Glenn Lanier Ward, longtime Texas Baptist pastor and director of missions, died Aug. 31. He was 78. He was the first child born to J.P. and Jamie Ward in Abilene on Nov. 16, 1945. He grew up in Anson, Vega and Snyder, graduating from Snyder High School in 1964. As a youth, he was baptized by Jimmie Nelson, who became a lifelong mentor, and surrendered to the ministry at Colonial Hill Baptist Church in Snyder. After graduating from high school, Glenn worked at Circle 6 Baptist Camp between Stanton and Lenorah, where he met Carolyn Springer of Lenorah, who also was working at the camp that summer. They married in 1966. He started at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene in 1964, graduating in 1971. While a student at HSU, his first pastorate was at Fort Griffin, and his second was at Cherry Heights Baptist Church in Clyde. Glenn and Carolyn adopted their first of three daughters, Donna, while in Clyde. Their second daughter, Mindy, was born soon after they moved from Clyde, and their third daughter, Dalese, was born two years later. He became pastor of Acton Baptist Church outside Granbury in 1974. Glenn served Acton Baptist 37 years before retiring in 2011 to become the director of missions for Paluxy Baptist Association in Granbury, where he served 11 years. In 2021, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and retired the following year due to the rigors of cancer treatment. Glenn was a fully committed pastor. He communicated the gospel every chance he had; preached numerous revivals; led Acton Baptist Church in the 1970s to start decades of mission work in Texas, Mexico, Minnesota and throughout New Mexico; started the “Triple L”—Live Long and Like It—senior adult ministry in the 1970s; and along with other pastors formed the Granbury Ministerial Alliance in the 1980s. He also served on the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board; the Aten Ministries board, an international music evangelism and marriage enrichment ministry; and the board of Juventud con Visión-La Misión in Juarez. While pastor of Acton Baptist, he also led the church in planting three other churches in the Granbury area—Waples, Eastridge and, as a joint effort with other churches, Lakeside. After retiring from vocational ministry, Glenn and Carolyn moved to the Plano area and joined First Baptist Church of Plano, where he served on the missions committee. He also assisted his son-in-law, Baptist Standard Editor Eric Black, with the Standard’s pastor prayer ministry. Glenn was known for his love of people, warm smile and welcome, kindness, encouragement and eternal optimism, Jesus, the Bible and missions. He also was known for his love of Westerns—books and movies—and Texas history, Bob Wills, Mexican food, and the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Carolyn; daughter, Donna of Richardson; daughter, Mindy Ward and husband Rick Logsdon of Sunnyvale, Calif.; daughter, Dalese and husband Eric of Plano; grandson, Allen of Dallas; granddaughter, Caroline of Plano; sister, Donna Headstream of Bradshaw; brother, Benny and wife Kathy of San Angelo; brother, Ron and wife Sybi of Austin; sister, Victoria and Jim Allen of Granbury; and several nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Sept. 21 at First Baptist Church in Plano. The service will be livestreamed on First Baptist Plano’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Juventud con Visión-La Misión by check to the Paluxy Baptist Association, 1844 Acton Hwy, Granbury, TX 76049, noting the purpose on the memo line, or via GoFundMe; or to Bless Week, First Baptist Plano’s annual local missions effort, by check to First Baptist Church in Plano, 3665 W. President George Bush Hwy, Plano, TX 75075, or via their website here.
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