Deacon Heap served at St. Angela Merici

Deacon Raymond “Ray” Ernest Heap, who served as a permanent deacon at St. Angela Merici Church in Metairie and as a Catholic chaplain assigned to East Jefferson General Hospital for 37 years, died June 4. He was 90.

A native of New Orleans and longtime resident of Metairie, Deacon Heap attended St. James Major Elementary School, Holy Cross High School and Loyola University New Orleans.

He lettered in football and track at Holy Cross before attending Loyola on an athletic scholarship, lettering in track. While at Loyola, he met Marilyn Johnson, whom he married shortly after graduation. An Army officer, Deacon Heap and his wife spent the first two years of their marriage at Fort Benning, Georgia, where their only child, Ray Jr., was born.

Upon his return to New Orleans, Deacon Heap worked in the insurance industry, retiring from the Hartford Insurance Company in 1991.

Deacon Heap was ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of New Orleans in May 1976, living out his mission at St. Angela and at East Jefferson Hospital, where he served from 1983-2020. Known for his humor, humility and strong Catholic faith, Deacon Heap attended retreats at Manresa with the same group since 1968 and for many years was actively involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans.

He is survived by Marilyn Johnson Heap, his wife of 67 years; his “adopted” daughter, Tho Vo Nguyen (Hung); his “adopted” granddaughters, Jennifer and Annemarie Nguyen; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Deacon Heap was preceded in death by his father, Edwin Kent Heap; his mother, Florence McCoy Heap; his son, Raymond E. Heap Jr.; and his siblings, Edwin Heap (Aimee), James H. Heap (Veronica), Catherine Heap Voizin (Merlin), Robert H. Heap (Jerri), Dorothy Heap McDow (Wayne), Joseph L. Heap (Joann), Theodore F. Heap (Mary Ann), Gerald A. Heap (Gayle) and Christian Brother Harold Heap.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Angela Merici Church on June 7, with interment following at Hope Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, Masses are preferred. To view and sign the online guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.