The Rev. Jesse Monroe Lunsford went home to be with the Lord on August 28, 2006. Rev. Lunsford was a resident of the Buckner Villas Retirement Community on Austin, Texas. He was born on March 1, l910 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He was preceeded in death by his beloved wife of thirty-seven years, Ethel Davis Lunsford. He was also preceded in death by his parents Jesse Leon and Gertrude Spruell Lunsford; his older brother Leon Lunsford; his infant daughter Jessica Lunsford; and his granddaughter Ami Lunsford. In 1974 Rev. Lunsford was blessed to marry Lois Parker Rowland who also preceded him in death on August 17, 2006. He is survived by his three sons Robert L. Lunsford of Farmington, New Mexico; James F. Lunsford of Dallas, Texas; William R. Lunsford of Austin Texas; and one daughter Lil D. (Clif) Abshier of Bishop, Texas. He is also survived by five grand children, Jesse Lunsford of Austin, Texas; Walker Lunsford of Dallas, Texas; Micah (Jennifer) Abshier of Kerrville, Texas; Jessica Abshier of Bishop, Texas; and Rachel (Brian) Snyder of Abilene, Texas; and two great granddaughters Taylor and Avery Abshier of Kerrville, Texas . Jesse Lunsford grew up quickly following the death of his father and went to work early without finishing school. By his early twenties he had logged a broad spectrum of life experiences as he worked as a telephone lineman and a troubadour on the radio. His life- long love of horses and ranching began as he broke horses in El Paso, Texas. As a young entrpreneur he owned a mechanic shop, and later got his first glimpse of South Texas as a land appraiser. He lived life with an intensity and passion in all that he did. In his early twenties in El Paso Jesse Lunsford answered Gods call to the ministry, and immediately turned that passion and intensity into fulfilling his lifes call. He returned to his education by attending San Marcos Baptist Academy where he graduated and later in life was honored as an Outstanding Alumni. His formal education was concluded as a graduate of Baylor University. In his early ministry, Jess Lunsford pastored Texas Baptist churches in Rogers, Rochester, Taylor and Houston. His last pastorate was the First Baptist Church of Beeville, Texas. In 1951 Gods call for Jess Lunsford took a new direction. After several years as pastor in Beeville Lunsford was challenged by Laura Booth, a widow in his church, to take her gift of 637 acres and establish a Home to care for the needs of children in South Texas. With God leading and the support of his church Lunsford passionately began sharing the vision with churches through South Texas. In 1952 The South Texas Childrens Home was founded. For the last 54 years The South Texas Childrens Home has served the needs of thousands of children in Christs name, and continued to stay true to Lunsfords vision that it be financed as a Christian ministry without incurring any debt and never taking any government funding. Today the South Texas Childrens Home stands with a reputation of excellence in the field of child care. In 1963 Jess Lunsford was elected president of the Child Care Executives of Southern Baptists. In 1977 Mary Hardin-Baylor University conferred on him an honorary doctors degree in recognition of his many accomplishments and contributions in the area of Baptist child care. In addition to these he received many other recognitions and awards. During his twenty-one years as administrator of The South Texas Childrens Home he was active in preaching in churches throughout South Texas. He served many of these churches as interim pastor. Jess Lunsford retired in 1973 shortly after the death of his wife Ethel Lunsford. In 1974 he married Lois Parker Rowland, and the couple began retirement in Victoria, Texas. In 1978, they moved to Heber Springs, Arkansas where they enjoyed hosting their children and grandchildren. Throughout the Arkansas years Lunsford continued to minister in numerous churches, and also contributed to child care work in Arkansas. The Lunsfords returned to Texas in 1986 where they resided in Lexington, Texas for 16 years before moving to Buckner Villa Retirement Community in Austin in 2002. In his 96 years Jesse Lunsford impacted countless lives, but none more than his children and grandchildren by whom he was greatly loved. He will be greatly missed and forever remembered. His family and all who loved him are deeply grateful for Gods gracious gift of His life. The family will hold private burial services, but invite everyone to attend the memorial service scheduled for 3:00pm, Sunday, September 3, 2006 at the First Baptist church in Beeville, Texas. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial gifts be made to the South Texas Childrens Home, P.O. Box 1210, Beeville, Texas 78104, or the Ami Lunsford Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University of Texas in Austin. Obituary and guestbook online at wcfish.com
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18