• Robert Brooks has been named dean of the School of Music and Fine Arts at Hardin-Simmons University.
• Bruce Barber, pastor of First Church in Roanoke, has received a doctorate in ministry from Southern Seminary.
• Howard Payne University has honored eight students for their servant leadership. Seniors named recipients of the Nat Tracy Servant Leader Award are Scott Perkins, Santa Clarita, Calif.; Rebekah Reed, Cedar Park; Tiffany Warner, Tolar; and Chase Woodhouse, Waxahachie. Jun-iors presented the HPU?Servant Leadership Award are Ciera Culpepper, Zephyr; Leah Gon-zalez, San Antonio; Adam Hardy, Corpus Christi; and Katie Riley, Las Cruces, N.M.
• Katrina Fritz-Mills of Telephone was named the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Senior Girl Call-Out. The senior girl call-out has been selected each year since 1947, using the same script each year. The recipient of the award is chosen for Christian character, social conciousness, personal poise, academic achievement and spiritual vision.
Anniversaries
• Craig Windham, 10th, as minister of education and outreach at First Church in Canyon Lake, May 15.
• Tan Flippin, fifth, as minister of education at Parkside Church in Denison, June 26.
• Glenn Scruggs, fifth, as pastor of First Church in Thrall.
• First Church in Slaton, 100th, July 3. Steve Vernon, associate executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, will be the guest speaker. Cleve Kerby is pastor.
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Retiring
• Tommy Billings, after eight years as director of missions of Guadalupe Association, June 30. He previously served as a director of missions in Oklahoma and as a pastor in Oklahoma and Kentucky. Early in his 46-year ministry, he was minister of youth at First Church in Caldwell and pastor of First Church in Christine.
• James Mitchell, after 21 years as pastor of Immanuel Church in San Angelo, June 30. He also served churches in Kansas, Missouri and New Mexico during 45 years of ministry. He will reside in San Angelo and will be available for supply preaching or interims.
Deaths
• Dorothy Parker, 88, May 11 in Abilene. She was a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University, where she was a White Horse rider. Following graduation, she taught music in the Abilene school district 25 years. She was a member of First Church in Abilene 75 years, serving as a deacon since 2002. She taught 3- year-olds in Sunday school 25 years and sang in the church choir 55 years. She served on the HSU alumni board and board of development. She received the school’s Keeter Alumni Service Award in 2004. She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Jimmy; son, David; daughter, Nancy Parker; brothers, Millard and Guy Shaw; and sister, Gerri Weatherby. She is survived by her daughters, Cindy Parker, Susan Montalvo and Elizabeth Parker; son, James; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
• James Pleitz, 82, May 15 in Pensacola, Fla. He retired in 1993 after 17 years as pastor of Park Cities Church in Dallas. Prior to that, he had been pastor of First Church in Pensacola 18 years. After his retirement, he returned to Pensacola. He chaired the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee in 1968-69 and a committee that studied the Cooperative Program unified bud-get plan. He was president of the Florida Baptist Convention 1971-72 and president of the SBC Pastors’ Conference 1974-75. He preached the sermon at the SBC annual meeting in 1983. He also was a trustee and board chairman of the SBC Radio and Television Commission. He served on the boards of trustees at Baylor University and Dallas Baptist University. He was a founding director of Associated Baptist Press in 1990. Prior to serving in Pensacola, he was pastor of two churches in Arkansas. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Margaret, in 2010. He is survived by his son, Dan; daughter, Nancy Hinson; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
• Glenn Murray, 85, May 16 in Newport. A U.S. Air Force World War II veteran, he was a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University and Southwestern Seminary. He served several Texas churches in music and education ministry. He was preceded in death by his son, Robert; brothers, Bill and Ben; and sister, Margaret Savage. He is survived by his wife, Lena Sue; son, Ben; daughter, Ann Beardslee; brother, John; and two grandchildren.
Ordained
• Tasha Gibson to the ministry at Wilshire Church in Dallas.
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