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In MemoriamLev Prichard III, ABC
(April 7, 2009)
Lev Prichard was a generous and gracious man. He consistently helped
people and organizations. Yet he always gave humbly, quietly, and
without fanfare. In fact, he often insisted that his gifts be
confidential and was not at all pleased if his kindness became common
knowledge. His priorities were education, meeting human need, and, most
importantly, the work of the Kingdom of our Lord. He and his beloved
wife, Ella, have been supportive of so many worthy causes through the
years.
A great many of us owe more to this gracious and giving family than we
can ever adequately express. When I was his pastor at First Baptist
Church of Corpus Christi, Lev believed my wife and daughters needed
better transportation than our seriously used 1985 Caprice station
wagon. So he secretively provided a new vehicle for us that became our
"family van," a part of so many of our meaningful family stories. We
still relive those moments when we're together, and in many ways it was
made possible by Lev's kind generosity toward my family and me.
Lev faced the illness that took his life with energy, optimism, and
courage. He worked at getting better until the last day of his life.
All who knew Lev will miss him. He leaves a legacy of faith,
generosity, and love that will stand the test of time.
Dr. Paul Armes '71
President, Wayland Baptist University
Plainview
Margaret Gilder Nesbitt, att. '35-36
(March 5, 2009)
Margaret was fifteen years younger than my mother (Bessie Earle
Jackson) and ten years older than me, so she seemed more like my older
sister than my aunt. When I was nine, she lived next door, and I was
just the right age to babysit her children—Nancy, Mary Margaret, and
Bill. We had some great times, and I know some secrets that they hope I
won't tell. She was the one I turned to growing up. She taught me to
roll my hair and other beauty secrets, and her expression was "beauty
knows no pain."
Margaret was active in Gatesville's First Baptist Church and later
Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco. For many years, she taught a
young women's Sunday school class in Gatesville. She really enjoyed
being the director of South Russell Hall. She loved the girls—many of
whom she kept up with after they graduated—and they loved her back.
And she loved Lammes Candies Texas Chewies, a special candy that wasn't
available for purchase everywhere. She was known sometimes to hide them
so they would last, but when she got low she would call me for a new
stash.
Margaret was a very special aunt, and I will miss her.
Hallie Jo Jackson Reesing '49
San Antonio
Spencer Brown '43
(April 12, 2009)
When you look at the history of Waco and start to identify the
individuals who made a substantial difference in really making Waco a
better place to live, you think of William Cameron and Madison Cooper.
And, yes, you have to put Spencer Brown in that same group. He was
responsible for improving the lives of Wacoans both in economic and
cultural aspects.
Everyone needs to have a mentor to help mold his or her life and
business. Early on in my life, I discovered Spencer Brown was a great
mentor, and he served that role all during our long friendship. I
relied upon his guidance in many of my business transactions. Many
times I could just stop by the bank and visit with him, and a lot of
times I would just run an idea by him. I always knew that if I followed
his advice, I couldn't go wrong.
He had another side to him that grew out of his membership in the Nose
Brotherhood at Baylor—a sense of humor that was quite admirable.
Spencer had so many fine attributes, and he will always be remembered for the positive changes he made for his community.
Jim Hawkins '58
Waco
Harold Reeves '48
(February 3, 2009)
We will always thank God for the sacrificial service made to share the
gospel with the Thai people from the first day Harold Reeves came to
Thailand in 1952 until the present day. He was a faithful church
planter whom God used to start two churches. Today, Harold's labor of
love has grown to nearly one hundred churches that, together, make up
the Thailand Baptist Convention.
We will remember Harold as a dedicated missionary and founder of the
Baptist Student Center. God worked through Harold and his wife, Rose,
to share the gospel with hundreds of students. Their commitment to sow
the seeds of the gospel has multiplied so much that the Baptist Student
Center now teaches thousands of students every term and sees students
come to faith in Christ every week.
As we reflect on more than fifty years of Southern Baptist missionary
work in Thailand, we realize that God used great men like Harold Reeves
to start new churches and ministries, and, ultimately, impact countless
lives for Christ.
Thongchai Pradabchananurat
Director, Baptist Student Center
President, Thailand Baptist Convention
Bangkok, Thailand
Ed Brawner '55
(April 2, 2009)
I was at my office when I got the call that Ed Brawner had passed away
peacefully in the night. I collected several photos of Ed at various
Baylor functions and placed them side by side on my desk. In them all,
Ed was smiling and wearing something green or gold, honoring his
beloved alma mater.
He was given some gifts that most of us were never blessed
with—brilliance, clarity, and an incredible sense of humor. He was a
one-man walking, talking Google, the kind of person that friends would
call to get his take on any subject. And "Big Ed" had lots of friends
from all stations of life. He was never arrogant, never proud, always a
welcome addition anywhere.
In 2002, when Ed was about to die, several of us got together and
formed the Ed Brawner Endowed Athletic Scholarship Fund. He survived
that brush with death, and I always kidded him that several donors
stopped payment on their checks. Well, the fund is still in place, and
I think Ed would be honored if you contributed to it. Ed, we love you,
we miss you, and we will never forget you.
John M. Sutton '77
Houston
Kyle Woods, Class of '83
(April 2, 2009)
Kyle Woods received a catastrophic injury to his spinal cord in late
August of 1979, when his helmet struck another helmet, and he
instantaneously became a quadriplegic. But as Robert Holt, his teammate
and longtime friend, said, "Only Kyle's body was paralyzed. His heart
and his mind were always full speed—thinking and caring about others."
At the 1979 Peach Bowl, four months after his injury, Kyle told the
team, "You may give out, but never give in." The team came from behind
in the fourth quarter to beat the next year's National Championship
team, Clemson University.
After Baylor had suffered a devastating loss in 1980 to San Jose State,
Kyle told them, "Turn a setback into a comeback." They knew what he was
talking about—he had used the setback in his life as a positive force
for himself and countless others. That day on national television, the
team beat Arkansas by more than forty points and went on to win the
Southwest Conference championship by a whopping three games.
For thirty years, Kyle's coaches, teammates, and Baylor family loved
and watched over him. Just a year ago, he moved into a beautiful home
that I had promised him years before. It struck me as I spoke at his
funeral that now he was a recipient of a greater promise, when Jesus
said, "I go to prepare a place for you, for in my Father's house are
many mansions."
Kyle was an inspiration to us all.
Grant Teaff
Waco
"In Memoriam" provides members of the
Baylor family the opportunity to remember the lives of Baylor faculty,
alumni, and friends. Send your contribution (no more than three hundred
words; please include your name, address, and class year if applicable)
to Lisa@BaylorAlumniAssociation.com or to the Baylor Line, One Bear Place #97116, Waco, TX 76798-7116. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity.
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