Lois Eugenia Langley

Lois H. Langley went home to be with her Lord on Thursday evening, Feb. 9, 2017, at the age of 102. Lois Eugenia Henson was born to William Eugene and Minnie Mary Henson on Sept. 30, 1914, in Abilene, Texas, the family having moved there from New Mexico by covered wagon for Lois's father to attend seminary at Simmons College, now Hardin Simmons University. The family relocated back to New Mexico after the college years where Lois's father became the first Southern Baptist Home Missionary to the new state of New Mexico, riding by horseback between three small, clapboard churches. Lois's early years, during some of which the family lived in a half-dugout, centered on those tiny churches and working with her father in early ministry. Her jobs included sweeping, stoking potbellied stoves and teaching herself to play on old, upright pianos. Following high school graduation from Mountainaire, NM, Lois taught in a one room schoolhouse for a couple of years before coming to Texas Technological College in 1935. She finished her degree in 1938, majoring in Spanish in hopes of one day going to the mission field. She graduated with honors, inducted into the Alpha Chi Honorary Society. Continuing her church work, Lois worked for First Baptist Church in Lubbock where she met Edward Earl Langley, marrying him on Oct. 10, 1941, just two months before Pearl Harbor and his deployment to the Atlantic theatre. Over the next four tumultuous years, Lois and Earl saw each other only a couple of times. Lois continued a lifelong career of church work, serving at Arnett Benson Baptist Church as secretary and, later, Educational Director. While later attending Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Lois served as a secretary in the Southern Baptist Associational Office in Lubbock. Lois and Earl moved to Plainview, Texas upon his retirement from Sears Roebuck. There, Lois worked for First Baptist Church until she and Earl chose to fulfill her lifelong dream of entering international missions service. In 1970, Lois and Earl moved to Taichung, Taiwan where they worked for Morrison Christian Academy. Within a couple of years, they branched out into fulltime evangelism, teaching English as a second language to college students, medical students, prisoners and members of the diplomatic corps. Lois and Earl retired in 1980 returning to Lubbock. They started a Chinese Bible class near Texas Tech that evolved into the Lubbock Chinese church. Lois also worked for the Love Incorporated Prison Ministry, finally able to use her Spanish major from college, writing letters and answering Bible study questions from inmates. Returning to their home church, now Redbud Baptist Church, both Lois and Earl continued to serve there for many years, Lois teaching her Sunday school class until she was 95 years old. In Lois's retirement years, she published three books, Nest Stirrings, We Faint Not and All About Jesus. During those thirty plus years, Lois also maintained a devotional blog that went to over 400 addresses, locally to internationally. Her Southern Baptist Sunday School commentaries were posted by a son in Montana and utilized by over a 1,000 people weekly. One of her favorite quotes was, There is no retirement in the Kingdom of God. She truly lived her own words. Lois was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Edward Earl Langley; her parents; all seven of her siblings; one great-grandson, Tyler Moses Langley; and son-in-law, Malcolm Garrett, Jr. She is survived by three children: sons, Edward Philip Langley, and wife, Judy; Mark Alan Langley, and wife, Lauretta; and daughter, Marilyn Langley Garrett. She is also survived by seven grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren: Greg Langley, and wife, Amy; daughters, Keri, and husband, David McBride; Laura; and stepdaughter, Alexa Chapman; Matt Garrett, and wife, Courtney, and children, Austin and Mason; Anthony Langley, and wife, Kim, and children, Christa, Cora, Thane and Lance; Jeremy Langley, and wife, April, and sons, D.J., Ethan, Isaac, Caleb and Hudson; Dr. Melissa Garrett and husband, Dr. Brad Zeithamel, daughter, Harper, and stepsons, Adam and Seth Zeithamel; Jonathan Langley, and wife, Laura, and children, Keely and Jadon; Aaron Langley and wife, Lori, and children, Peyton, Adree and Tyler (deceased). The theme of Lois's life was the longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows. Her commitment to Jesus Christ was the highlight and driving force of all she did. Her career paths were all in Christian ministry. All three of her children have followed her example of lifelong Christian service, resulting in a tremendous Christian legacy for the whole family and for the Kingdom of God.

Online contributions may be offered at: www.resthavenfuneralhome.com

Arrangements under the direction of Resthaven Funeral Home & Memorial Park, Lubbock, TX.