Thomas W. Heaberlin

Thomas W. Heaberlin, 96, of Wurtland, went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Friday, Aug. 3, 2018, at his home surrounded by his nieces and nephews, who had been caring for him during a brief illness.

He was born Feb. 1, 1922, on a humble farm sitting deep in the woods of Heaberlin Holler in Wurtland, to the late Jasper Martin and Myrtle Mowery Heaberlin.

In addition to his parents, Thomas was preceded in death by his wife, Rebecca; four brothers, Cecil, Paul, Martin and Ralph; and six sisters, Ena Burkhardt, Ethel Marie Heaberlin, Bertha Nickell, Martha Hicks, Ann Paul and Mary Kaut.

Thomas spent his early years of his youth recovering from a paralyzation as a result of an inoculation given to overcome rabies. A teenage brother died from this same incident.

Unable to serve in the military, he was employed as a WWII Air Craft Mechanic at Wright Patterson Air Field in Dayton, Ohio where he met the love of his life, Rebecca. They were married for 58 years before the Lord called her home. Thomas was employed at E.I. Dupont in Wurtland for 33 years.

At the age of 34, Thomas had a life changing spiritual experience and everything became secondary to his new life in Christ. He was a member of Wurtland Methodist Church where he taught Sunday School for 38 years and pastored various churches for 33 years.

He was a Scout Master for Troop 167 for 17 years, loved to oil paint and fox hunt until the Lord called him to hunt for the souls of men. Thomas wrote numerous short stories that were published in Kentucky Explorer Magazine, several poems and Christian articles. His beautiful oil paintings grace many homes and institutions.

In his later years, Thomas became a novice at playing the guitar, dulcimer and banjo, but his greatest accomplishment was when he fulfilled a desire that he had fostered for several years to write a book of spiritual significance, “The Humanity of Jesus.”

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018, at Wurtland United Methodist Church. Burial be in Heaberlin Cemetery in Wurtland.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 6, 2018, at Carman Funeral Home in Flatwoods and from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the church.