Kenneth E. Heath, 80, of Dyers Crossing Road, died on January 1, 2016 at the Merrimack County Nursing Home in Boscawen.

He was born in Danbury on May 14, 1935, the son of Everett M. and Dorothy M. (Powers) Heath. Ken graduated from Andover High School in 1954.

He was a crane operator working for Structural Concrete in Franklin and retired from Operation Engineers based in Massachusetts for over 20 years. He was the first crane operator at Seabrook and the last one there before they closed.

He and his late wife owned and operated River Bend Motel in Newington, New Hampshire from 1976 to 1981. They wintered in Florida for over 10 years.

Ken was a member of Kearsarge Lodge #81 F&AM of Andover. He liked to golf and enjoyed fishing on his boat while in the Newington area. He served in the Air National Guard.

His wife, Barbara (Esty) Heath, died in 1992, and his brother, Melvin T. Heath, died in 1967. He is survived by his brother and wife, Francis A. and Carol Heath of Danbury, and by nieces and nephews.

Friends may call at the Chadwick Funeral Home, 235 Main Street, New London on Friday, January 8, 2016 from 5 to 7 PM, with a Masonic service at 6:30 PM.

Burial will be in Riverdale Cemetery, Danbury, in the spring.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Andover EMS, PO Box 61, Andover NH 03216.