David Silva, 70, March 16 in Pettus. He had battled leukemia. He was pastor of First Baptist Church in Pettus more than five years at the time of his death. David SilvaA graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he also served at Primera Iglesia Bautista in Beeville, Primera Iglesia Bautista in Rockport, Primera Iglesia Bautista in Mathis, New Life Baptist Church in Beeville and First Baptist Church in Beeville. He was ordained to the ministry in 2002. He also served as county judge in Bee County 11 years. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Yolanda; daughters, Cassandra Silva and Cristianna Meineke; brothers, John Mark and Amado; sister, Grace Ramirez; and one granddaughter.

Peggy Fuston, 80, April 3 in Arlington. Peggy FustonA Baylor University graduate, she was a dedicated mother and grandmother. After her children were grown, she and her husband, Bob, who had worked with the Baptist General Convention Executive Board staff, became frequent travelers, leading tour groups to more than 55 countries in 30 years. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Arlington almost 50 years. She is survived by her husband of almost 60 years; son, Lynn; daughters, Layne Hamilton and Jeanna White; and seven grandchildren.

Robert Cargill, 85, April 4 in Fort Worth. While an 18-year-old college student, he started a church in Blackburn, Okla., and was pastor more than three years. Robert CargillA graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he served more than 20 years as pastor of churches in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. In 1967, he became director of development for Oklahoma Baptist University. In 1972, he became vice president for financial resources for the Radio and Television Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. In 1976, he founded Cargill Associates and raised money for churches, universities, charities and nonprofit institutions. He was preceded in death by his brother, David; son, Howard; and granddaughter, Bonnie Ruth Lee. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Sara Lou; son, Stephen; daughter, Sara Beth Lee; sister, Helen Lindiff; 12 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Jon Randles, 58, died April 1 in Lubbock due to pancreatic cancer. The pastor and evangelist received his call to ministry at age 17. A graduate of Hardin-Simmons University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he also did doctoral work in ancient Roman history at Texas Tech University. Jon RandlesHe was pastor at View Baptist Church in Abilene, Oak Street Baptist Church in Graham and Indiana Avenue Baptist Church in Lubbock. He was an adjunct professor of Bible at Wayland Baptist University before becoming a vocational evangelist in 1993. He especially was passionate about ministering to students, athletes and coaches. In 1997, he began the Paradigm Bible Study at Texas Tech, which now is on several university campuses throughout the United States. From 2007 to 2009 he was director of evangelism for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, later serving as evangelism consultant. Recently, he was guest chaplain for the Texas Senate in Austin and the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., on March 17. For the last 18 months he has been pastor of Victory Life Baptist Church in Lubbock. He was preceded in death by his father, B.J. Randles. He is survived by his wife, Kelly; sons, Zack and Sam; daughter, Hayley Williamson; mother, Ann Randles; sisters, Lyn Rodgers and Becky Householder; and four grandchildren.

Max Brown, 76, March 15 in Amarillo. He was pastor of Baptist congregations in Wellborn, Ozona, Hamlin, Uvalde, Huntsville, Brownwood and Galveston. He was interim pastor of First Baptist churches in Abilene, Plainview, Hereford, Happy and Claude. Max BrownHe served on the Executive Board of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and was director of the BGCT Human Welfare Coordinating Board. In 1976, he was chaplain for a day of the U.S. House of Representatives and opened Congress in prayer. He was a member of the board of trustees of Howard Payne University and the board of regents of Baylor University. He also was president of the Southern Baptist Association of Ministries to the Aging and president of the Texas Alumni Association of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 1993, he was named vice president of development at High Plains Baptist Hospital. When the hospital merged the next year, he became director of the Baptist St. Anthony’s Foundation. After retirement, he was chaplain of Interim Hospice of Amarillo. He was preceded in death by his brother, Jimmy Ray. He is survived by his wife of 10 years, Diann; son, Les; daughter, Aimee Brown; stepson, Michael McNew; stepdaughters, Susan Sigler and Julie Clark; brother, Grady; seven grandchildren; eight step-grandchildren and first wife, Brenda Kate Swanner Brown.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was edited online May 7 to correct an error.  As originally posted, the obituary incorrectly listed Brenda Kate as deceased, rather than as a survivor.

