He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Voyce Halford; parents Ella Mae and AJ; sister Patricia; brothers Billy Ray and Jimmy; and his great grandsons Oliver and Jaxon.
He is survived by his sister, Carolyn McKenzie; his 3 daughters and their husbands, Terry and Larry Singletary, Becky and Rey Coronado, and Susan and Mike Gipson. He is survived by 8 grandchildren, Jennifer, Ray Jr, Andrew, Rachael, Laura, Troy, Jackie and Mathew. He is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren, Daniel, Abbie, Lilyan, Sarah, Ethen, Karlie, Augustus, Annabelle, Nevin and Baby Gipson.
Doug had some seriously chaotic times in his early life. He spent a great deal of time on the streets of Dallas, TX as a runaway before his momma got a job as cook at Buckner’s Orphanage where she begged them to take Doug and Carolyn on as orphans there. It was there that he met Voyce who was also an orphan. They both graduated in 1955 and were shortly, thereafter, married.
Encouraged by Voyce, he joined the United States Air Force where he served in the JAG office at Altus, Oklahoma; Salina, Kansas; Guam; Minot, North Dakota; Wichita Falls, TX; and then finally Randolph AFB in San Antonio, TX. He also served 2 isolated tours of duty in Korea and Vietnam.
During that time, Voyce and he devotedly and lovingly raised the family that they never had. They were a supreme model of commitment and fortitude through their life and each daughter has taken hold of that to marry good men and have been united to that one man each one for over 40 years in marriage. Larry and Terry – Rey and Becky – Mike and Susan.
While in the service, Doug began to sense the calling of God on his life to the pastoral ministry doing lay preaching in churches in Guam, Minot, Wichita Falls and San Antonio. When he retired from the military in 1978 and the girls were grown and married, he began to pastor in various churches around the area. He was the founding pastor of Cibolo Valley Baptist Church. He pastored Lovera Baptist Church and Faith Baptist Church. He married, buried and ministered to many people in this area for over 40 years.
He passionately loved Voyce through over 60 years of marriage including 15 years of memory care at two nursing homes until her death in 2009 during which he began his retirement at Graceland Assisted Living which is now called Sodalis located on Nacogdoches Rd in Garden Ridge. During this time, he joined Everyday Christian Fellowship and spent many years greeting and loving on people walking in the door every Sunday Morning until he couldn’t. He loved his life there and continued his ministry to others in Sodalis including the residents and staff until he moved his home to Heaven.
Flowers are welcome! Everyday Christian Fellowship, 950 Everyday Way, Cibolo, TX 78108
Please consider donations to the Doug Halford Memorial FXTAS Fund at the UC Davis MIND Institute. Checks, made payable to UC Davis Foundation with Doug Halford Memorial FXTAS Fund written in the memo line, can be mailed to: UC Davis Advancement Services, 202 Cousteau Place #185, Davis, CA 95618.
You may also give online at https://give.ucdavis.edu/MIND/324696 . A direct link is included in the Donations section, below.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.colonialuniversal.com for the Halford family.