Jean Landrum, 79, Sept. 9 in Dallas. A former staff member at Dallas Baptist University, she was the pianist for First Baptist Church in Wilmer 56 years. Jean Landrum

She was preceded in death by her brother, Roger Tresp Jr. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Henry; son, Lawrence; daughter, Elizabeth Scarborough; and three grandchildren.

Freddie Gage, 81, died Sept. 12 in Houston. A celebration of his life will be held 1 p.m. Sept. 26 at Sagemont Church in Houston. An evangelist more than six decades, he preached in more than 1,350 churches and crusades and conducted more than 3,000 high school youth rallies, as well as in prisons. Freddie GageAfter suffering burnout and depression in his own life, he also began Wounded Heroes, a Christian psychotherapy program where ministers, their wives and families received help at no charge. LifeWay Christian Resources assumed leadership of the program in 1999. He also founded Teen Liberators—later named Boys and Girls Country—for struggling young people, and Pulpit in the Shadows, a drug rehabilitation ministry in Houston. He was elected president of the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists in 1984. In 1991, he established Crossover evangelism efforts in the connection with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting which continue to the present. He also was inducted into the initial Evangelists Hall of Faith, created in 2008 by the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Barbara; sons, Daniel, Paul, Rick and Rodney; sisters, Shirley Marcaccio, Marilyn Stewart, Linda Brittain and Sharon Gibson; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

Anna Fuson

Anna Fuson, 89, died Sept. 13 in Plainview. She served alongside her husband, O.E., first while farming in the Lamesa area, and then in ministry as he was pastor to congregations in Vealmoor, Sparenburg, Patricia, Andrews, and Tuscon, Ariz. She worked for Buckner’s Children’s Home in Lubbock 11 years before moving to Plainview in 1988. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Plainview. She was preceded in death by her husband and three brothers. She is survived by her daughter, Carolyn Andrews; three grandchildren, including Kayla Peltoma, finance director of Baptist Standard Publishing; and four great-grandchildren.

Doyle Lawless Sr., 92, Aug. 20 in Waco. In 1939, he served in the Civilian Conservation Corps, and in 1940, he was with the U.S. Army in France three days after D-Day, serving there until Christmas. After the war, he moved to Irving and began teaching a boys’ Sunday school class. Doyle Lawless Sr.That experience led to his calling to preach. He sold his home and moved to Waco to attend Baylor University, and later graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was pastor of Billington Baptist Church in Billington and three Oklahoma churches prior to becoming pastor of Grace Temple Baptist Church in Waco, where he served 23 years prior to his retirement in 1987. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Lona; sisters, Lois Duniho and Sybill Dummer; and brother, Wayne. He is survived by his wife, Mattie; sons, Doyle Jr. and James; brother, A.A. Jr.; stepsons, Ed, Eric and Jeff Clymer; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Grover TalbertGrover Talbert, 82, June 10 in Huntsville. A graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, his pastorates included Reece Prairie Baptist Church in Burleson; First Baptist Church in Rusk, where he served more than 18 years; and First Baptist Church in Frankston. He also was president of the trustees of Pineywoods Baptist Encampment. He was preceded in death by his brother, Robert. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Wegi; son; Tony; daughter, Tami Walker; and four grandchildren.

Dan McClinton, 70, Aug. 21 in Waxahachie. Dan McClintonHe was a music minister 41 years, a chaplain at Baylor Medical Center since 2001 and an associate minister at First Baptist Church in Waxahachie since 2006. He also was a member of the Singing Men of Texas, the Association of Professional Chaplains and Texans Against Gambling. He is survived by his wife, Myla; sons, Scott and Travis; brother, Dennis; sister, Paula Bunch; and three grandchildren.