Luther Hutchinson, 69, Jan. 28 in Dallas.Luther Hutchinson He had served as pastor of Mount Sinai Baptist Church in Abilene 16 years at the time of his death. He also was pastor of Solomon Temple Baptist Church in Stamford 14 years.

He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Marjorie; sons, Keith, Joseph, Tony, Jamar, Tyron, and Andre; daughters, Lorraine Sikes, Sophia Westbrook, Lesa Hutchinson, Tanya Cosby and LaTasha Hutchinson; brothers, Willie, Jerry and Raydell; sister, Aldena Hutchinson; 31 grandchildren; and 13 great grandchildren.

Vernon Webb, 64, March 20 in Cibolo. A graduate of Howard Payne University in 1973, he served on the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board. Vernon Webb

His occupation as a social worker allowed him to affect many lives. He was preceded in death by his wife of 35 years, Judy; daughter, Michell; and sisters, Grace Fortune and Faye George.

He is survived by his wife of four years, Jacquelyn; daughter, Marcie Danahey; son, Brandon; sister, Bobbie Jean Johnston; and five grandchildren.

Walter Evans, 81, March 10 in Rockwall. He was pastor of several Dallas Baptist Association congregations, including Ross Avenue Baptist Church in Dallas and Walter EvansFirst Baptist Church in Sunnyvale.

He retired as pastor of Talty Baptist Church in Crandall in 2013. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Rockwall.

He was preceded in death by three brothers—Fred, Lewis and Bill. He is survived by his wife, Robbie; son, Scott; daughters, Sandy Parlin, Sherry Packer and Shannon Coleman; brothers, James and Tom Evans, and Tom Bush; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

V.R. “Doc” Dooley, 94, Feb. 28 in Grand Prairie. A songwriter, musician and music minister, he spent his teen years traveling with his family to play in small country churches. By his late teens, he began playing piano for professional Gospel quartets, including the Stamps-Baxter Quartet. V.R. “Doc” DooleyHis World War II service in Europe earned him the Bronze Star, the Silver Star and a Presidential Unit Citation. After returning from the war, he began to teach piano and direct music at several churches in North Texas. He retired after a long career with the U.S. Postal Service. He had more than 400 Gospel songs published. In 1992, he was named Gospel Songwriter of the Year.  In 2007, he was included in the Piano Roll of Honor of the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame. He was a deacon at Highland Terrace Baptist Church in Greenville. He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Anna, as well as eight siblings. He is survived by his sons, Michael and John; sister, Oneta Barnes; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. 

Matt Dawson, 98, Feb. 17 in Waco. The son of the pastor of First Baptist Church of Waco, J.M. Dawson, he was a graduate of Baylor University and university’s law school and bore the nickname “Mad Dog” Dawson. After opening a law office in Longview, at age 26 he became at that time the youngest judge ever to sit on a Texas bench. Matt DawsonAfter a tour of duty as a medical corpsman with the U.S. Navy during World War II, he joined a law office in Corsicana. In 1972, after 35 years of legal practice, he was asked to fill the Leon Jaworski Chair in Practice and Procedure at Baylor Law School. He retired from academia in 1983 and resumed his trial practice for another two decades. Twice each year, Baylor Law School awards the “Mad Dog,” an 18-inch bronze statuette of Matt Dawson, to the winner of the Wortham Top Gun mini-trial competition. A life-size bronze statue depicting Dawson delivering a summation to a jury is located outside the practice court classroom at the law school. A professorship has been founded in his name. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Princess Louise. He is survived by his daughters, Donna Fisher, Rebecca Brumley and Carol Dawson; sons, Mark and John; 16 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. 

Bob Freeman, 76, Feb. 3 in Mandeville, La. He was pastor of churches in Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana. He also was pastor of English-speaking Baptist churches in Germany affiliated with the European Baptist Convention, including Immanuel Baptist Church in Kaiserslautern. He was elected president of the European Baptist Convention and was coordinator for the European Congress on Evangelism. He retired as pastor of First Baptist Church of Mandeville in 1993. He is survived by his wife, Diane; daughters, Angela Freeman and Annette Sutherland, son, Richard; and five grandchildren.

