Richard M. Heavers, Phd

Richard M. Heavers, PhD, 72, of Charlestown, died Monday at home. He was the beloved husband of Barbara (Wegener) Heavers, PhD, for 40 years. Born in Troy, New York, he was a son of the late Michael J. and Florence K. (Walsh) Heavers. Dr. Heavers was educated in catholic schools in Troy, New York. He received his undergraduate degree in Physics from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy and his Master’s degree in Physics from the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, as well as a Doctorate degree from the URI School of Oceanography. Dr. Heavers was a Professor of Physics at Roger Williams University in Bristol, for the past 30 years, and prior to that he was an oceanographer for the Naval Oceanographic Office in Washington DC. He was a member of Christ the King Church in Kingston, and in his spare time enjoyed sheep farming, beekeeping, tending to his apple orchard, singing and playing music, and travelling the world. Dr. Heavers was an avid hiker and had climbed all of the 48, 4,000 foot mountains in New Hampshire earning the title of “Peakbagger”. Besides his wife he is survived by three children, Katherine M. Heavers of New Jersey, Nathan M. Heavers of New Jersey, and Ian R. Heavers of Baltimore, MD; three grandchildren, Ellen, Robert, and Anne; a brother John Heavers of Tennessee; and a sister Eileen Heavers of Troy, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 AM Saturday, November 19th, at Christ the King Church, 180 Old North Road, Kingston. Burial will take place in Troy, NY, at a later date, and visiting hours are respectfully omitted. Memorial donations may be made to the URI Catholic Center, for the mission trips to Nicaragua, 90 Chapel Way, Kingston, RI 02881-1226.