Obituary of "Brother Lanny" Ray Heath

“Brother Lanny” Ray Heath July 27, 1942 – July 2nd, 2022 Lanny Ray Heath, 79, was called home to be with Jesus Christ, his Lord, on July 2nd, 2022 at 6pm, at his residence in Powell, Alabama. Born in Louisville, KY, Brother Lanny joins his mother, Beatrice & Father, Otis of Upton, KY and his dear baby girl, Lanna Jo Heath Stinson, whom he adored. Brother Lanny was dedicated to serving Christ, and let Him steer the course of his life and serving others by following Jesus’ words in: Mat 25:31 KJV When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. His memory will be carried on by the lives of his precious faithful loving wife of 60 years Stella “Joann” Heath, 1 child, Pamela Jean Heath Grutter, 2 grandchildren, Shaun Tallon and Alexander Ryan Grutter, as well as his great granddaughter, Lanna “Jayden” Grutter, his sister Gloria Jean Haag, two brothers, Otis Danny & Joseph Thomas Heath, and two sons-in-law Nicholas Grutter and David Stinson. Brother Lanny’s testimony to the power of God did not begin until he was 48 years old. Prior to that he was a lost soul, with no direction, no hope and a life shackled to alcoholism and desperation. In his youth, Lanny’s temper got him kicked out of school before completing the 10th grade and so with his parents’ signature, he joined the United States Coast Guard at age 17; where he earned his USAFI/GED. Over a year and a half after joining the US Coast Guard he married his soul mate Joann, and a year after that were blessed with their first child, but even after his discharge, Lanny continued to drift. In 1973 he was blessed with another baby girl; the baby sister that his eldest age 10, had prayed for. Still, even after marriage, and becoming a father of two Lanny had little direction, and spiraled into a life of desperation and alcohol abuse. But once he sold his Service Station business, Lanny’s now farm life helped to keep him on a “cleaner” path. God had delivered him from the bondage of alcoholism and nicotine addiction, and yet he still had not found what his praying mother had been asking for, for so many long years. But God had big plans for Lanny, and finally one day He touched him, profoundly, as he stood in a scorching hot parking lot in Hodgenville, KY, on June 29th, 1991. From that day onward, Lanny’s life — and the lives of those he touched — would never be the same. Brother Lanny knew God wanted him to become an evangelist within a very short time after his conversion. While living in Upton, KY on his cattle farm he heard the call to be a “Singing Evangelist” and to head South. As an ordained minister, Brother Lanny rejected the title of Reverend, preferring to be called Brother. “Only God should be revered. I am only His servant,” was what he would say. Those who have sat under his ministry will no doubt agree that Brother Lanny’s preaching and singing style was dynamic and charismatic, especially with the many anointed songs God had given him. Brother Lanny missed his daughter, Lanna Jo, terribly, after her sudden death in 1995, at the early age of 22, and waited for the day when God would call the family back together to be reunited. During Lanny’s final years, he was extremely thankful to have blessed friends, sisters and brothers in the Lord, who visited or called and prayed with him, and he felt rich through their friendships. For those who can’t make the funeral service, visitation will be from 4 – 6 pm Tuesday July 5th at W.T. Wilson Funeral Home in Rainsville AL. Graveside memorial service will be held at Old Sardis Cemetery, 3669 CR 120, Section, AL 35771 at 10am Wednesday morning July 6th . Officiating Pastors will be Brother Morris Hicks & Brother Butch Tanner & vocals by Rachel Brown Hilley singing the song “Time” which the Lord Jesus inspired & was given to Brother Lanny. For those who wish, sympathy cards or donations may be mailed to his wife Joann at PO Box 313 Rainsville, AL 35986. Brother Lanny wishes that NO Flowers be sent, but to honor his memory please make a donation to Samaritan’s Purse at PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 or the Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301 Cincinnati, OH 45250; two of the MANY ministries, that his ministry, Living Waters Ministries, had blessed for many years.