Obituaries

Deaths: Joda Hall, Jean Standley, Joe Allbritton, Sherry Easley, Reg Whearley Jr., James Lafferty, Justice Anderson, Mike Toby and Scotty Holland.

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Joda Hall, 97, Oct. 24 in Cypress. She and her husband, Casey, spent 43 of their 58 years of marriage serving Texas Baptist churches as pastor and wife. She is survived by her daughter, Rebecca Riley; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Jean Standley, 84, Dec. 9 in Warren. She taught elementary school in Woodville and Warren 16 years and served alongside her Baptist pastor husband, George, during his 50 years of ministry. She raised African violets, made the best sweet tea and let her grandchildren have as much as they wanted. She is survived by her husband of 65 years; sons, Dale, Royce, Richard and David; daughter, Lynette Wasson; sister, Rita Fountain; 11 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Joe Allbritton, 87, Dec. 12 in Houston. A World War II veteran, he graduated from Baylor University in 1949. He served on the university’s board of trustees from 1959 to 1968 and was a Baylor regent from 1998 to 2001. His financial generosity to the university is evident from the Allbritton House, the home of Baylor presidents since 1974, and the Allbritton Art Institute within Baylor’s art department, which provides educational travel opportunities for students. He also gave to the university’s debate program and Baylor Law School. He and his wife, Barbara, established the Abner McCall Chair in Evidence in the Law School and the Joe L. and Barbara B. Allbritton Endowment Fund in support or the Glenn R. Capp Chair in Forensics to aid Baylor’s recruitment and retention of faculty. In 1974, he received the Baylor Distinguished Alumni Award. The Allbrittons received the Baylor Founders Medallion, the James Huckins Medallion for consistent philanthropy, and the Baylor Legacy Award. The university also honored him with membership in the Golden Bear Circle of the Endowed Scholarship Society, the Judge R.E.B. Baylor Society and the Baylor Old Main Society. He served on the board of advisers for the Baylor University Foundation and was a member of the Baylor Alumni Association’s Heritage Club. He is survived by his wife; son, Robert; and two grandchildren.

Sherry Easley, 58, Dec. 12 in Alvin. She was a teacher in the Santa Fe Independent School District. She was a member of Heights Baptist Church in Alvin, where she taught adult Bible study classes, led children in Vacation Bible School and choirs, and had a passion for anything music-related. She played the guitar and piano, and she sang in the adult choir as well as in other special groups within the church. She is survived by her husband, Charles, pastor of Heights Baptist Church; daughters, Tanya Foley, Rhonda Ellis and Melissa Wyatt; father, James Garner; sister, Janice Culpepper; brothers, Larry and Wayne Garner; and eight grandchildren.

Reg Whearley Jr., 59, Dec. 13 in Angleton. He retired as an operator from Dow Chemical and most recently worked at TDCJ Ramsey I Unit. He also was pastor of Cool Water Cowboy Church in Angleton. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Kathey; son, Hunter; daughter, Kourtney Myers; sisters, Sandra Pokluda and Sharon Renfro; and three grandchildren.

James Lafferty, 85, Dec. 28 in Cameron. He served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II in the Philippines. A graduate of the University of Houston and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he was pastor of churches in Fort Worth, Smithfield, and Tyler and at First Baptist Church of Cameron, where he served from 1963 until 1975. He was interim pastor in New Baden, Calvert and San Gabriel. He was director of missions for FIRM Baptist Area from 1975 until 1992. He also was active in his community, and served as mayor of Cameron. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Doris; sons, Jim and Dale; five grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Justice Anderson, 83, Dec. 29 in Fort Worth. He was a retired pastor, missionary and professor of missions at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Ordained at age 19, he was pastor of churches in Stranger, Osage and Franklin while a seminary student. He served 17 years in Argentina with the International Mission Board, starting churches, teaching at the seminary there and serving in numerous leadership roles. He returned to Southwestern in 1974, leading the World Missions Center 20 years. He wrote numerous articles on missiology and a series of books in Spanish and English, but his major contribution was a history of the worldwide Baptist movement. In retirement, he taught at Dallas Baptist University, B.H. Carroll Institute and Truett Theological Seminary. He also ministered to the Karen refugee community at Agape Baptist Church in Fort Worth. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mary Ann; daughters, Sandi Phillips and Suzie Person; sons, Timothy and Brad; brother, Gene; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Mike Toby, 65, died Dec. 29 in Waco. He was pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodway 35 years. He served on the staff of churches in Louisiana, Florida, Arkansas and Texas. Before he went to Woodway, he was pastor of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Texarkana. He served on the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board and as a trustee of Howard Payne University and Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, among other charitable institutions. He served three times as president of the pastors’ conference of Waco Regional Baptist Association. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Jackie; sons, Josh and Scott; sister, Linda Burchfield; and four grandchildren.

Scotty Holland, 81, Jan. 5 in Houston. A Hardin-Simmons University football letterman, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1951 after North Korean hostilities began. He served as an airborne radio operator aboard a B-25 Mitchell aircraft. His professional career began with Marathon Oil Company and Pennzoil Company. Eventually, Holland guided Pennzoil Exploration and Production Company in the search for hydrocarbons as president and chief executive officer, also serving as group vice president of the parent, Pennzoil Company, before retiring in 1990. He was a recipient of HSU’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1983, as well as being awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree in 1990. He also helped fund the university’s Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics, Holland Medical High School and the future establishment of the Holland School of Health Sciences. He was preceded in death by four siblings. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Jacque Nell; sons, David and Terrence; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.


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