She is survived by her daughter, Melissa Miller of North Carolina; her son, Kirk Miller (Tina); and her grandsons, Alexander and Finnegan Miller of Rockbridge County. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clyde.

Born on Sept. 15, 1939, in Badin, N.C., Heather grew up in a family of storytellers famously known as “The Writing Rosses.” Her grandparents, Fred Elbert Ross Sr. and Jennie Lilly Ross, weren’t writers themselves, but their rich oral traditions deeply influenced the next generations ‒ including Heather, who would go on to publish over a dozen books of poetry, fiction and short stories.

Heather earned both her undergraduate and MFA degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Over the years, she taught English and creative writing at Pfeiffer College, the University of Arkansas and at Washington and Lee University, where she served as a professor for 12 years and is remembered as a dedicated and inspiring educator. Heather was a literary force in North Carolina and beyond. At age 25, she published her debut novel, “The Edge of the Woods” (1964), launching a distinguished career that spanned more than five decades. Among her most cherished works is “Crusoe’s Island” (2000), an autobiographical account of her family’s years living near Singletary Lake State Park. Her contributions to literature include titles such as “Tenants of the House” (1966), which won the Sir Walter Raleigh Award, “Gone a Hundred Miles” (1968), “Champeen” (1999), “Creative Writing Murders” (2007), “Women Disturbing the Peace” (2018), and numerous volumes of poetry and short stories, including “Hard Evidence” and “Friends and Assassins.”

Heather’s family would like to thank the staff at the Mayflower and ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice for their kindness and caring. NG