Pastor John Heath Conner, 54, of Bladenboro, made his Heavenly arrival on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill; he fought the good fight, he finished the course, and he kept the faith.

Pastor Heath was born on May 26, 1971.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026, in the chapel of Worthington Funeral Home with the interment to follow in the Mt. Calvary Original Free Will Baptist Church Cemetery, Clarkton.

Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday evening, at Worthington Funeral Home in Chadbourn.

A man of God and a hero of the faith, Heath faithfully served as a minister with the Original Free Will Baptist Conference and was currently serving as pastor of the Emerson Original Free Will Baptist Church in Tabor City. He loved the Lord with all his heart and truly exemplified a soldier in the army of the Lord.

The surviving family includes his wife, Kellie Ransom Conner; daughter, Emmie Conner Ransom and husband, Collin; son, Luke Conner and wife, Savannah; grandchildren, John-David Ransom, Henry Luke Ransom, Collyn Caroline Ransom; parents, Billy Wayne Conner, and Phyllis B. Conner; sister, Chasity Wilkins and husband, Dickie.