Rodney H. Masteller

Dr. Rodney Harold Masteller passed away from complications of COVID 19 on Sunday, December 13, 2020. His loving wife and daughters were able to be by his side when he left this earth for his home in heaven. Rod grew up with his older sister, Karen in Kansas City, MO where he played football and basketball.

His father was in the Navy when he was born and didn’t meet him until he was several months old. Rod met the love of his life, Linda Jines, when he attended Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO. They married and he finished his BA degree. He knew God had called him into the ministry so with everything they owned in a Uhaul trailer, they moved to Ft. Worth, TX where he attended Seminary. He accepted his first full-time pastorate position at Westwood Baptist Church in Waco, TX. In the following years Rod pastored the First Baptist Church of Harrah, OK, First Baptist Church of Jenks, OK and Putnam City Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, OK. He spent 1 year as a Vice President with John Maxwell’s Injoy Stewardship Services in Georgia. Missing the pastorate, he accepted the call as Senior Pastor of Summer Grove Baptist Church in Shreveport, LA where he officially retired in 2011 after 13 years. He then enjoyed serving 2 years as head of the Joseph Willis Institute for Great Spiritual Awakenings and Ambassador for the Caskey School of Divinity with Louisiana College in Pineville, LA. He also served as Interim pastor of churches in TX. Preaching the Word was his passion.

Rod received his Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Seminary and Honorary Doctorates; Dr. of Sacred Theology from Southwest Baptist University, Dr. of Humanities from Louisiana Baptist University and Dr. of Divinity from California Graduate School of Theology. Over the years, Rod served as President of two State Conventions, Oklahoma and Louisiana as well as serving on various boards and agencies.

More than anything, Rod loved his family so he and Linda moved to Frisco, TX to be near near 3 of his 4 girls and their families. He hardly ever missed a ballgame or event and was able to help marry both of his oldest granddaughters. Mentoring his grandchildren was one of the most important priorities in his last years. He loved playing golf with his friends and playing card games with Linda.

Rod is preceded in death by his parents, Herschel Masteller and Thelma Masteller Vetter and is survived by his wife, Linda of 53 years.; his daughters, Michelle Gage and husband Rodney of Orlando, FL, Kimberly Welch and husband Ryan of Coppell, TX, Crystal Gornto and husband Scott of Frisco, TX and Heather Oathout and husband Brian of Prosper, TX. He leaves behind 11 grandchildren who called him “Pepaw”: Rebecca Patti, Ashlyn Segur, Luke Gage, Sophia, Ben and Beau Welch, Noah and Oakley Gornto and Isabelle, Grace and Carter Oathout. He is also survived by his only sister, Karen Duncan of Hot Spring, AR.