Riley EubankRiley W. Eubank Jr., 91, a former pastor, pastoral counselor and educator, died June 13 in Austin. He was pastor of Seventh and James Baptist Church in Waco, Woodlawn Baptist Church in Austin, Webb Baptist Church in Arlington, Pawnee Baptist Church in Pawnee and University Heights Baptist Church in Stillwater, Okla. While in Austin, he was pastor-adviser to the Baptist Student Union at the University of Texas, where also held the Townes Bible Chair and became close friends with fellow pastors Browning Ware, Carlyle Marney, Blake Smith, Dick Lear and Hardy Clemons. One of his proudest achievements was desegregation of Seventh and James Baptist Church. He was vice chair of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Christian Life Commission, and the commissioners visited the White House for a briefing by President Lyndon Johnson on the pending Civil Rights Act of 1964. He was a trustee of Baylor University and Hillcrest Hospital, a member of the BGCT Executive Board and a co-founder of the Waco Pastoral Counseling Center. Later in his ministry, he focused on pastoral counseling education and care, interning at Memorial Baptist Hospital in Houston and the Institute of Religion. He moved to Columbia, S.C., where he was director of clinical pastoral education at South Carolina State Hospital and then director of CPE and pastoral services at Baptist Medical Center and also supervised chaplaincies in Easley, Aiken, Greer and Summerville, S.C. He was passionate about servant leadership, books, travel, fishing, camping, art, music, and deep and abiding friendships. His wife, Wynelle Brown Vickrey, preceded him in death. He is survived by his son, Dean Eubank; daughter, Nancy Eubank Lewis; stepson, Larry Vickrey; stepdaughter, Raelynn Vickrey Olson; four granddaughters; three great-granddaughters; and his sister, Eleanor Tuck. A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church in Austin July 9 at 1:30 p.m.

Perry F. Webb Jr., 91, died May 14 in Natchitoches, La., where he was pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church. Webb was born Feb. 9, 1925, in Malvern, Ark., to Perry F. Webb and Thelma Fern Stahl Webb. He spent his early years in Malvern and Pine Bluff, Ark., before moving to San Antonio, where he earned his high school diploma from Texas Military Institute. He graduated from Baylor University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He served as a Baptist minister 74 years, beginning at a country church in East Central Illinois where he joked he learned to “persecute the saints” with his preaching. He was pastor of First Baptist Church in Poteet from 1949 to 1952. Later pastorates included First Baptist Church in Natchitoches, La.; First Baptist Church in Albany, Ga.; and First Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, La. He served two years as president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, and he also served on the executive boards of both the Louisiana Baptist and the Georgia Baptist conventions. He served 15 years as a trustee of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and two years as chairman of that board. He also was a trustee for Louisiana College and Tift College. He had been a member of the board of directors for the Baylor Alumni Association and was an avid fan of Baylor athletics. Webb is survived by his wife of 66 years, Virginia Powell Webb; daughter, Deborah Webb Smith; son, Perry Flynt Webb III; grandsons, Walker and Phillip Smith and Jonathan and Tyler Webb; and sister, Rebekah Webb Richards.

Morris Thomas Wall, 92, died June 12 in Waco. Wall was born Sept. 20, 1923, in Knox City to Ivan Wall and Lucy Scroggins Wall. He grew up in East Texas and served in World War II. After he graduated from Baylor University, he enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he met Dora Louise Sexton. They married Aug. 15, 1951. He was the first pastor of South Garland Baptist Church in Garland and associate pastor of First Baptist Church in Waco. He also served churches in Georgia, Idaho, Colorado, Arizona and Alaska, where his ministry focused on planting and growing churches. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Deborah. He is survived by his wife; daughter, Karen Talley; and seven grandchildren.

Nelda Rae Sembera Gerbine, 77, of Cleburne—who served multiple roles with Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas—died June 7 in Fort Worth. She was born Jan. 18, 1939, in Bryan to Alton Ray Sr. and Odessa Mae Tanner Sembera. She married Perry Gerbine on Feb. 13, 1988. in Elysian Fields. She was involved with WMU at College Heights Baptist Church in Cleburne, as well as at the associational and state levels. She was a retired administrative assistant with Texas WMU, and she also worked in the Mission Service Corps office for the Baptist General Convention of Texas. In retirement, she continued to volunteer with Texas WMU Women’s Build construction projects. Survivors include her husband; children, Lisa Arthurs, Cathy Glass, Susan Mitchell, Angela Gerbine, Stoney Gerbine and Archie Gerbine; 18 grandchildren; six great grandchildren; and sisters, Peggy Carper, Betty Jo Hill and Mary Tipton. She was preceded in death by her son, Donnie Kearns, and brothers, Alton “Buddy” Sembera Jr., Ervin Sembera and Douglas Sembera.

