Heald, Weldon F. (Weldon Fairbanks), 1901-1967

Phyllis and Weldon Heald were free-lance writers who relocated to southeast Arizona from the northeast. They owned the Flying H Ranch in the Huachuca Mountains, and the Painted Canyon Ranch in the Chiricahua Mountains before settling down to write full-time in Tucson. They wrote books, articles, short stories, poems, plays and screenplays. Much of their writing was on the flora and fauna of the Southwest as well as historical sites in Arizona. Before his career as a writer, artist and photographer, Weldon worked as an architect. He wrote several books including, "Sky Island," and "The Arizona Scenic Guide." Phyllis began her career as a playwright and she continued to write plays with her husband. The Weldons taught writing workshops at the Southwest Writers Conference in Flagstaff. Later in her career, Phyllis was a consultant for writers.

Weldon F. Heald (1901-1967) was a professional writer of over 650 articles for many outdoor magazines, including "Arizona Highways," "National Parks Magazine," "Pacific Discovery" and "Ford Times." Heald served as vice president of the American Alpine Club and director of the Sierra Club. Heald Peak in Arizona was named after him and dedicated in 1974.