William Thomas “Tom” Espy, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in the United Kingdom, died Dec. 13, 2024, in Canton, Georgia.
Jim Shaddix was a senior professor of preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, and served as pastor of teaching/training at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham from 2012 to 2015.
David Earl Tinsley Sr., who served at First Baptist Church Headland, First Baptist Church Slocomb and Bellwood Baptist Church, died Jan. 12.
Emmett Roper, a longtime Alabama Baptist evangelist, died Jan. 11. He was 88. Roper, who called himself “a country preacher,” served in ministry for more than 60 years as a pastor, bivocational pastor, evangelist and author.
James Sampley served as pastor of FBC Ashville from 1996 to 2013 and of James Memorial Baptist Church in Gadsden from 1981 to 1987. He also served as pastor of Faith Baptist Church in West Blocton while he was a student at Samford.
Sid Nichols, retired Alabama Baptist pastor and director of missions, died today (Dec. 28). He served 30 years as a pastor then 15 as director of missions for Calhoun Baptist Association before retiring from full-time ministry in 2016.
Don Johnson’s 71 years of ministry included 27 years at Tuskegee Lee Association — he retired as director of missions in 2006. He died Dec. 17.
Brenda Lovelady Spahn, who founded The Lovelady Center in Birmingham 20 years ago, died Dec. 18. She was 75. More than 19,600 women have come through the program she started in 2004.
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