Hershel Everett Anthony, 90, died on November 29, 2021 in Temple, Texas. He was born May 11, 1931, to the late Lon Anthony and Izada Waldo Anthony in Checotah, Oklahoma. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by three siblings, Opal Lyles, James Anthony and Mary Blackburn.
Everett served in ministry for more than 50 years. After pastoring churches in Missouri and Illinois, he was appointed an SBC Home Mission Board missionary serving as executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Baptist Association from 1978 – 1991. He then served as national director of Metropolitan Missions with the Home Mission Board from 1991-1994.
In later years he served churches through Urban Church Leadership, working into his 80s to help churches thrive.
He was a veteran of the Marine Corps, and a graduate of Oklahoma State University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Nancy Clayton Anthony; daughter Sherri Brown (Greg) of LaGrange, Georgia; and son Gary Anthony (Jan) of Temple, Texas; grandchildren Hannah Brown Bethune (Brian), Chelsea Brown, Jenna Brown, Kylie Anthony, Rachel Anthony Barton (Christopher); and great-nephew Jason Anthony (Theresa). He is also survived by a brother, Charles Anthony of Racine, Wisconsin and a sister, Betty Laramie of Oran, Missouri.
The funeral service will be held on Thursday, December 2, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church, Temple with Dr. Joe Loughlin and Dr. Greg Brown officiating. The family will greet friends after the service.
An interment with the family will be held at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, Texas, at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for any memorial contributions to be made to Music Ministry, First Baptist Church Temple, 8015 W Adams Ave, Temple TX 76502 or to Circles of Troup County, 1220 Lafayette Pkwy., LaGrange, GA 30241.
