Chad James Heath, 46, of Omaha, Nebraska died Jan. 21, 2017 after a courageous 13-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
He was born Nov. 18, 1970 in Pocatello to Jay and Afton (McCulloch) Heath. Chad grew up in Pingree, Idaho where he attended schools in the Snake River School District.
He married Darcy Drinkwine on Dec. 27, 1995. Chad attend Idaho State University where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration in 1999. After graduating from ISU, Chad began working for Kiewit in Salt Lake City. During his 18-year career with Kiewit, he had the chance to work on many projects with hundreds of talented people across the United States.
From Utah to California, Arizona, Nebraska, Virginia, and Maryland … no matter where the job took him it was a given that Chad complete his job with a high level of competency and have a positive impact on all of those that he came into contact with.
Chad had many things in his life that brought him joy, such as earning his Eagle Scout award as a teenager, officiating youth and high school football for 11 years, playing golf, camping, traveling and trap shooting.
Nothing brought him more joy, though, than building a family with his wife of 21 years. Although his time with them was short, Chad made sure to leave behind many memories with his family, such as vacations to the beach, cruising to Mexico, hunting wild hogs in Oklahoma, camping in numerous states and hours and hours of playing card and board games.
One of his greatest recent memories was being able to take his sons Dakota and Coltin to Wrestlemania 32 after his diagnosis.
Chad is survived by his wife Darcy, his sons, Dakota (a sophomore at the University of Nebraska, Omaha), Coltin, (senior at Omaha North High School), Benjamin (Claire) of Mesa, Arizona, grandson Greyson, father Jay (Alta) Heath, his siblings Sherrilynn (Mark) Bair, Starla (Kevin) Thompson, Ronald Heath, Leo Wallace, Craig Heath and Robert Heath, as well as countless cousins, nieces, nephews, family and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother Afton (McCulloch) Heath and brother Richard Wallace.
The family will meet with family and friends at the Hawker Funeral Home in Blackfoot on Thursday, Jan. 26 from 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be 11 a.m on Friday, Jan. 27 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Pingree, Idaho.
A Celebration of Life will also be held in Omaha, Nebraska on Friday, Feb. 3 from 5-7 p.m. at Thomson Alumni Center on the University of Nebraska Omaha Campus. Condolences may be sent to the family online at: www.hawkerfuneralhome.com.