Heather Elaine (Davenport) Small

Heather D. Small
March 7, 1978 - February 4, 2023

Heather Elaine Davenport-Small was the oldest of two children born to Tim and Kathy Davenport on March 7, 1978 at Martin General Hospital in Williamston, NC.  She lived life to the fullest until both she and her husband, William, were called home to the Lord in a tragic death on Saturday, February 4, 2023.

Heather was educated in the Washington County public school system where she got her diploma in 1996 from Plymouth High School now known as Washington County High School.  All throughout, she was a star athlete, cultivating skills since grade school where she would play little league softball in the summers.  She played basketball, softball, and volleyball in junior high school and loved and performed well on all three teams.  During high school she played basketball and softball for the Plymouth High Vikings and then played with a girls’ softball league coached by her mother in the summer.  For those who know anything about baseball, Heather was always fourth on the batting lineup.  Excelling in sports was a natural talent for Heather and her impressive stats proved her love for the game.

Shortly after graduating, Heather gave birth to her first child with her first husband and began the best journey of her life – motherhood.  Heather and Elliot Heckstall married on November 24, 1999 and separated shortly thereafter.  Finalizing her divorce three years later on May 15, 2003, she said, “I Do” at a small ceremony with her second husband William Oscar Small the next day on May 16, 2003.  Heather and William would raise four additional children together at home while her eldest child, Elijah, lived with her parents.  Heather was never really able to forgive herself after having a car crash that permanently disabled and required around the clock care for her son, Elijah.

As a young mom, Heather missed out on a lot of opportunities to go and have fun because she always put raising her children first.  She loved her children and the beauty of flowers so much that she began her own tapestry for display as an arm sleeve of tattoos. However, she got bit by the “travel bug” after they all got beyond their toddler years, and she could not sit still long.  Oftentimes, she’d explore many places with children in tow.  She loved them dearly and you would almost never see her without them.  She went to places where she could stand in amazement of GOD’s canvas of natural beauty.  Although she’s seen lots of places and done lots of things, her most favorite trip to plan was their family vacation in the Outer Banks of NC.  Heather loved the water.  It was her calm and her place of peace, so she made this their annual tradition of togetherness once her older children became adults.  No other place, however, gave her the constant peace and calm she desperately sought quite like a relaxing soak in the tub after a hard day’s work.

Heather was a woman whose career goals were limitless.  She loved learning and there was never a task she couldn’t do or wouldn’t try to master. For all her life, she either went to school, worked multiple jobs, or at most times did both simultaneously.  There was never going to be enough education to make her feel like she didn’t need to learn more.  While in High School she worked at Pizza Hut, McDonalds, and KFC in Plymouth, NC.  In 1998, she swore to serve and protect as a Pitt County Police Officer moving up to Sargent while working as security at Pitt Memorial Hospital now known as Vidant Hospital in Greenville, NC.  During her 16 years at Vidant, Heather enrolled in Pitt Community College and earned her Associate Degree in Nursing, graduating with honors in 2006. She also enrolled in Mount Olive College where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with her BSBA in Health Care Management in 2010.  Unsure of how a family of die-hard Tar Heel fans would take the news of her next enrollment at Duke University, she deliberately sought to earn her MSN obtaining her Family Nurse Practitioner Degree at one of the top-rated schools in the country for medical research.  She began her career in Psychiatry and Substance Abuse in 2014 at Port Health and Human Services which led her educational journey to another ivy league school - Vanderbilt University in TN.  There she received her certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and then obtained her Doctoral of Nursing Practice degree in 2019.  She enjoyed working as a Clinical Adjunct Nursing Instructor at Pitt Community College training and educating students in the nursing field.  She was currently working as the Lead Provider at New Dawn Psychiatric Services, PLLC in Greenville, NC, as well as, contracting her services with several other offices and facilities in other nearby cities.

No words can accurately describe Heather better other than she was truly ONE OF A KIND.  She was super determined, energetic, fun and funny, very outgoing, had the biggest heart ever, and never knew a stranger.  She was smart, hard-working, and very successful, loving, and lovable.  She had a playfully sweet personality and loved being in good company and eating good food.  No one was quite as convincing as Heather.  She had a natural charm about her that would easily persuade you into doing things you previously took a firm “No” stance on.  Heather was able to look beyond the bad, be forgiving of the ugly, and see the goodness in everyone.  She is truly irreplaceable and will be greatly missed. 

She is preceded in death by her two paternal grandparents Emily “Big Momma” Davenport and Marvin “Big Daddy” Davenport, her maternal grandfather Pastor Dalton L. Finch, Jr., and her Uncle Michael Finch.

Heather leaves to cherish her memories: five children, Elijah “Lijah” Rayon Davenport, Essence “Essey” Ciara Heckstall, William Jaden “Jay” Small, Aaliyah “LiLi” Chanel Small, Amiyah “Miya” Faith Small, a soon-to-be son-in-law Peter Zelaski, both parents Daryl Timothy Davenport and Kathy Davenport, a brother Daryl Timothy Davenport, Jr. (Katherine), one nephew Landon Chase Davenport, her dearest grandmother Jacqueline “Mama Jack” Finch and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, February 16, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Plymouth Church of Christ.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 19, 2023 at the Plymouth Church of Christ. Pastor Jay Hardison will officiate.

Arrangements are by Bryan Funeral Service at Hampton Academy, Plymouth.

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