Joe Vernon, a Texas Baptist pastor more than four decades, died Dec. 20 in Beeville. He was 91. He was born March 22, 1931, in Petersburg to William Morris Vernon and Vera Lucile (Truitt) Vernon. After graduating from Brownfield High School, where he was the salutatorian and participated in all sports, he went to Hardin-Simmons University to earn an undergraduate degree in English and religion. While a student at HSU, he met Emma Jo Goodson. They married Aug. 16, 1952, in Midway, near Lamesa. After he graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1953, the Vernons moved to Midway where he became pastor of his wife’s home church. Over the course of 43 years, he was pastor of Texas Baptist churches in Midway, Menard, Canadian, Post, White Settlement, Earth and Rotan, as well as Lovington, N.M. Vernon was preceded in death in November 2019 by his wife of 67 years, Emma Jo Vernon, as well as by his sisters, Hazel Zorns and Ruth Scarborough. He is survived by daughter Sarah McKinney and husband Ellis of Beeville; son David Vernon and wife Susanna of Round Rock; daughter Rachel Hoff and husband Ronnie of Three Rivers; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren, with two more expected in the near future. Visitation with the family is scheduled at 1 p.m. on Dec. 22 at First Baptist Church in Beeville. The memorial service follows at the same location at 2 p.m.
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