Glenn HilburnGlenn Hilburn, 86, retired chair of the Baylor University religion department, died June 7. Hilburn taught at Baylor more than 40 years and led the religion department 15 years. He had “profound influence on the lives of many Baylor students and faculty members as teacher and colleague,” said Bill Bellinger, current religion department chair. “He loved to tell a good story and remained connected to faculty members and to former students as long as his health allowed.” Jeter Basden, professor of religion, added: “Glenn was an outstanding church historian and a caring department chair. He knew how to make friends with all kinds of people. He worked hard to build bridges of trust and respect. I am especially grateful for his constant support and encouragement in helping us build and grow a ministry guidance program to educate Baylor undergraduates called to vocational Christian ministry. He will be remembered as a gifted teacher, a detailed and careful historian, and a Christian gentleman.” A native of Plain Dealing, La., Hilburn was a graduate of Centenary College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he earned a Ph.D. Before joining the Baylor faculty in 1961, he was a research and analytical chemist and pastor of churches in Arkansas and Texas. Omicron Delta Kappa, the oldest U.S. national leadership honor society, presented him its highest honor, the Laurel Crowned Circle Award. He received the W.R. White Meritorious Service Award from Baylor in 2003. As a church historian, he was published widely. He and his late wife, Martell Hilburn, were active members of First Baptist Church in Waco. He is survived by son Kelly Hilburn and his wife, Sherrie, and stepson Sheridenn White of Waco; son Jeff Hilburn and his wife, Nancy, of Montgomery, Alabama; grandsons Dylan Hilburn and Sean Hilburn, both of Waco; granddaughter Haley Anderson and her husband, Jessie, of China Spring; granddaughter Taylor Hilburn of Dallas; and great-granddaughter Zoey Hilburn of Waco. Visitation will be June 13, from 6 to 8 p.m., at OakCrest Funeral Home in Waco, and his memorial service will be June 14, at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Waco. Memorials may be made to Baylor’s Glenn O. and Martell B. Hilburn Endowed Graduate Research Scholarship Fund by clicking here. 

Estelle SlaterEstelle Slater, 99, an educator and producer of the Sunday morning radio program “Hymns We Love,” died in Dallas May 8. Slater grew up in Carrollton, Mo., and earned degrees from Central Missouri State University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Early in her career, she taught public school and was a consultant for the Student Department of the Baptist Sunday School Board in Nashville, Tenn., traveling to colleges and universities nationwide. In 1964, she returned to Missouri as caregiver to her father before moving to Texas permanently. For 14 years, she was dean of women and alumni director at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton. In 1981, she moved to Dallas to share a home with her brother Norvell after his wife died. She joined her brother in producing musical programs for clubs and church groups. After his death, she continued as producer and host of his long-running “Hymns We Love” program. In 1998, she received the Ruth Award from Dallas Baptist University, in recognition for her dedication to God, family and Christian education. She was an active member of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, where she was a deacon emeritus. She was predeceased by her brothers Norvell and Richmond Ray. She is survived by nieces Carol Frantz, Linda McGilvray, Sharon Nunnelee, Ann Slater and Mary McFarland and their families.

Saundra Mayo is pictured with her husband of 60 years, Benny.Saundra Jo Snipes Mayo, a faithful member of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Cedar Hill, died April 29, six days before her 79th birthday. She was born in Brownwood, and she trusted Jesus as her Savior and was baptized at Jones Chapel Baptist Church in nearby Early when she was 9. She was an outstanding basketball player and met the love of her life, Benny Mayo, a Howard Payne University student, her senior year at Early High school. They married in March 1956. She attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary while he was a student there. She loved sports and worked with youth in churches where her husband served as minister of education and youth. She also counseled youth in her home and took them to camp. She was a gifted decorator for parties and banquets, and her humor provoked smiles and laughter. Her favorite Scripture passage was Proverbs 3:5-6. She is survived by her husband of 60 years; daughters, Penny Varian and Kitty Yntema; grandchildren Charis Robison, Austen Varian, Hannah Hughes, Zachary Foster, Nathan Foster, Ben Foster, Owen Yntema and Ethan Yntema; great-grandchildren, Rhett Robison, Ladd Robison, Colton Varian, Sadie Beyers and Harrison Hughes; brothers, Weyland Snipes and Jack Snipes; aunt, Mickey Mathis; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Worth and Ileta Snipes; sister, Wynell Snipes Winslett; and brother, Tommy Snipes.

