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Stella Heath, 1920-2009

Obituary

Stella Heath died on September 29, aged 89, in the 50th anniversary year of the Christian charity of which she was a key founder — Torch Trust for the Blind.

Stella, together with her husband Ron who died ten years ago, opened their Surrey home in the 1950s to young blind people from a nearby training centre. When one young woman responded to their Friday night gospel epilogues by deciding to follow Christ, Stella and Ron became concerned by the lack of Christian reading material for those with sight loss. They learned Braille and recruited volunteers to make Braille and giant print books, and later audio recordings.

The work with blind people took over her home and when it was outgrown she searched not for an office but for a larger home, and then one larger still.

Door of salvation

Dr. Gordon Temple, current CEO of Torch Trust, said: ‘Into the Heaths’ homes came many fragile and broken lives, young and old, often lonely, with the self-esteem crushed out of them, many of them blind and partially sighted. Each was made to feel significant … And she opened the door to salvation in Christ for many, many people.

‘Stella was a very down-to-earth visionary. She and Ron, with whom she had an extraordinary partnership, never worked at long-term plans — not even an annual budget for Torch. They tackled each day as it came, eagerly seeking the clues to God’s leading for them and the work.’

200 a year

From such humble origins, Torch today operates a large Christian lending library for those with sight loss from its Market Harborough headquarters, transcribing up to 200 Christian titles a year into accessible media. It sends out magazines to blind people in 100 countries, supports 120 fellowship groups and runs over 20 specialist holidays and house parties a year. 40 years ago, Stella Heath launched the Torch work in Africa, with a production centre in Malawi transcribing Braille and giant print Scriptures and 80 fellowship groups giving support to blind people in several African countries.

A service of thanksgiving for Stella Heath’s life was held on October 16 at St. Mary’s Church, Pulborough in West Sussex.