Ruth Kinkeade, 96, died Jan. 31 in Irving. She met her husband, Henry, when she transferred to Baylor University her junior year. Ruth KinkeadeSince he was a new convert who never went to church until he was 19, she spent their years together using her mature faith to teach him the Bible, the King’s English, the softer side of Southern charm and the gentler side of persuasion. Together, they led Baptist churches in Abbott, Wellington, Dallas, Carrollton and Denton and served 32 years at First Baptist Church in Irving. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years. She is survived by her daughter, Susie Reynolds; sons, Hal and Ed; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Brent Ferren, 61, Jan. 25 in Glen Rose. He served on the staff of First Baptist Church in Glen Rose 20 years, including more than 14 years as pastor. Brent FerrenHe preached to congregations in Oklahoma and Texas and in Central America, South America and Africa. He was preceded in death by his grandson, Kyle Staples. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Jeanne; daughters, Rachael Beaudin, Mandy Gartrell, Shiloh Staples, Angela Felkins, Sue McKinley and Valerie Washburn; sons, Caleb, Scott and Christopher; and 14 grandchildren.

James Carter, 80, Jan. 26 in Shreveport, La. James CarterA graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he began his ministry in 1955 as pastor of Wise Memorial Baptist Church in Lena, La. He was pastor of four other churches in Louisiana and Texas, including University Baptist Church in Fort Worth from 1978 to 1988. Then he served as director of church-minister relations for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. He wrote 19 books as well as the weekly Sunday school lessons for the Baptist Standard in 1979. He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Carole Ann. He is survived by his sons, James and Keith; daughter, Chyrisse Miller; sister, Peggy Sue Underwood; 14 grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.

Verl Capps, 89, Jan. 18 in Waxahachie. A graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he was a minister of music 42 years, building comprehensive music programs from preschool to adults, training singers to be leaders in worship. Verl CappsHe served churches in Oklahoma and North Carolina in addition to Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Highland Baptist Church in Dallas and Fairview Baptist Church in Grand Prairie. He also taught at Dallas Baptist College, where he led the chorale. He served as national sales manager for E.R. Moore Company, leading its church choir robe sales division. One of his favorite pastimes was watching his children play basketball and yelling at referees. He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Helen, and his brother, Onzel. He is survived by his sisters, Norma Stephenson and Oma Gean Holt-Geis; son, Buddy; daughters, Kimberly Alexander, Christie Siar and Cheryl Hawkins; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Visitation will be Jan. 21 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home in Waxahachie. A memorial service will be held Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Waxahachie.

Mike Gresham

Mike Gresham, 61, Jan. 19 in Port Lavaca. A graduate of Howard Payne University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he was pastor of First Baptist Church in Port Lavaca, where he had served more than 12 years. He previously was pastor to congregations in Schulenburg, Bellmead, Electra, Holliday, Jean and Mother Neff. An avid runner, he also enjoyed fishing from a kayak in local bays. He is survived by his wife, Glynda; daughter, Tara Gresham; and brothers, Pat and Kim. Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 22 at the First Baptist Church in Port Lavaca Family Life Center. The funeral will be Jan. 23 at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church.

