Daniel Lewis Heath

Daniel Lewis Heath, 83, formerly of Oil City and a current resident of Victory Heights, passed away on March 26, 2026, at his home, surrounded by family, following a courageous battle with cancer.

Born on January 28, 1943, in Butler, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Emma (Orr) Heath and the late Richard B. Heath Sr.

 Dan attended Butler schools and graduated from Greenville High School. A natural entrepreneur, he started a produce delivery service while still in high school. He was employed by Franklin Steel as an Inspector while also operating a billiard and pinball hall on Seneca Street in Oil City. He later purchased his first gasoline station from Bucky Cauvel in Victory Heights, where he was excited to work alongside his father, Dick Heath, and to expand his growing billiard, pinball, and jukebox business. The station became a beloved "mom-and-pop" store and a gathering place for local teens, eventually leading to the establishment of Heath Oil Inc. in 1970.

Dan's successful entrepreneurial pursuits included local gasoline stations, convenience stores, home heating oil and propane delivery, petroleum transport and refining, as well as real estate and construction.

He was married to the late Pamela D. (Winger) Heath. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Richard B. Heath Jr. He is survived by his significant other, Linda McClure of Rocky Grove; his daughter, Christine Heath Hinzman (to whom he was very close, having raised her as a single parent with the help of his parents) and husband, Timothy, of Franklin; and two grandchildren, Nathaniel (Loreita) Hinzman of Sharon, Massachusetts, and Jonathan (Mandi) Downing of Cranberry. He is also survived by five great-grandchildren: David, Emma, Jackson, Noah, and Ellie Mae.

Dan was intentional about spending time with family and hosted weekly dinners, special occasions, and holidays at his home. He was the family's Rummikub champion, playing several times a week. He maintained many cherished friendships, including Jim Ames of Seneca, Dick Bixler of Harrisville, Pete Cauvel of Franklin, John Deemer of Oil City, Gary Douglass of Florida, Mike Laing of Nevada, Leona Mosnik of Florida, Carrie Paige of Emlenton, Andy Restauri of Franklin, Marc Rinella of Greenville, Dave Rutherford of Henry s Bend and Larry Winger of Oil City. He also valued his relationships with his employees many of whom worked with him for years and he deeply appreciated their loyalty. In addition, he enjoyed friendships with many local and regional business professionals, too numerous to mention.

Dan enjoyed classic rock and country music. He loved to dance and was a member of the Oil City VFW and Moose Club. He cherished his family cats over the years: Critter, Hobo, and Mercedes. An avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan, he also enjoyed bowling at Seneca Lanes and golfing at Hi-Level Golf Course.

Dan enjoyed fast cars, but what he loved most was to fly, and as a private pilot his prized possession was his Cessna P210 Silver Eagle turboprop. He continued flying as recently as October 2025, including a trip to Niagara Falls.

Dan was a key contributor to many community events over the years, including Applefest, the 4-H Fair, and Oil Heritage Festival. He faithfully supported local fundraisers and sponsored the Pam Winger-Heath Annual Memorial Golf Outing.

In his desire to give back to the community, Dan established the Daniel L. Heath Memorial Trust, which will focus on the prevention and early detection of cancer in the years ahead.

There will be no viewing or visitation. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at Victory Heights United Brethren Church, with a dinner to follow. Condolences may be sent to www.reinselfuneralhome.com. Entombment will take place at Sunset Hill Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. 

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