Stanley D. Stamps, 83, a retired missionary to South America, died April 10. He was born in Prentiss, Miss., and graduated from Mississippi College. He also earned a master of divinity degree from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, Calif. There, he met and fell in love with Glenna Morgan of Hillsboro, where they were married in 1955. As a collegiate and seminary summer missionary, he was a counselor and leader in boys’ camps in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and California. He later was a music, youth and education minister in California and pastor of churches in California and Mississippi and associational director of missions in Mississippi. From 1962 to 1996, the Stampses were Southern Baptist missionaries, serving in Ecuador, Nicaragua and Honduras. They returned to Hillsboro in 1996 and officially retired in 1997. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years; sons, Keith and Mark; daughter, Rhonda Cole; four grandchildren, Timothy Stamps, Angela Stamps, Clint Cole and Sarah Cole; and three great-grandchildren, Sahara, Tristan and Silas Stamps.

Daniel Lee Williams, 62, died April 28 in San Marcos after a battle with cancer. Williams was born Aug. 20, 1953, in Fort Worth. His pastoral ministry spanned 38 years and included Southland Baptist Church in San Angelo, along with other congregations in Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Kentucky and Hong Kong. He served five years as president of the Baptist Laity Institute. After graduating from Abilene High School in 1971, he earned an undergraduate degree from Baylor University and master of divinity and doctor of philosophy degrees from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He was a world traveler, loved to write and play guitar, and was a skilled craftsman and oil painter. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Anita, and their three children, Clayton Williams, Anna Broome and Nathan Williams. He also is survived by his father, Bill M. Williams; sisters, Donna McCartney of Merkel and Debbie Steele of Abilene; and brothers, David Williams of Austin and Daryl Williams of Abilene.

Michael Don Menasco, 44, died April 9 in Midland, where he was executive pastor of Crestview Baptist Church. He was born in Lubbock and graduated from Texas Tech University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Menasco was ordained to the gospel ministry in 2002 in Tulsa, Okla. He is survived by his wife, April; daughter, Kylie; and son, Brett; parents, Jack and Donna Menasco of Lubbock; and brother, Monte Menasco. He is preceded in death by his sister, Teresa-Marie Menasco.

Marc Wilson, 63, longtime minister of music at First Baptist Church in Mexia, died April 23 in Houston after battling cancer. Wilson served as minister of music at First Baptist Church in De Leon, his home congregation, while attending Howard Payne University, where he also played in the “mighty trumpet section” of the band. After earning a master of music ministry degree from Southwestern Theological Seminary, he went to First Baptist Church in Mexia, where he served as minister of music 35 years, until his death. He directed church choirs, Easter pageants, Christmas dinner theater and community musicals. He traveled the world with the Grammy- and Dove Award-nominated CenturyMen choir. He enjoyed hunting with his son, son-in-law and grandson, as well as golfing with his friends. His stress-reliever was working in the yard, both at church and home. He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen Sue, and Jimmie Lee Wilson. He is survived by his wife, Pamela Kay; son, Marcus, and his wife; Amanda; daughter, Natalie, and her husband, David Nelson; and grandchildren, Braden, Allie, Rylee and Easton Wilson and Brynlee Nelson.

Holli Fish Lancaster, 51, a former International Mission Board worker in Southeast Asia, died in Tennessee March 29, following a battle with ovarian cancer. Lancaster, a native Texan, and her husband, Dan, met at Baylor University in Waco, where she earned a bachelor of science degree. She also graduated from Texas Christian University with a master of science degree. The Lancasters planted churches in the United States and then moved to Southeast Asia, where they worked more than 12 years, training believers. She frequently traveled with friend and fellow missionary Kara Garrison to lead training sessions for displaced women from a variety of ethnic groups. At one point, the Lancasters and Garrisons lived in a country where conditions were difficult, and, Garrison said, “We needed each other to survive.” After the Lancasters’ daughter graduated from high school in Asia, the family returned to the United States to help her move to Union University in Jackson, Tenn., and then took a leave of absence from IMB to work in the missions department at the university. The family learned of her cancer in October. She is survived by her husband; children, Jeff, Zach, Karis and Zane; mother, Jean Holley Fish; and siblings, Steve Fish, Jeff Fish and Jennifer Pastoor. Her father, Roy Fish, longtime evangelism professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, preceded her in death.

Frances Ann Russell, 78, March 30 in Irving. She was born Oct. 1, 1937, to Guy and Thelma Parker in Mena, Ark. After graduating from high school in Mena, she went on to earn an undergraduate degree in education at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kan. She worked nine years as secretary at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth. Most recently, she was a member of Irving Baptist Fellowship in Irving. As long as her health permitted, she enjoyed working in her flower garden and was an accomplished seamstress. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Bob, who served 29 years as technical director for the Baptist General Convention of Texas; son and daughter-in-law, David and Sherry Russell of Irving; son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Patricia Russell of Bremond; and five grandchildren, Joshua, Stephanie, Matthew, Daniel and Lydia.

