By Junell                                             H.R. No. 1121
         77R15314 MDM-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The passing of Dr. R. Othal Feather of San Angelo on
 1-2     February 26, 2001, at the age of 97, has deeply saddened the family
 1-3     and many friends and admirers of this noted minister and professor;
 1-4     and
 1-5           WHEREAS, Born on March 25, 1903, in Indian Territory, now the
 1-6     state of Oklahoma, he attended Oklahoma A&M and graduated from
 1-7     Oklahoma Baptist University with a bachelor's degree; he earned a
 1-8     master's degree and a doctorate in religious education from
 1-9     Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and pursued post-graduate
1-10     studies at Columbia University and Union Seminary in New York City;
1-11     and
1-12           WHEREAS, Dr. Feather attained the rank of major and served
1-13     his country with valor as a United States Army chaplain with the
1-14     130th General Hospital in Belgium during World War II; and
1-15           WHEREAS, For his many contributions during 28 years of
1-16     service at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he was made a
1-17     professor of education administration emeritus; his accomplishments
1-18     at the seminary included creating the school's field education
1-19     program and its military chaplaincy curriculum; he also designed
1-20     the "Associational Sunday School Witnessing Campaign," which was
1-21     used by Southern Baptists nationwide to preach the Gospel; and
1-22           WHEREAS, He established and for several years directed the
1-23     Tarrant Baptist Association hospital ministry, which trained
1-24     laypersons to minister to patients in area hospitals; abundantly
 2-1     blessed with talent, he wrote the tract "A True Witness," as well
 2-2     as two books on evangelism and numerous articles for Christian
 2-3     education periodicals; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, Over the course of his long and accomplished life,
 2-5     Dr. Feather was called to serve churches in Texas, Oklahoma,
 2-6     Kansas, and Missouri as minister of education; he was a visiting
 2-7     professor at the Arab Baptist Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon, and at
 2-8     Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri,
 2-9     and while on special assignment with the Southern Baptist Foreign
2-10     Mission Board, he shared his faith with people across the globe;
2-11     and
2-12           WHEREAS, Dr. Feather's leadership abilities were reflected in
2-13     his service as president of the Oklahoma Baptist University Alumni,
2-14     the Southwest Religious Education Association, and the Southern
2-15     Baptist Chaplains Association; he was honored as a distinguished
2-16     alumnus by Oklahoma Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist
2-17     Theological Seminary, and he was accorded the Distinguished Faculty
2-18     Service Award by the School of Religious Education of Southwestern
2-19     Baptist Theological Seminary and the Distinguished Leadership Award
2-20     by the Baptist Association of Christian Educators; and
2-21           WHEREAS, Those who were privileged to share the friendship of
2-22     Dr. Feather will miss his warmth and commitment for many years to
2-23     come; now, therefore, be it
2-24           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-25     Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. R. Othal Feather
2-26     and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his
2-27     wife of 11 years, Mayola Clark Feather; to his sons and
 3-1     daughters-in-law, Robert O. and Carolyn Feather and George K. and
 3-2     Allete Feather; to his grandchildren and their spouses, Robert K.
 3-3     and Lisa Feather, Sunni and Britt Brookshire, Deby and Wes Evans,
 3-4     Donna and Jesse Hinton, Darlene and Greg West, and Deanna and Todd
 3-5     Lashley; to his great-grandchildren, Victoria and Susanna Feather;
 3-6     Blake, Chad, Ross, and Caroline Brookshire; Sam Evans; Jarrod and
 3-7     Joel Hinton; Hannah West; and Ellen, Levi, and Benjamin Lashley; to
 3-8     his brother, Mark Feather; to his nephew and nieces, Mark
 3-9     Feather, Jr., Beth Pennington, and Cheryl Feather; and to the other
3-10     relatives and many friends of this beloved man; and, be it further
3-11           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-12     prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
3-13     Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dr. R.
3-14     Othal Feather.