Dr. Clark Wright Heath

Dr. Clark Wright Heath, Jr., age 92 of Woodbine, Ga., passed away on the morning of Tuesday, November 18th, 2025 at Lakes Crossing in Kingsland, Ga.

Dr. Clark Wright Heath, Jr. was born January 24, 1933 in Leipzig, Germany as his father had accepted a medical research fellowship several months prior. His mother, father, sister Martha with her new brother watched as conditions deteriorated as Hitler came to power January 30, 1933. The Heath family was able to leave Germany helping several Jewish physicians and their families safely escape. Dr. Clark Heath, Sr. and Katherine White Heath settled the young family in Dedham, Massachusetts where brother Everett and sister Emily soon arrived.

Clark attended Roxbury Latin School, Oberlin College, and Johns Hopkins Medical School, marrying classmate Susan Shepard Homans, deceased 1969. Trained in Internal Medicine and Hematology, Clark accepted a position in 1960 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia in the Epidemic Intelligence Service, then stayed on at CDC as Epidemiologist for the next 26 years in the Public Health Service. Clark established the Leukemia Section and the Birth Defects Program which grew to become the Chronic Disease Division, adding cancer, birth defects, and environmental health issues to CDC which had mostly studied infectious diseases. Clark served 3 years as Epidemiologist at South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control in Columbia, then returned to Atlanta for 10 years as Vice President of Epidemiology with the American Cancer Society.

Clark and Janet raised their children Tom, Mary, and Andrew in Atlanta and Columbia. Grandchildren Dylan Heath joined parents Tom (Tammi) Heath in Colorado Springs, while William and Jack Roberts joined Dr. Mary Heath (Nick) Roberts in Monteagle, Tennessee. Andrew Heath resides in Woodbine, Georgia.

Retirement came slowly for Clark Heath! Soon after retiring to Woodbine, Georgia, he and Janet moved to Hiroshima, Japan for work at the Radiation Effects Research Facility for the US / Japan long term follow-up of atomic bomb survivors. Returning to Woodbine, a member of City of Woodbine Better Home Town and Woodbine Lions Club, Clark volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, the Coastal Health District Medical Reserve Corps, and the Community Service Board and Distinctive Housing Solutions of Gateway Behavioral Health Services from 2007 till 2020. Clark played cello with the Coastal Georgia Community Orchestra and is a member of Saint Marks Episcopal Church in Woodbine. Clark worked to help create and establish the Woodbine Public Library, Inc. and LEAD Woodbine Partners, an endowment fund for the library.

Clark’s last few years have been in residence at Dayspring Senior Living in Hilliard, Florida, Addington Place in Brunswick, Georgia, and Lakes Crossing in Kingsland, Georgia.

Dr. Heath is survived by his wife, Janet Lee Heath of Woodbine, Ga.; his daughter, Dr. Mary Heath (Nick Roberts) of Monteagle, Tn.; his sons, Tom Heath of Colorado Springs, Co. and Andrew Heath of Woodbine, Ga.; his brother, Everett Heath of Hawaii; his sister, Emily Wilson of Fairfax, Va.; and his grandchildren, Dylan Heath, Will Roberts and Jack Roberts.

Besides his parents, Dr. Heath was also preceded in death by his sisters, Martha Wiencke.

Memorial Services will be held privately by the family.

Memorial contributions will be accepted at the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation LEAD Woodbine Partners, Inc. Fund, PO Box 2463, Brunswick, Georgia 31521 for the perpetual endowment of the Woodbine Public Library greatly serving the people of the northern Camden County communities.