Keith Hearn, Former Georgia Superintendent for the Pentecostal Holiness Church, Dies at 91
The Royston, Ga., minister led the IPHC's Georgia Conference from 1970 to 1982 and preached for more than 50 years; the church's presiding bishop called him "a great man."
See where this is ›ROYSTON, Ga. —
Rev. William Keith Hearn of Royston, Ga., a pastor and former conference superintendent in the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC), died Saturday, Oct. 31, at Brown Health and Rehabilitation Center. He was 91.
Hearn's ministry as a pastor and superintendent spanned more than 50 years, according to an obituary the denomination published Nov. 3. He served as conference superintendent of the Georgia Conference, now called LifePoint Ministries, from 1970 to 1982.
See where this is ›Presiding Bishop J. Talmadge Gardner, the IPHC's general superintendent, wrote the denomination's tribute. Pointing to Acts 13, he said Hearn had served his own generation by the will of God, and he borrowed King David's words from 2 Samuel 3: “A great man and a Prince has fallen in Israel this day.”
Bishop Tim Lamb, conference superintendent of LifePoint Ministries/Georgia Conference, said Hearn “was my first superintendent and gave me my first chance to pastor.” The obituary remembered Hearn as gentle and humble, known for his love for Christ, his family and his church.
Hearn was born July 28, 1935, in Lucia, N.C., to the late Clayton Alton Hearn and Goldie Marie Painter Hearn. He is survived by Martha Anne Woodruff “Sue” Hearn, his wife of 71 years; a son, Greg Hearn, and his wife, Beth, of Royston; a daughter, Susan Rumfelt of Royston; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A brother, Tommy Alton Hearn, died before him.
A celebration of his life will be held at a later date, the obituary said. In place of flowers, the family asked that memorials go to Emmanuel University's General Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 129, Franklin Springs, GA 30639.
