Around the State

Posted: 11/04/05

Houston Baptist University's Guild will hold its Christmas luncheon at the Hilton Houston Post Oak Dec. 2 at 11:30 a.m. Sadie Hodo and her daughter, Alison, will be the featured speakers. Tickets are $45. The Guild is a group of Christian women dedicated to education who since 1995 have provided 104 annual and 10 endowed scholarships for career classrom teachers. For more information, call (281) 649-3362.

Primera Iglesia Emanuel in Cleburne, 30th, Oct. 16. Hector Salinas is pastor.

Robin McGee, 25th, as minister of music at First Church in Sherman.

Glen Ray, as pastor of North Woods Church in Spring, Nov. 13. He has been pastor of the church 14 years. His ministry totals 53 years in pastorates, assocational and state convention positions. He will be available for interims and supply at (713) 270-7824.

East Texas Baptist University students donated water to the Red Cross Shelter housed at the Marshall Civic Center before the school's football game with Southern Arkansas. Students also prepared a pancake breakfast for evacuees, helped make apartments ready for them to move into and took a trip to the Gulf Coast to aid in recovery efforts.

Steve Dean, as manager of Plains Baptist Assembly in Floydada, Nov. 19. He had been with the camp 12 years. A reception will be held at 10 a.m. at Calvary Church in Lubbock.

Donald Johnson, 79, Oct. 1 in Fort Worth. A pastor more than 60 years, he served churches in Johnson, Nueces, Grayson and Tarrant counties. His last church was Park Temple Church in Fort Worth. He was preceded in death by his son, Robert; brothers, Elmo, Robert and J.L.; and sister, Ethel Bunch. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jimmie; son, James; daughter, Joyce Gumfory; brothers, Burt and Benny; sister, Eddie Burgess; nine grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

Vernon Vaughn, 76, Oct. 21 in Waco. A graduate of Howard Payne College, he was ordained as a minister in 1957 and began his ministry as pastor of New Salem Church in Lott. He went to work in 1959 as a house parent at Buckner Boys Ranch in Burnet. He left there to become pastor of Little Deer Creek Church in Chilton, where he remained 43 years until his death. He was preceded in death by his sister, Jo Snedeker. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Darlene; sons, Kevin and Keith; sisters, Nell Erby and Betty Poe; brothers, Billy and Douglas; and three grandchildren.

J.T. Ayers Jr., 82, Oct. 27 in Corsicana. A graduate of Baylor Uni-versity and Southwestern Seminary, he was pastor of churches in Mound, Hub-bard, Gold-thwaite, Gatesville and Brownwood before moving to Corsi-cana in 1969 to serve as director of missions for Central Texas Baptist Area. He retired in the mid-'80s for health reasons but continued to teach Sunday school at First Church in Corsicana until 2003. He was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Ruth, and his sister, Katherine Evans. He is survived by his daughters, Annette Gibson and Judy Simpson; sisters, Ann Schwartz and Deloris Carey; brothers, Willard, Jack and Ronnie; and three grandchildren.

Volma Overton, 81, Oct. 31 in Austin. A leader in the movement to desegrate public schools in the 1970s, he also, in 1963, became the first African-American since the Civil War to join First Church in Austin. He remained at the church until his death as a longtime deacon. A contemporary of Martin Luther King, he took part in the march on Selma and was present for King's “I Have A Dream” speech. He agreed to let his daughter, DeDra, be named the chief plaintiff in the desegregation lawsuit against Austin's public schools. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Warneta; daughters, Florence Black, DeDra Overton and Sharlet Houim; and son, Volma Jr.

Brad Reedy to the ministry at First Church in Longview.

Barnie Henderson as a deacon at Little River Church in Cameron.

Milton Saltzman as a deacon at First Church in Lampasas.

Britt Clay, Jay Giddens, Ranzell Meeks, Barrett Pollard, Keith Smart and Randy Stovall as deacons at Eastwood Church in Gatesville.

Keith Gatewood as a deacon at Pleasant Valley Church in Jonesboro.

Elias Elizondo as a deacon at Iglesia El Calvario in Jourdanton.

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