Ron Butler – who died Oct. 29 – retired in May after 44 years of serving churches in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. He served as pastor of Pine Level Baptist in Chatom and Spice Pond Baptist in Eight Mile.
Ladell Blanton, who served as director of missions for Bethlehem and Pine Barren Baptist associations from 1999 to 2003, died Oct. 3. He also served for years as a pastor in Mississippi.
Earnest Ted Elrod Sr., a minister for 52 years, died Oct. 1 at Cherokee Floyd Medical Center. He was 85.
Ray Clevenger, a retired pastor and former hospice and prison ministry volunteer, died Sept. 25. He was 83.
Johnny Walker, who served as pastor of York Baptist Church in the 1970s, died Aug. 28. He was 77.
Gerald Max Sims, who served as a bivocational music minister for his entire adult life — most recently at Central Baptist Church in Florence — died Aug. 8.
Paula Claire Vick Stacey, who previously served on The Alabama Baptist board, died July 28. She was 71.
“Jimmy Jackson was a statesman among Alabama Baptists and Southern Baptists. He was an excellent president of our state convention. He served us so well at a critical time. To say he will be missed is a vast understatement.” —Rick Lance
