Dean Blackwell memorial service: 
A true pastor and dedicated servant

By Sonny Parsons
Big Sandy pastor

BIG SANDY, Texas—Dean Blackwell, the first pastor of the Big Sandy church in 1953, was remembered in a memorial service on Sunday, May 4, at the New Beginnings Christian Fellowship sanctuary in Big Sandy.

The hall was filled to capacity as friends and relatives thought back on the life and times of Mr. Blackwell. Carn Catherwood, district superintendent, officiated. Mr. Blackwell was remembered as a loving, caring, family man who lived and studied God’s Word.

Carn Catherwood conducts memorial service.

This is the 50th anniversary of the Big Sandy church, and Mr. Blackwell played a significant part in its inception. Jim Blackwell, a nephew of Mr. Blackwell, told of his uncle’s love and the fond memories the family has of Mr. Blackwell and his wife, Maxine, who died only four months earlier.

Dan Rogers, superintendent of U.S. ministers, spoke of Mr. Blackwell as a true pastor whom God will surely welcome with, "Well done, you good and faithful servant." Mr. Catherwood read a letter from Mr. Blackwell’s sister, Bonnie Hughes, as she remembered him in thought and words. She said he was always known as Bob to the family.

A choral group sang some favorite songs, and Glenn Roberson sang a special rendition in memory of Mr. Blackwell. Lois and Rick Peterson led an instrumental group made up of Bill Stenger, Lee Pettijohn and others.

Choral group at Dean Blackwell’s funeral.

Representing denominational headquarters in Pasadena were Joseph Tkach, Randal Dick, Herman Hoeh, Curtis May and Mat Morgan.

After the service, those in attendance had a time of fellowship and refreshments. Friends, acquaintances and family reminisced about the lifetime of a true servant and man of God.

         
Joseph Tkach talking with others in           Herman Hoeh (left) at Dean Blackwell's funeral.
attendance at Dean Blackwell’s funeral.

Following are tributes to Mr. Blackwell:

My (Jim Friddle’s) mother and Dean’s father were brother and sister. We were together a lot when we were growing up. Dean was like a brother that I never had. I am seven years older than Dean and remember when he was born.

I introduced Dean to Herbert W. Armstrong in 1952 in Gladewater, Texas. I had been listening to Mr. Armstrong on the radio, and so had he, but neither of us knew the other was hearing him.

At that time Dean wanted to become a minister. In the fall of 1952 he began attending Ambassador College. I began attending in the fall of 1953. We spent many happy hours together during our years in the ministry and always remained close. My wife, Marge, and I always looked forward to being with Dean and Maxine.

Dean was an incredibly kind and generous person, who always saw the good in other people. In all of our association together I never heard him criticize or talk against other people. He loved what he did. He loved teaching and helping others understand more about God. God saw to it that Dean’s desire to become a minister was fulfilled. He inspired thousands of people through the years in many areas of the world. God’s Holy Spirit was working in him mightily.

Our family will miss him very much—and many others will as well.

Jim and Marge Friddle
Concord, North Carolina

My first introduction to Dean Blackwell was in Big Sandy, Texas, in the mid-’60s hearing him boom out powerful sermons at the festivals. This was part of my earliest experience with the Worldwide Church of God.

During my time at Ambassador College in Pasadena, Dean taught me the value of books and a great love for them. He regularly took groups of us students to used bookstores "for the hunt of rare treasures." He taught us how to recognize rare and valuable books.

He became a good friend of our entire family. He had the unique ability to relate to people of all ages. He was a friend to my wife, Jannice, and me as well as our children.

We will miss him and Maxine dearly.

Curtis May
Director, Office of Reconciliation Ministries

Like so many people, Joan and I are blessed to have known Dean and Maxine as good friends. These were friends of our youth, thus making our memories so sweet and intense. And we are twice blessed to have known them as friends in our maturity, and those memories will sustain us.

John and Joan Basinger
Dallas, Texas

I will never forget the night I met Mr. Blackwell. It was the Ambassador College mixer in Big Sandy, and we were all dressed up. It was supposed to be exciting, but it happened to fall on the first anniversary of my dad’s death (I lost my mom earlier), and I was so mixed up inside. I just wanted to go end it all, like I had tried twice already in my life.

I was getting ready to leave, but up walks Mr. Blackwell and Dr. Lynn Torrance, the registrar. Dr. Torrance said, "Dean, I want you to meet someone," pointing to me. I had never met either of these men and did not know who they were.

Dr. Torrance said: "This little girl almost got in without me checking into her transcripts. I saw her bio and her smile and just knew she had to be an AC’er, so I threw her into the ‘in’ basket." He smiled and put his hand on my shoulder and then laughed and said, "But I knew that wouldn’t do, so I read her transcripts, realized I was right the first time and threw her back in." They were both smiling, which made me smile, and feel a little better.

Then Dr. Torrance said: "Dean, this little girl has been through a lot. She has lost both her parents, and her dad was just a year ago." Mr. Blackwell looked at me with such compassion, which was truly a rare if nonexistent thing in my life, gave me a huge bear hug and said, "Well, I’ll be your dad from now on."

I will be forever grateful God sent them over to me that evening. It was the beginning of a healing that has taken about 25 more years to come all the way through.

When I just hear the name Blackwell, I tear up for joy. It is a profoundly meaningful name in my life and represents healing.

Cindy Richey Bresaw
Canton, Ohio

I always considered Mr. Blackwell to be one of the church "celebrities"—one of those people you and thousands of others heard at the festival but someone you didn’t talk to one-on-one. I was wrong.

I got to know Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell a couple of years ago during their periodic visits to the Big Sandy congregation, which was meeting at that time in Gladewater. They were so easy to talk to. I had just started singing praise and worship music with the music team, and found that Mrs. Blackwell liked our music. I remember loaning her a Darlene Zschech tape!

And Mr. Blackwell loved to discuss the Bible, go over the sermon he had just delivered, or just talk friend to friend. He was genuinely interested in you. He made it easy for you to come up to him and just talk! Both of them will be missed, but their legacy of care and love for every one of us will always be appreciated.

Jerome Ellard
Big Sandy, Texas

Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2003