News Articles in Obituaries

DALLAS (BP)--Southern Baptist leaders with ties to First Baptist Church in Dallas offered remembrances of W.A. Criswell, recounting his leadership, vision and influence before a crowd of 2,700 gathered for the Jan. 16 memorial service.

      DALLAS (BP)--W.A. Criswell was a legendary Texas Baptist pastor who influenced a generation of Southern Baptist preachers to preach confidently and faithfully the Word of God and those who knew him said he was a "giant of the land."
      Criswell, longtime pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas and founder of Criswell College, died in the early morning hours of Jan. 10 in a private residence. He was 92.
      He served as pastor of one of the nation's largest Southern Baptist congregations from 1944 until 1991 when he was given the title of senior pastor. He had held the title of pastor emeritus since 1994.

ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. (BP)--Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee Secretary Ann Frazier died Jan. 1 after fighting a 10-year battle with cancer. She was 64.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Fes Robertson, retired director of the former Genevox Music Group at LifeWay Christian Resources, died Monday, Dec. 31, following injuries he sustained in a fall at his home on Christmas Eve. He was 67.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--A small-town Southern Baptist pastor, his wife, and two small children were killed Jan. 1 when a dead tree fell on top of their car, crushing the passenger compartment.

MANILA, Philippines (BP)--Jack Branan, a Southern Baptist missionary in the Philippines, died Dec. 12 of organ system failures and complications following surgery for diverticulitis. He was 63.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--J. Harold Smith, one of the Southern Baptist Convention's greatest evangelists, suffered a heart attack and died Nov. 13 in a Knoxville, Tenn., hospital. He was 91 years old.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (BP)--E.S. "Andy" Anderson, author and creator of the Sunday school-oriented Growth Spiral Program, died Oct. 31 in Fort Myers, Fla. He had been in a coma since suffering a cerebral hemorrhage May 15. He was 74.

GRACEVILLE, Fla. (BP)--Faculty and students of The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville continue in mourning after three members of a ministry team were killed Sept. 24 in an accident in the college van on Interstate 10 about 30 miles southeast of the campus.

IRVING, Texas (BP)--Ron Dunn, a Bible teacher and former Southern Baptist pastor, died June 29 in Irving, Texas, following a yearlong illness. He was 64.