Ralph Storm, 86, died Jan. 7 in Corpus Christi. A Baylor University graduate, he was a Sunday school teacher and deacon chairman. A staunch supporter of Baylor, for years the oilman often flew himself and his wife, Jean, to Waco to visit his daughters and attend all Baylor’s home football games. Ralph StormThey also endowed the Ralph and Jean Storm Chair of Mathematics. He served on as a Baylor trustee/regent for 27 years between 1970 and 2000. He received Baylor’s Distinguished Alumni Award, Herbert Reynolds Service Award and W.R. White Award. In 2007, he and his wife (posthumously) received the Founder’s Medal. He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years; brothers, James, Wash, Bob, Jack and Walter; and sister, Ann Reagan. He is survived by his daughters, Susan Guyton and Kathy Sley; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Carter Lyles, 87, died Jan. 9 in Carrollton. A graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he was pastor of Antioch Baptist Church near Leonard, First Baptist Church of Cookville, First Baptist Church of Paradise, Carter LylesTemple Baptist Church in Tyler, First Baptist Church in Naples, First Baptist Church in Decatur and Bethel Baptist Church in Clardy. He also was director of missions for Red River Baptist Association in Paris 26 years until his retirement in 1997. In retirement, he continued to lead worship at the Corinthians Retirement Community in Carrollton. He was preceded in death by his six siblings; his wife of 50 years, Doris; his second wife, Clara; and his grandson, Eric Lyles. His is survived by his sons, Tom, Ron and Paul; daughter, Elaine Dean; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Orville Scott, 80, died Jan. 12 in Grand Saline. During his long career in denominational communications, he directed the Baptist General Convention of Texas public relations office and the BGCT’s news and information service. Orville ScottHe also worked for the Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, where he was editor of Charity and Children. He was a noted poet, and for several years, the program of the Texas Baptist Evangelism Conference featured a poem he wrote using that year’s theme as its inspiration. In retirement, he collected his poems in a book, Autumn at the Lake and Other Poems. He also was a deacon and Sunday school teacher at First Baptist Church in Richardson and later at First Baptist Church in Canton. He was preceded in death by his brother, Donald. He is survived by his wife, Emma Jean; sons, James and John; daughter, Elizabeth Steadman; sisters, Wanda Gray and Shirley Williams; brothers, Lane and Mervin; and five grandchildren.

John David Hopper, 80, died Jan. 10 in Houston. After graduating from college, he spent a year as a missionary in Cuba, where he became fluent in Spanish and discovered an interest in working with people from different cultures. John David HopperHe attended Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in California, where he continued to work with Spanish-speaking people. After graduating from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he and his wife, JoAnn, went to Europe in 1965 as missionaries. He taught at International Baptist Theological Seminary in Ruschlikon, Switzerland, until 1970, when the couple began their work among the Baptist churches of Eastern Europe. In 1988, he returned to Ruschlikon as the seminary’s president, and led the school’s move to Prague in 1995. In total, the Hoppers spent 32 years as missionaries, and in 1992 were appointed among the first missionaries of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship after their resignation from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Foreign Mission Board. A lover of languages, he spoke Spanish, German, French, Italian, Esperanto, Russian, Romanian, Serbo-Croatian and Czech. He also read Latin, Greek and Hebrew. After retirement, he moved to San Antonio and became a member of Trinity Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his sister, Ruth Sylvest; and brother, Thomas. He is survived by his wife of 56 years; sons, John David Jr., Joel and Timothy; three brothers; and seven grandchildren.

J.T. Elliff, 97, died Dec. 12 in Moore, Okla. He was a longtime pastor, serving churches in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Arizona. He was the founding director of the missions department of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention in the 1960s. J.T. Elliff

He was executive director of Capitol Baptist Association in Oklahoma City from 1971 until his retirement. He was a second-generation pastor who raised three sons who became pastors and a daughter who married a pastor.

Twenty of his grandchildren are pastors, missionaries or the spouse of a pastor. He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Wanda; daughter, Sandy Smith; sons, Tom, Jim and Bill; stepdaughter, Nancy Lanford; stepsons, Don and Steve Jackson; 26 grandchildren; 46 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Randy Lofgren, 74, Dec. 26 in Crawford. A graduate of Baylor University, he was minister of music at Calvary Baptist Church in Waco and choral director at Waco High School. Randy LofgrenIn 1974, he joined the music faculty of Carson Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn., and created and directed a touring musical group. He continued his music ministry at Lakeside Baptist Church in Lakeland, Fla., before moving back to Texas to serve as minister of music at First Baptist Church in Duncanville. He later served as choral director of Duncanville High School. In 1988, he began his association with Baylor University as an administrator. He retired in May 2014 as associate vice president of constituent management after 26 years of service. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jeanine; daughter, Wendy Smith; son, Kevin; sister, Karla Davis; and six grandchildren.