David M. Becker, 60, a longtime pastor and denominational leader, died March 15 after a brief illness. He was a pastor 41 years, including full-time Texas pastorates at Arnett Baptist Church in Gatesville, Selden Baptist Church in Stephenville, University Heights Baptist Church in Huntsville and First Baptist Church in Granbury, as well as two interim pastorates. He also was pastor of churches in Hattiesburg, Miss., and Muskogee, Okla. Becker was a vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and served on the BGCT Executive Board, BGCT Christian Life Commission and BGCT Effectiveness and Efficiency Committee. He was a graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Melissa Roberts Becker; daughters Kristen Becker Cameron and Kelsey Becker Adams; son, Tyler Becker; grandchildren, Parker, Addison and Kennedy; father, Emil Becker; brother, Ronald Gene Becker; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Illa Faye Becker, and brother, Richard Lynn Becker.

Alice Ruth Matteson Frost, 96, in Clovis, Calif. She was born July 30, 1919, in Rawls to Nicholas and Ada Matteson. In 1937, she married James E. Frost in LeFors, and for the next 53 years, she was a minister’s wife. Her husband served as pastor of numerous churches in Oregon, Washington and Texas, and he served on staff with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, as well as Baptist state conventions in California and Florida. She attended Hardin-Simmons University and Fresno City College, and she graduated from Fresno State College in 1962 at age 42, receiving a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She was a kindergarten teacher in Clovis, Calif., and in Nashville, Tenn., where she was selected to become the teacher of the first racially integrated kindergarten class at Hattie Cotton Elementary School. After moving to Florida, she worked with Baptist churches as a frequent leader of seminars and conferences for preschool Sunday school teachers throughout the state, as well as the Baptist assemblies at Glorieta and Ridgecrest conference centers. After she took up golf in her 50s, she won several local tournaments in Atlantic Beach, Fla., and after she learned to paint in her 80s, her watercolor paintings won several awards in Ventura, Calif. She also mastered shuffleboard, winning several gold medals in the National Senior Olympics. In 2014 she was inducted into the California Shuffleboard Hall of Fame. She was preceded in death by her husband, James, in 1990. She is survived by her three sons, Dennis of Fresno, Calif., Les of Los Angles and Jim of Memphis, Tenn.; her brother, Robert Matteson of Ventra, Calif.; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

James F. EavesJames F. Eaves, 90, in Houston. Eaves was born Oct. 29, 1925, in Gibson, Tenn. He served as a pilot and officer in the U.S. Air Force in World War II. After obtaining his undergraduate degree from Union University in Jackson, Tenn., he earned his master of divinity and doctor of theology degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He was pastor of numerous congregations in Texas, New Mexico and Tennessee, including First Baptist Church in Bay City, Birdville Baptist Church in Fort Worth and Grace Baptist Church in Grandview, and he served as interim pastor of more than 30 churches in seven states. He was professor of evangelism at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary 17 years, and he continued as professor emeritus an additional 10 years. He was a guest professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Oxford University. Eaves also worked as director of evangelism and church growth development for the North American Mission Board. He was a trustee at Union University and also served on various other committees, commissions and boards in Baptist denominational life at the state and national levels. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Jeane; son, James Eaves of Emporia, Kan.; son, Mark Eaves, and daughter-in-law, Lisa, of Houston,; granddaughter, Marisa, and her husband, Ted LePak, of Wylie; sister, Mary Holland, of Jackson, Tenn; and several nephews and nieces.

Charlie M. SingletonCharlie M. Singleton, 69, in Fort Worth. Singleton grew up in Galveston, the youngest brother among eight children born to George W. and Loretta Singleton. He was licensed and ordained at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church of Oxnard, Calif., where served as an associate minister two years before moving his family to Fort Worth, where he served two years as an associate minister at Rising Star Baptist Church. He was pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth before founding First Missionary Baptist Church of Fort Worth, where he served 34 years. Under his leadership, the church started Iglesia Bautista Sureste in Fort Worth. He served on Tarrant Baptist Association’s executive board and executive committee, was president of the associational pastors’ conference and was elected moderator of the association in 2007. Singleton served four years on the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board, worked as field representative in Tarrant County for BGCT African-American Ministries and served on the BGCT missions funding committee. In January 2007, he joined the BGCT Executive Board staff, becoming the convention’s third director of African-American Ministries. He led Texas Baptist African-American mission teams on trips to more than a dozen nations on several continents. In recent years, he participated in Bike-Out Hunger for the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering, completing a 450-mile bicycle trek in spite of severe back pain. He served on the BGCT staff until last year. He was a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and was pursuing a doctor of ministry degree in global leadership from Bakke Graduate University at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Sheila M. Singleton; sons, Charlie Jr., Douglas and John; daughter, Delanna; seven grandchildren; six great-granddaughters; and five sisters—Georgia Kelly, Mary Hicks, Sarah Alexander, Avis Reynolds and Stella Rayon.