Obituaries: June 2007
Jim Lee Beyer
Jim Lee Beyer, 67, died April 17 in Georgetown, Texas. He was a minister for churches in Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana and was a family counselor for 33 years. He was chairman of the social work department at Lubbock Christian University in Texas until 1995.
Survivors include his wife, Louise, two daughters, two sons and 10 grandchildren.
Richard Chastain
Richard Chastain, 67, died April 29. He was an audio technician for Abilene Christian University in Texas. He was minister for the Central church in Abilene for 11 years. Survivors include his wife, Rita, a daughter, a son, eight grandchildren and three brothers.
Claudette Dills
Claudette Patten Dills, 67, died April 21. She was a member of the Edmond, Okla., church and was a founding member of UR Special Ministries, an outreach ministry for the needy. Survivors include her husband of 47 years, Harold, a daugher, two sons, six grandchildren and two sisters.
Oran Rush Keirn
Oran Rush Keirn, 81, died April 27. He was a member of the Turnpike church in Grand Prairie, Texas. In 1974 he moved to Kalomo, Zambia, to manage a 6,000-acre cattle ranch for Namwianga Christian School. He also served as a missionary and instructor at the school.
He was preceded in death by a brother. Survivors include two brothers and several nieces and nephews.
Wyatt Kirk
Wyatt L. Kirk, 87, died April 16 in Bossier City, La. He was a minister for 57 years, serving churches in Kansas and Louisiana. He retired from the Airline Drive church in Bossier City. Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Pauline, a son, a daughter, a grandson and a step-granddaughter.
K. Jaya Kumar
Jaya, wife of Indian minister K.G. Kumar, died April 7 in a traffic accident in Vijayawada, India. She was 51. Raised in a Hindu family, she was baptized by missionary Carl Hutchison. She spoke at many women’s lectureships in India and translated books on faith into the Telegu language. She was a member of the church in Kakinada, India, where her husband directs a preaching school.
Survivors include her husband of 28 years, a son and a daughter.
Harold M. Luke
Harold Marion Luke, 90, died April 27 in Hastings, Neb. He was the owner of World Wide Tape Service and supplied tape to missionaries around the world. He was an elder and served on the board of the Nebraska Youth Camp at Kearney. He was preceded in death by two brothers and two sisters. Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Muriel, a daughter, five sons, 16 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, two brothers and four sisters.
Johnny Perkins
John Eugene “Johnny” Perkins, 54, died April 25 from complications following heart surgery in Fort Worth, Texas. He was a professional football player for the New York Giants, catching 163 passes in his seven-year career. He was a graduate of Abilene Christian University in Texas and a member of the Granbury, Texas, church. Survivors include his wife, Debra, a daughter and two sons.
Holbert Rideout
Holbert Leon Rideout, 82, died Jan. 30 in Abilene, Texas. He taught Bible at Abilene Christian University, where he served for more than 40 years.
He preached for churches in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas and was a member of the University church in Abilene. Survivors include his wife, Stella, four sons, two daughters, 15 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, a brother and two sisters.
Camille Mickey Rhoads
Camille Mickey Rhoads, 47, died April 14 in North Carolina after a brief battle with cancer. She was a marriage and family therapist and taught in Greenville, S.C., public schools and Cabarrus County schools in North Carolina. A memorial service was held at the Highland church in Abilene, Texas. Survivors include her husband, Bill, a daughter, her parents, three sisters and a grandmother.
Alessandra Christine Skanes
Alessandra Christine Skanes, 34, of Jefferson City, Mo., died Dec. 26. The child of misionaries to Brazil, Ronald and Marina Duncan, she was a member of the Fairgrounds Road church in Troy, Mo.
Survivors include her husband, Phillip, a daughter, a son, her parents and a brother.
Jim Lee Beyer, 67, died April 17 in Georgetown, Texas. He was a minister for churches in Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana and was a family counselor for 33 years. He was chairman of the social work department at Lubbock Christian University in Texas until 1995.
Survivors include his wife, Louise, two daughters, two sons and 10 grandchildren.
Richard Chastain
Richard Chastain, 67, died April 29. He was an audio technician for Abilene Christian University in Texas. He was minister for the Central church in Abilene for 11 years. Survivors include his wife, Rita, a daughter, a son, eight grandchildren and three brothers.
Claudette Dills
Claudette Patten Dills, 67, died April 21. She was a member of the Edmond, Okla., church and was a founding member of UR Special Ministries, an outreach ministry for the needy. Survivors include her husband of 47 years, Harold, a daugher, two sons, six grandchildren and two sisters.
Oran Rush Keirn
Oran Rush Keirn, 81, died April 27. He was a member of the Turnpike church in Grand Prairie, Texas. In 1974 he moved to Kalomo, Zambia, to manage a 6,000-acre cattle ranch for Namwianga Christian School. He also served as a missionary and instructor at the school.
He was preceded in death by a brother. Survivors include two brothers and several nieces and nephews.
Wyatt Kirk
Wyatt L. Kirk, 87, died April 16 in Bossier City, La. He was a minister for 57 years, serving churches in Kansas and Louisiana. He retired from the Airline Drive church in Bossier City. Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Pauline, a son, a daughter, a grandson and a step-granddaughter.
K. Jaya Kumar
Jaya, wife of Indian minister K.G. Kumar, died April 7 in a traffic accident in Vijayawada, India. She was 51. Raised in a Hindu family, she was baptized by missionary Carl Hutchison. She spoke at many women’s lectureships in India and translated books on faith into the Telegu language. She was a member of the church in Kakinada, India, where her husband directs a preaching school.
Survivors include her husband of 28 years, a son and a daughter.
Harold M. Luke
Harold Marion Luke, 90, died April 27 in Hastings, Neb. He was the owner of World Wide Tape Service and supplied tape to missionaries around the world. He was an elder and served on the board of the Nebraska Youth Camp at Kearney. He was preceded in death by two brothers and two sisters. Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Muriel, a daughter, five sons, 16 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, two brothers and four sisters.
Johnny Perkins
John Eugene “Johnny” Perkins, 54, died April 25 from complications following heart surgery in Fort Worth, Texas. He was a professional football player for the New York Giants, catching 163 passes in his seven-year career. He was a graduate of Abilene Christian University in Texas and a member of the Granbury, Texas, church. Survivors include his wife, Debra, a daughter and two sons.
Holbert Rideout
Holbert Leon Rideout, 82, died Jan. 30 in Abilene, Texas. He taught Bible at Abilene Christian University, where he served for more than 40 years.
He preached for churches in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas and was a member of the University church in Abilene. Survivors include his wife, Stella, four sons, two daughters, 15 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, a brother and two sisters.
Camille Mickey Rhoads
Camille Mickey Rhoads, 47, died April 14 in North Carolina after a brief battle with cancer. She was a marriage and family therapist and taught in Greenville, S.C., public schools and Cabarrus County schools in North Carolina. A memorial service was held at the Highland church in Abilene, Texas. Survivors include her husband, Bill, a daughter, her parents, three sisters and a grandmother.
Alessandra Christine Skanes
Alessandra Christine Skanes, 34, of Jefferson City, Mo., died Dec. 26. The child of misionaries to Brazil, Ronald and Marina Duncan, she was a member of the Fairgrounds Road church in Troy, Mo.
Survivors include her husband, Phillip, a daughter, a son, her parents and a brother.
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