Gary W. Heath

Gary Willard Heath, age 74, went to be with his Lord and Savior in the early hours of June 2, 2021. Injuries from a motorcycle crash on June 1 took him before we were ready. It brings his family great peace to know he was enjoying a hobby he loved so dearly when God called him Home.

Gary was born on August 20, 1946, to parents Willard and Margaret (Flood) Heath. He attended the one-room elementary school in Big Creek and graduated from Sparta High School in 1964. He enlisted in the National Guard, owned Heath TV and spent the majority of his career years as an over-the-road truck driver. 

On September 9, 1967, Gary was joined in marriage to his high school sweetheart Margaret (Margy) Ebert. They were blessed with three daughters, Carrieanna, Cassondra, and Crystal. His girls have many memories of their dad.  Some of their favorite words of advice from Dad were:

“Keep it under 100!” 

“Squeeeeeaze the trigger.” 

“Nothing good happens after midnight.”

“Let the clutch out SLooooowly!”

Gary loved God and always studied hard to accurately present God’s truths from the Bible. Gary loved his family and was generous, kind, tenderhearted, and a realist with a strong sense of right and wrong. Gary loved his country, his freedom, and people. He was a lover of nature and all animals. Life changed for the better when his dog, Harli, adopted him. 

He is survived by his wife, Margy; daughters, Carrie (Kevin) McLain, Cassie (Carl) Smiskey, Crystal (Ryan) Johnson; grandchildren, Marisa (Josiah) Kleven, Kayla and Collin McLain, Madeline McLain-Heath, Jakeb and Kaira Smiskey, Heath, Charlie, Maggy, and Garrett Johnson; his father and mother-in-law, Merlin and Ruth Ebert; sister-in-law Mary Heath, brothers-in-law Ron (Denise) Ebert and Mark (Sherry) Ebert; four nephews and one niece; and many life-long friends, motorcycle friends, and new friends he met along life’s way. 

He was preceded in death by three infant daughters, Courtney, Candace and Charity; parents, Willard and Margaret Heath; and brother, Jim Heath. 

Services for Gary will be Saturday, June 5, 2021. The motorcycle led processional will leave Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home 106 W Franklin Street, Sparta, at 9:45 AM. Gary’s burial will begin at 10:00 AM at Big Creek Union Cemetery, 5188 County Hwy BC, Sparta.  A Celebration of Life at 11:00 AM will follow at Calvary Baptist Church 601 W. Montgomery Street, Sparta with Dr. Charles McLain officiating. The family invites you to stay for lunch and share your memories.

In lieu of flowers, memorials received will be directed to organizations that were important to Gary. 

Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home and Cremation, Sparta, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements. 

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