Obituaries: J.T. Elliff, Randy Lofgren

J.T. Elliff, 97, died Dec. 12 in Moore, Okla. He was a longtime pastor, serving churches in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Arizona. He was the founding director of the missions department of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention in the 1960s. J.T. Elliff

He was executive director of Capitol Baptist Association in Oklahoma City from 1971 until his retirement. He was a second-generation pastor who raised three sons who became pastors and a daughter who married a pastor.

Twenty of his grandchildren are pastors, missionaries or the spouse of a pastor. He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Wanda; daughter, Sandy Smith; sons, Tom, Jim and Bill; stepdaughter, Nancy Lanford; stepsons, Don and Steve Jackson; 26 grandchildren; 46 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Randy Lofgren, 74, Dec. 26 in Crawford. A graduate of Baylor University, he was minister of music at Calvary Baptist Church in Waco and choral director at Waco High School. Randy LofgrenIn 1974, he joined the music faculty of Carson Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn., and created and directed a touring musical group. He continued his music ministry at Lakeside Baptist Church in Lakeland, Fla., before moving back to Texas to serve as minister of music at First Baptist Church in Duncanville. He later served as choral director of Duncanville High School. In 1988, he began his association with Baylor University as an administrator. He retired in May 2014 as associate vice president of constituent management after 26 years of service. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jeanine; daughter, Wendy Smith; son, Kevin; sister, Karla Davis; and six grandchildren.