Paul Douglas (Doug) Heidt, 82, died Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at Angels Touch Care Home in St. Albans, West Virginia.
Doug was born in Gadsden, Alabama, on February 1, 1942, to Dorothy Morrison Heidt and Edward Heidt, Jr. Growing up in Clearwater, Florida, Doug was active in his church, school, and community activities. He graduated from Clearwater High School, where he was Drum Major for the school band. During that time, he was also elected Governor of the Florida Key Club. He graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina, where he was in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities and the president and tenor soloist for the Davidson Male Chorus. He went on to graduate from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, where he received his Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Ministry. During that time, he also spent a year at the Ecole de Theologie in Montpellier, France.
In 1969, he married Sharon McGloshen, whom he met at seminary, when she was a student at the Presbyterian School of Christian Education. That year, he embarked on a long and enriching ministry, beginning at both the First Presbyterian Church and the Pee Dee Presbyterian Church in Mount Giliad, North Carolina. Next, he was the Associate Minister at the First Presbyterian Church in Roanoke Virginia. He then served the Grace Presbyterian Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. His final move was to the First Presbyterian Church in Charleston, West Virginia, as Associate Pastor in Care and Outreach. During his 23 years in that position, he mentored seminary interns from Union Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, was on the board that developed Edgewood Summit Retirement Community, designed and facilitated the church’s Rebuilding Group, a support program for people experiencing divorce, started the Stephen Ministry, a lay ministry for congregational care, created And Death Shall be no More, a comprehensive guide to end of life planning, and he published “The Love That Will Not Let You Go,” a book describing Christianity as simply Love — the all-encompassing, unending, universal, relentless Love of God — put into practice.
Doug loved fishing as much as he could, rocking on his front porch with a gin and tonic, reading, writing, teaching, and cooking (perfecting and handing down to his grandchildren the art of assessing pasta readiness by throwing it against the wall). After his retirement, to everyone’s delight, he often credited many of his best meals to his favorite cookbook, “The Busy Woman’s Cookbook.” He especially loved spending time with his family, swimming in the backyard pool he always wanted, which mostly was arguably too warm, but perfect for his taste.
Doug is survived by his wife, Sharon; his daughter, Kathryn Ellis (Reuben); son, Daniel (Diane); grandchildren, Felicia, Emma, Jayden, Cooper, and Dehlia; brother, Alan (Alice), and brother, Sid (Melinda), along with a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins whom he loved fiercely.
A Celebration of his Life will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 24, 2024, in the sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church, Charleston, West Virginia. Continuing in his selfless character, Doug has been taken to the WVU Donor program in Morgantown, West Virginia, to assist in the education of our future’s medical professionals.
Visitation will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the sanctuary at the church.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made, as per Doug’s instructions (unsurprisingly), in the form of taking a child fishing. Donations may also be made to The FPC Hope Center, a nonprofit whose mission is to assist young adults in successfully transitioning out of foster care.