Gladys Whidden Heath

The Rev. Gladys Fulwood Whidden Heath, 96, died Saturday (Feb. 18, 2006) at Liberty Commons Nursing Center and Rehabilitation Center. The funeral will be 7 p.m. Tuesday at First Assembly in Concord with the Rev. Marjorie Patterson, Dr. Rick Ross, Dr. Charles Cookman, Dr. Gardner Altman, Sr. and the Rev. Kevin Whidden officiating. A private burial will follow at a later date at Carolina Memorial Park in Concord with Pastor Fenton Jones officiating. The family will receive friends from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at First Assembly. Born Oct. 26, 1909, in Bay Minette, Ala., Rev. Heath was the daughter of the late David and Belle Fulwood Thomas. She grew up in central Florida, where her family moved during her early childhood. She lived her life from early adulthood as a Christian, a faithful wife and a wonderful mother while serving God and her fellow man as a minister of the Gospel for more than 70 years and as an ordained minister of the Assemblies of God for more than 50 years. She and her late husband, the Rev. Loye Thomas Whidden Sr., founded four churches in North and South Carolina and served as pastors in five churches, including First Assembly in Concord. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by daughter Loyette Davis, sister Olivia Fincham and brother G.W. Fulwood. Survivors include her husband of 10 years, P. Michael Heath of Salisbury; two sons the Rev. Tom Whidden and wife Betty, of Salisbury, and Ken Whidden and wife Barbara, of Kannapolis; three stepsons, Larry Heath and wife Betsy, of Kannapolis, Jack Heath and wife Judy, of Greensboro and Gary Heath and wife Shirley, of Marshall, Texas; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; six step-grandchildren; 10 step-great-grandchildren; and seven step-great-great-grandchildren. Memorials may be sent to the Gladys Whidden Chapel at First Assembly Living Center, 160 Warren C. Coleman Blvd., Concord, NC 28027.