the Community Development department during the late 1970’s and 1980’s. One of her passions was history. She enjoyed genealogy and especially loved historic preservation. She was very active in historic preservation and well known throughout NC for her work. As a result, in 2000, she was presented the Lifetime Preservation Achievement Award by the Historic Shelby Foundation. At her 80^th birthday in 2007, she was given a Key to the City by the Mayor in recognition of her community contributions. She also loved the time she spent with her parents, children and grandchildren at her property in the mountains near Mt. Mitchell.

Betty Rose had an independent spirit and was a wonderful, caring daughter to her parents, as well as a devoted and loving wife and mother. She was a faithful Christian and spent many years teaching Sunday School and sharing her love of Christ.  Her legacy lives on through her children, grandchildren, and great granddaughter.

She is predeceased by her parents and brother John Howard Abernathy. She is survived by her sister Doris Abernathy Putnam, Charleston, SC; her daughter, Janice Heath Chuk,  Alameda, CA; son Brian Heath and wife Kimball Martin Heath,  Charlotte; and son Scott Heath and wife Angela Nalley Heath, Shelby. She is also survived by grandchildren: Neal Heath, and wife Lauren Oliver Heath, Nashville, TN; Dan Heath and wife Jessica Woody Heath,  Charlotte; Connor Heath, Charlotte; Hadley Heath, Washington, DC; Amanda Lake Heath, Shelby; and great granddaughter Hannah Reagan Heath, Charlotte.

Visitation: 1:00 – 2:00pm Friday, November 23, 2012 at Westview Baptist Church

Funeral Service: 2:00pm Friday, November 23, 2012 at Westview Baptist Church

Burial:  Cleveland Memorial Park immediately following service

Memorials: Gifts may be made to Preservation North Carolina, PO Box 2, Shelby, NC 28151 or to Historic Shelby Foundation, PO Box 2321, Shelby, NC 28151.

Funeral Home: Cecil M.Burton Funeral Home & Crematory is assisting the family.