Ward County archives director honored with retirement reception

MONAHANS Ward County Judge Greg Holly presented Elizabeth Heath a plaque of appreciation for her many years of voluntary service to the county Jan. 16 at the Ward County Convention Center's Parlor.

Heath's corsage and guest book was provided by the new Archives Director Donnita Barber and refreshments were prepared by her family members, neighbors, the Million Barrel Museum Board, Ward County Retired Teachers, members of Heath's First Presbyterian Church group and Tau Lamda Study Club, which also provided decorations for the occasion.

Heath is a 50-year resident of Monahans and founder of the Ward County Archives in the Ward County Convention Center in Monahans.

Born in New Orleans, she graduated from Tulane University with a bachelor's degree in English/history and received her master's degree at Tulane.

She later attended summer sessions at Texas Women's University to learn more about library science and technology.

She married Robert Heath and lived in Pennsylvania.

In 1950, the couple relocated to operate an oilfield-related business in Monahans. Robert Heath died tragically in an accident and Elizabeth Heath remained to oversee the business while she was a school librarian until her retirement.

Heath worked with history teacher Delores Ratcliff in a group of junior historians.

The group won first place at state with a 4-foot-by-8-foot replica of the Shell Oil holding tank in Monahans built in the 1920s.

She became interested in county history and she became part of a group that founded the Million Barrel Museum and remains on its board today.

Other historical buildings, including the Holman House, were moved onto the museum site.

Heath wasn't satisfied to stop there. She recognized the need for a storehouse for the Ward County history collected for the book.

She requested and received space for the archives within the Ward County Convention Center being planned at the time. Also using the archives as their home, the Ward County Genealogical Society met there regularly, purchased books, microfilmed census records and published issues of The Ward County Heritage.

Due to Heath's efforts, and that of the Ward County Judges and Commissioners Courts, Ward County is one of the few less-populated counties in Texas to actually have a building to archive their county's history.

Deciding that she was ready to serve as a volunteer, Heath trained Donnita Barber, a volunteer at both the Archives and the Million Barrel Museum, to serve as her replacement as archives director on Jan. 1, as voted in by the commissioners court as a salaried employee.

Barber states, "We citizens of Ward County truly appreciate Heath's many years of dedication and work in collecting and preserving the history of Ward County. We are fortunate to have had the benefit of her expertise and talent, as well as that of Conrad Dunagan, Mayor Dick Hoyer, Ophelia Ratliff, to name only a few among many others who had the foresight to recognize the importance of collecting our history and be willing to take the necessary steps to lead. Today's news is tomorrow's history, so we at the archives will continue in this tradition."

Elizabeth Heath herself has stated, "Everything changes, and you have to keep up with change. That's what keeps us interested."