Reverend Richard Leland Hume Jr.

Born October 3, 1948, Jerry Wayne Bailey, in a barn crib in Desark Arkansas, Richard (Dick) Leland Hume, Sr. and Patricia (Bettye) Hume adopted him at age 6 and renamed him Richard Leland Hume, Jr. His brothers, John Steven (Steven) Hume and Michael Scott (Mike) Hume, later joined him.

He was raised in love and lived in Malvern, Arkansas, Galveston Texas, and ultimately Sharpstown, Texas where he graduated from high school. He answered a call to ministry in the United Methodist Church (UMC) from his home church Gethsemane UMC in Houston, Texas. He began serving as a student pastor in the Chireno Circuit while attending Stephen F. Austin State University where he met the love of his life Amy Lou Smallwood. His next appointment was the Curtis Circuit and he was serving the Lovelady Circuit when Rick and Amy married December 18, 1971. They both graduated from Sam Houston State University, Amy with a bachelor's degree in accounting magna cum laude and Rick with a bachelor’s degree in history “thank the laude”. Rick went on to attend Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University and completed a master’s degree of sacred theology. He was ordained Deacon in the UMC in 1972 and Elder in 1978. Over 39 years of pastoral ministry he served Diana La Grones Chapel, First UMC Longview as an associate, St. Paul’s UMC (Lufkin), Wesley Foundation at Texas A&M University, First UMC Marlin, Wesley UMC (Longview), Hardy Memorial UMC (Texarkana), League City UMC, Pollard UMC (Tyler), and Bellaire UMC. Even after he stopped serving a full-time appointment, he continued to fill in for other UMC pastors who were on vacation or extended leave until his own health ultimately prevented him from doing so.

Rick was always acutely aware of his humble beginnings and the circumstances of polio in early childhood and health challenges that followed his whole life as a result. His understanding of God's grace in his life and how his circumstances were changed by his adoption into the Hume family and the firm foundations and opportunities it provided him, led him to a life of service. He was known to accept any call from a stranger at a truck stop who needed a place to stay, a tank of gas, or a full belly and who found his number in the white pages and to go to them at any hour of the day or night to see their needs met.

Throughout his ministry, Rick focused on evangelism, not the type that is focused on conversion, but the type that met people where they were and made sure that their basic needs like food, housing, and safety were met. His gospel message and care of the least of these led numerous other people to accept a call to ministry; a legacy that continues today and will continue into the future. In addition to mission and outreach, he loved to preach and teach. His sermons were famous for anecdotes and stories that led to the eternal mortification of his daughters (they survived!). And he mostly made sure to wrap up his sermons in a timely manner so that he and his church members could make it home in time for the Oilers and Cowboys.

Both during his active years of full time pastoral appointment as well as after retirement he served in many leadership roles within the Texas Annual Conference of the UMC including as a member of The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, a member of the Board of Ordained Ministries, Chair of The Commission on Equitable Compensation, and Chair of the Board of Pensions.

Rick was predeceased by his parents, Dick and Bettye Hume, his mother-in-law Lavoice Smallwood, and brother-in-law John Horton. He is survived by his loving wife Amy Hume, his beloved brothers and their wives Steven and Leslie Hume and Mike and Kelly Hume, his daughters and sons-in-law Jennifer and Dave Helgeson and Patricia and Brant Mills, and his beloved grandchildren Cameron and Bailey Mills and Emily and Allison Helgeson. Also surviving are sister-in-law Kathrene Horton, brother-in-law and his wife Johnce and Karen Smallwood, and brother-in-law CDR(Ret) Martin “Buddy” Lansford, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and grand nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, August 6, 2025 from 4pm to 6pm at Bering Memorial United Church of Christ, 1440 Harold Street, Houston Texas, 77006. A memorial service is planned for Thursday August 7, 2025, at 1pm at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 5501 Main Street Houston, Texas 77004. Reception to follow. The memorial service can be livestreamed at https://www.stpaulshouston.org/stream

In lieu of flowers our family asks that you consider donating to causes that serve the people to whom Rick dedicated his ministry: Open Gate at Bering Memorial UCC www.beringopengate.org, Tony’s Place www.tonysplace.org, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) www.umcmission.org/umcor and Houston Food Bank www.houstonfoodbank.org.