Jack Whetsel, 94, July 29 in Austin. A Baylor University graduate, he served on a U.S. Navy battleship three years during World War II, and achieved the rank of lieutenant commander and earned the Bronze Star. In 1948, he opened a hardware store in McAllen, where he later served eight years as mayor. Jack WhetselSince he met his wife, Martha, in a Baylor history class, the school maintained a place in their hearts. They made several gifts to the university and its athletic programs, and the Lt. Jack Whetsel Jr. basketball practice facility is named in honor of their adopted son killed during the Vietnam War. They also provided significant support for Baylor’s track and field program. In 1999, they established the Jack and Martha Whetsel Endowed Scholarship Fund, providing financial assistance to students whose parents or guardians are police officers, firefighters or schoolteachers. For their contributions, they were recognized by Baylor’s Endowed Scholarship Society, Old Main Society and 1845 Society. They also were members of the Baylor University Medallion Fellowship and the Baylor Bear Foundation. He was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years; brother, Bill; sister, Nell Painter; son, Jack Jr.; and grandson, Glynn. He is survived by his daughter, Cissy Smucker; granddaughter, Nevie Owens; and great-granddaughter, Nevie Kathryn Owens.

Alvin Howell, 77, died June 30 in Fort Worth. He was pastor of several congregations, including Wheatland Baptist Church in Wheatland and First Baptist Church in Thorp Springs. Alvin Howell

When he became pastor in Thorp Springs, the congregation had dwindled to 17 members, but he brought it back to about 70 before he retired. He preached funeral services at six funeral homes when a minister was needed.

He was a member of the Howard Payne University alumni association. He is survived by his wife, Brenda; sons, Mark, David and Stephen; brother, Kenneth; stepson, Wade Wells; stepdaughter, Wendy Tockey; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Mack Cole, 88, July 17 in Fort Worth. During World War II, he served in the South Pacific with the First and Third divisions of the Marine Corps. Following the war, the graduated from Hardin-Simmons University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mack ColeHis pastorates included First Baptist Church in Anna, First Baptist Church in Lampasas, First Baptist Church in Snyder and Ridglea Baptist Church in Fort Worth. After retiring in 1981, he turned to pioneer mission work in Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Nevada and Montana. He also served as a volunteer missionary in Macedonia and conducted evangelistic crusades in several foreign countries. In 1991, he moved to Montana to become pastor of Big Horn Baptist Church in the middle of the Crow Indian reservation, where he served until July 2013. He wrote several books and contributed to various Southern Baptist publications. He also served as vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Mary Petree and Margaret Mitchell. He is survived by his wife Carol; sons, Louis and Stacy; daughters, Rachel Bailiff and Miriam Lambert; stepsons Michael and Stephen Browning; 15 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

David Kuykendall, 84, July 17 in Dallas. He was a graduate of Decatur Baptist College, Hardin-Simmons University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Early in his ministry he served churches in Montague, Stamford, Fort Worth, Alvord, McKinney, Greenville and Beloit, Wisc. David KuykendallHe was pastor of Calvary Baptist Church of Oak Cliff in Dallas 27 years, leading the church to reach its urban neighborhood and teaching consistently about living an abundant life through God’s grace. After retirement, he served at Royal Haven, Wynnewood and Kessler Park Baptist churches in Dallas. He wrote weekly devotions and several books on having a relationship with Christ and living by grace. These may be downloaded free at LivingByGrace.org. He was preceded in death by his son, David Jr. He is survived by his wife, Janie; son, James; daughters, Jane Beaumont and Kristi Coleman; brothers, Joe and Don; sister, Betty Carr; seven grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.

Dave Darling, 71, June 6 in Three Rivers. He was pastor of Good Hope Baptist Church in Three Rivers. Dave DarlingHe was preceded in death by his grandson, Samuel Darling. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Connie; mother, Wilma Atwell; daughter, Tammy Martinez; sons, David and Johnny; adopted son, Toby Perez; sisters, Jeannie Stauch and Patty Eddy; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Billie Shotts, 85, July 2 in Mesquite. From the late 1960s to the mid-1990s, she was employed by Buckner Baptist Benevolences, first working with young women who were placing their babies for adoption and then transitioning into matching adoptive parents with children. Billie ShottsShe was involved with more than 1,000 placements. The latter part of her career focused on post-adoption support groups, many of which she kept in touch until she became ill in late 2013. She taught a women’s Sunday school class at Grand View Baptist Church in Mesquite many years. She also sang in the choir, taught Vacation Bible School, supported Christian Women’s Job Corps and was involved in the after-school ministry at an elementary school. She is survived by her husband of almost 67 years, Ken; son, Dan; daughter, Jennifer Harp; and five grandchildren.

