Netra was born in DeKab, Bowie County, Texas on August 24, 1935. She was the third child of six born to Marquez and Bessie Hubbard. Netra was baptized into the Christian life at an early age. She completed her secondary schooling at Garland High School, 1955, and then enrolled at Prairie View A&M University in 1955.
While attending Prairie View A&M University, she focused her studies on earning a Business degree. After a few years, she left the university due to financial challenges. However, she returned and took employment to support herself until completing her education at PVAMU in 1967.
During the year 1959, she met Billy C. Heath and after three years of dating they married. In February 1963, her husband reported to the United States Army to fulfill a Reserve Officer Training commitment made while at Prairie View A&M University. Mrs. Netra Heath remained at home while Billy was stationed in the Asian Peninsula and Vietnam with the 999th Signal Company, nicknamed the “World Travelers”. While Billy was overseas, Netra worked in conjunction with the teacher, Mrs. Thelma Hall, and together they ran a Community Day Center in Bowie County.
Her husband received an Honorable discharge from the United States Army in 1965 and the Heaths accepted a job offer from ExxonMobil in Dallas, Texas. The family united with the Macedonia Baptist Church in 1970. By this time, she had become the mother of two children: Nona Faye (1962) and Harlon Scott (1965). Daycare service was plentiful at that time, so she decided to seek a job elsewhere and accepted an offer from International-Harvester in Dallas and worked in administration for ten years.
In 1974, Netra, Billy and their children relocated to Corsicana, Texas helping her mother-in-law run the house while keeping her job with International-Harvester by commuting to Dallas before moving back in 1978.
In 1980, Netra resigned from International-Harvester and moved with her family to Beaumont, Texas. During their time in Beaumont, they became members of the House of Prayer Baptist Church. She later took a job at Lamar University where she worked for five years. In 1984, the family then returned to Dallas, Texas and the Heaths joined the family of New Mount Zion Baptist Church. She later accepted an offer with the Blue Cross-Blue Shield Insurance where she worked for 26 years, retiring in 2010. After retirement, She spent time with family and friends until 2015. Netra’s health began to decline requiring a neck surgery that left her immobile. From the confines of the neighborhood caring facilities, Netra still maintained a viable relationship with her personal family and with her New Mount Zion Church family until the Lord God’s calling came that fateful day of July 13, 2023.
Netra Maria Heath is survived by her husband of 61 years, Billy C. Heath; daughter, Nona Faye Morgan of Houston, Texas; son, Harlon S. Heath of Dallas Texas; granddaughters, Tiffany Morgan of Houston, Texas and Steffanie Morgan of Houston, Texas; and a host of other family and friends.
