John Edward Witte

John Edward Witte, formerly of Temple, Texas, passed on to eternity on May 5, 2026, in Texarkana, Texas, at the age of 94 following a short illness. He was born in Athens, Texas, to Benjamin and Vallie Mae Witte on February 23, 1932. He was born again and became a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ as a young man in Yoakum, Texas. John began pastoring the Hope Baptist Church in Hope, Texas, at the age of eighteen. He married Mary Jean Foxell on August 31, 1953. John received his formal education from Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Together, they served multiple Southern Baptist churches and associations of churches in Texas. Service roles for many years also included church planting for Texas Baptists and for the Southern Baptist Convention Home Mission Board in Ohio as well as Executive Director of Union Baptist Association in Houston and mission trips abroad. John enjoyed teaching New Testament Religion at Mary Hardin Baylor University and interim pastoring in the latter 14 years of his long service.

John’s greatest passion in life was fulfilling his call to ministry. More often than not, he worked 80 hours a week studying, praying, teaching, preaching, pastoring, and organizing churches for witnessing and ministry. He was the epitome of the biblical term “godliness.” He was loyal to God at any cost. Even to those helping him in his last days of illness, John joyfully shared the gospel and reflected the love of Jesus Christ. He loved his wife, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren to the very end of his life on this earth.

John was preceded in death by his parents, his brother and two sisters. He is survived by his wife of nearly 73 years, Mary Jean Witte, his daughter Pamela Brown and her husband, Dr. Stephen Brown, and his son John Byron Witte and his wife, Linda Witte. John was blessed by his eight grandchildren: Adam Brown (Hannah Fries), Dr. Matthew Brown (Ashley Brown), Emily Brown, Alicia Holdridge (Michael Holdridge), Jessica Samudio (Damon Samudio), Jordan Smith (Matt Smith), Severin Stowers (Trevor Stowers), Benjamin Witte (Dr. Audrey Witte), and thirteen great-grandchildren.

John was generous in his giving. He gave regularly in his later life to The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Voice of the Martyrs, and Jews for Jesus. In the leu of flowers, the family encourages you to make a contribution to any of these organizations, if you wish.

A private memorial service is planned for a later date.

Condolences may be left at www.eastfuneralhome.com