Sara Beth Grantham, 75, June 24 in Dallas. Sara Beth GranthamShe served with her husband, Les, in music and education ministry in Texas, Nevada, Arizona and Washington. She was active in Woman’s Missionary Union and worked with preschoolers. She is survived by her husband; daughter, Leslie Brisendine; sons, Victor and Donald; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Gene White, 87, July 15 in Amarillo. He was licensed to preach by First Baptist Church in Amarillo in 1948, and had a career as a pastor and religious journalist. He was a member of the editorial staff of the Baptist Standard from 1959 to 1964. He was managing editor of A Journal of Church and State, published in Washington, D.C., and was editor of Charity & Children, the publication of Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina. Gene WhiteAfter retirement, he became a Mission Service Corps volunteer to write and edit New Church News for the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation. He published articles in 27 state Baptist papers and several Sunday School Board publications. He also was pastor of churches in Oklahoma and Texas and was founding pastor of Rollingwood Hills Baptist Church in Mesquite, now West Mesquite Baptist Church. He also served as interim or supply pastor in Texas, Maryland and North Carolina. He delivered the opening address at the Protestant Pavilion of the New York World Fair’s in 1960. After retirement, he taught a Sunday school class at First Baptist Church in Amarillo almost 20 years. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Esther; sons, Steven, Bryan and Lelan White, and Kenan Griffith; daughter, Elfa Williams; eight grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Nina Hopkins, 99, June 30 in Longview. Nina HopkinsA member of the pioneer Hall family of Hallsville, she attended the College of Marshall—now East Texas Baptist University—majoring in home economics. A longtime member of First Baptist Church in Longview, she sang in the adult choir 66 years. Her husband, Ellie, was the editor of the Longview newspaper and a Baptist Standard board member. He died in 1993. She also was preceded in death by her sister, Sibyl Sawyer; and brothers, J.T. and Lacy Hall. She is survived by her daughter, Mary Beth Shaw; son, Jack; sister, Mildred Ray; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Howard Wynne, 91, June 29 in Kingwood. A longtime Texas pastor, he served churches in Abilene, Houston and Kingwood. Howard WynneHe was pastor emeritus of Woodridge Baptist Church in Kingwood. He is survived by his wife, Cynthia; sons, Blake and Kyle; daughter, Marilyn Helm; stepdaughters, Cindy Jo Shew and Joanna Jameson; 14 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Ted Getterman, 89, July 1 in Waco. A former Waco mayor and a Baylor University alumnus, he came to the university at the end of World War II and his service with the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He secured both business and law degrees at Baylor. He and his wife, Sue, provided many endowed scholarships to the school, as well as generously supporting the business, arts and athletic programs. Ted GettermanThe Gettermans received the Founders Medallion in 2005. In 1998, Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business named him a distinguished alumnus. The couple provided the largest gift to women’s athletics in Baylor’s history, which resulted in Getterman Stadium—where the Lady Bears play softball—in 2000. Subsequent funds built the Getterman Indoor Softball Facility in 2010. The R.E.B. Baylor Society recognized the Gettermans’ contributions at the silver level. He received the Presidents Medallion and was inducted as a Fellow in the Golden Bear Circle of the Endowed Scholarship Society and also was a member of the Old Main Society and the 1845 Society. He is survived by his wife of 66 years; sons, Louis III and Holt; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Yandall Woodfin III, May 28 in Fort Worth. A graduate of Baylor University, Princeton Theological Seminary, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, he began his teaching career while directing Baptist Student Ministries at Tarleton State University in Stephenville. Yandall Woodfin IIIHe taught at Baylor University; International Baptist Theological Seminary in Rueschlikon, Switzerland; and 27 years at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth before retiring in 1994. He served as interim or guest preacher for churches throughout Texas and Oklahoma. While on sabbaticals from Southwestern, he served as pastor of English-language churches in Tripoli, Libya and Munich, Germany; taught again at International Seminary in Switzerland; Carey College in Auckland, New Zealand; University of Melbourne in Australia and was scholar-in-residence at Nazarene Bible College in Buesingen, Germany. He was the author of With All Your Mind and Why Be a Christian? An artist, he delighted in sharing his landscape oil paintings with family and friends. Born in 1929, he was preceded in death by his son, Yandall IV. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Leta; daughters, Carol Woodfin, Linda Wells and Rosemary Anderson; sister, Diane Orr; and four grandchildren. h

