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By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 August 13th, 2009 Category: Garrett County News, Heritage, News, Wisp Ski Resort |
Earlier this week Garrett County and the Deep Creek Lake area lost a true visionary and community leader. Helmuth ‘Ace’ Heise passed away early Tuesday morning after battling a long illness. Mr. Heise founded and built the Wisp Ski Resort at the base of Marsh Mountain in the 1950s and helped grow it to the world class resort it is today. Mr. Heise also built the Will O’ the Wisp Condominiums and the Four Seasons Restaurant on the shores of Deep Creek Lake along with the Lake Breez Motel. His accomplishments and leadership as a businessman in Garrett County over the years have been one of the main reasons why the Deep Creek Lake area has become so popular as a true four season vacation resort.
The arrangements for Mr. Heise are Thursday (August 13, 2009) 7:00 to 9:00 pm, Friday 2:00 to 4:00 pm and 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the McHenry House (the Wisp Ski Resort). The funeral will be Sunday (August 16) at 2:00 pm at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in downtown Oakland, Maryland.
Helmuth 'Ace' Heise 1927-2009
Tags: Helmuth Ace Heise, Wisp Ski Resort
August 15th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Ace Heise was a visionary. A tireless worker. You would see him doing any of the endless jobs around the ski slope for incredbly long hours. Anything from shoveling snow at the lifts to operating the grooming equipment.
He was always ready to share his knowledge. I asked him what he thought about me building a golf course on my 300 acre mountain top on Gravelly Run Road. He said if one course was good, two were better. The area could become a golf destination. He offered to contract the course maintenance from me.
I regret that he spent a number of his later years in turmoil with banks and disagreeable Wisp Unit Owners. Fortunately most of these issues went away recently. Unfortunately,by this time his health was starting to fail him. I am sure he now has eternity to do his creative things in perfect health in God’s Kingdom.