Obituary: Darold H. Morgan

Darold H. Morgan, longtime Baptist pastor and denominational leader, died Dec. 11. He was 95. He was born Aug. 5, 1924, in Coffeyville, Kan., and grew up in Kansas, Spokane, Wash., and Fort Worth. He felt called to the gospel ministry at age 16 and went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Hardin-Simmons University and his master’s and doctorate degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also completed post-doctoral studies at Oxford University and the University of Oklahoma. He received honorary doctorates from his alma mater, Hardin-Simmons, as well as Dallas Baptist University. Morgan was pastor of churches in Texas and Alabama, the most recent being Cliff Temple Baptist Church in Dallas. In 1971, he was elected as president and CEO of the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (now GuideStone Financial Resources), where he served until he retired in 1990. In retirement, he continued to serve as an interim pastor for numerous churches, taught graduate courses at three universities, and provided leadership in various church and denominational initiatives. He also was influential in supporting the Hawaii Baptist Academy in Honolulu, along with other Baptist mission and educational organizations around the world. He was a long-time member of First Baptist Church in Richardson, where he served as interim pastor on three occasions and taught the same Sunday School class more than 40 years. He was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Elizabeth, in 2015. He is survived by his children and their spouses, Tim and Jane Morgan of Dallas, Marshall and Debbie Morgan of Odessa, and Julie and Billy Reynolds of Celeste; 9 grandchildren; and 12 great grandchildren. Visitation is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 15 at Restland Funeral Home, 13005 Greenville Ave. in Dallas. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Dec. 16 at First Baptist Church in Richardson. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hawaii Baptist Academy in Honolulu.