John Taylor Jr., 83, June 15 in Hallsville. He was a graduate of East Texas Baptist College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was a pastor 64 years, serving churches in Conroe, Marshall, Taft, El Campo and Hallsville. John Taylor Jr.He was pastor of First Baptist Church in Hallsville 17 years before retiring in 1986. After retirement, he trained to be an intentional interim pastor. At the time of his death, he was serving as pastor of County Line Baptist Church in Harleton. He was preceded in death by his sister, Neta Richards. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Amelia; daughters, Melanie Hudson, Edith Benton and Judy Foster; son, John; sister, Bernadine Lumpkin; 16 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Glorieta Baptist Conference Center, which was created in August 1952, was disposed of Sept. 3, 2013. After a start as an 880-acre Breese Ranch purchase by New Mexico Baptists at a cost of $50,000, the closing came at the direction of a do-not-resuscitate order authorized by LifeWay Christian Resources, a agency of the Southern Baptist Convention, which sold it for $1.

Glorieta was born of a vision to offer training and Baptist development for the western United States, with God’s direction. The property expanded to 2,500 acres, 18 acres of Prayer Garden, 60-plus homes and lodges, and the main campus buildings with a lake.

Old auditorium at Holcomb Hall at Glorieta Conference Center.Glorieta’s vision and mission were to provide discipleship, training, fellowship and reflection. People loved spiritual enrichment, renewal and Christian foundation, which Glorieta provided for 62 years.

In 1953, it began a summer training program of 12 full weeks that at least remained in place until 2008.

Many dedicated, quality leaders through the years managed and directed Glorieta’s programs to develop Baptist lives and improve church members’ training with new knowledge.

In later years, volunteers helped provide food services. Volunteers also helped maintain and repair campus buildings when LifeWay did not provide enough dollars to keep up.

Beginning in 1952, summer staffers served camp participants each. Summer staffers worked, worshipped, sang, fellowshipped and served during each focus week from 1952 to 2013. These thousands viewed azure skies, the largest cotton-ball clouds possible and even double rainbows as reminders that God was at Glorieta and worked through us as we learned to improve in his service to others.

Achievements

Records show that from 1952 until 2006, Glorieta provided spiritual nurture to:

• 3.5 million campers

• 2,500 people who accepted Jesus as their Savior

• 7,500 people who made a commitment to full-time Christian service

I first experienced Glorieta in August 1971 during Student Week. With that introduction, I continued for 43 years to train, vacation and relax at Glorieta in dorms, hotels, lodges and private homes. The spirit of Glorieta permeated my years of visiting in special godly fellowship and development of long-term friendships. This is a legacy that became very sad when Glorieta was terminated in 2013.

These were the best of times, and these were God’s times at Glorieta.

Another cherished group were the homeowners and church-lodge owners, who built on land leased originally by the honorable Sunday School Board. The people and churches added to the sense of community at Glorieta by volunteering during the summer while bringing their church members to experience what made Glorieta special.

A betrayal

The closing of Glorieta was accomplished through the betrayal of LifeWay to the Southern Baptist Convention, the homeowners and the lodge owners.

Memories of Glorieta for millions of attenders, summer staffers, management leaders and former homeowners now are in their minds and hearts. They remember how God taught and blessed them at Glorieta.

Life goes on with the passage of Glorieta, and the memories will keep it alive in the hearts of all who spent time inside her glorious gates.

Thank you, God, for Glorieta, 1952 to 2013. Eternal thanks and blessings upon the founding fathers and the Baptist Convention of New Mexico Baptist Convention for the purchase of first 880 acres. Continued blessings to all summer staffers, former homeowners, camp managers, and the teachers and learners who came to be apart of the learning offered through the weekly training opportunities provided at Glorieta.

Mark Owen is a petroleum chemist and member of First Baptist Church in Tulsa, Okla. At various times across the past 42 years, he worked, trained and vacationed at Glorieta.