Dr. William Richardson (Billy) White
1892-1977
Dr. White was
born to Gibson and Kittie Dorman White on a farm between
Leagueville and Brownsboro, Henderson County, Texas on
December 2, 1892, and died March 24, 1977 in Waco, Texas
where he was buried in Oakwood Cemetery. He was preceded
in death by his father when he was eight months old and
his mother at the age of seven, his first wife, Edna
Woods, his second wife, Catherine Tarwater and a sister,
Nellie Massey Williams.; he was survived by his wife
Odera, of Waco, two brothers, John Massey of ElDorado,
Arkansas and Paul Massey of Kilgore, Texas and several
nieces and nephews. His first marriage was to Edna Woods
in 1916; after her death he married Catherine Tarwater in
1950 who died in 1970. In 1971 he married Odera Mohr. He
was raised by his Paternal grandmother, Missouri Ann
White, in Frankston, Anderson County,Texas. He recalled
the gracious concern of his mother’s sister Mollie
(Mrs I.A.) Barton and family during his Mother’s
widowhood. After the death of his grandmother, other
relatives assisted in his up-bringing, for which he was
always grateful.
In a tribute to him Rena White Spencer gives a
description of events in his early life and ministry.
Billy was converted at nine years of age in a revival
held by Dr. Isaac Sellars, pastor of the First Baptist
Church of Palestine. He united with the First Baptist
Church, Frankston, by baptism when he was eleven during a
revival held by Dr. M.L. Fuller who pastored First
Baptist Church in Athens, Tx. and for whom Fuller Park is
named. He was licensed to preach at age fourteen by the
Saline Baptist Association and preached his first sermon
in the First Presbyterian Church in Frankston as it was
the only church building in town for many years. He
preached occasionally in school houses in the area and at
nearby Fincastle, when the pastor was unable to be
present. He held his first revival at the Quick
Schoolhouse Community near Brushy Creek and later a
revival at Brushy Creek Baptist Church. At the age of
seventeen, in September 1910, he enrolled in Rusk
Academy, Rusk, Texas to prepare for the ministry and
graduated in 1913. During this time he pastored country
churches, first called to Glendale Baptist church near
Trinity, Texas. He ministered at Sarah, Salmon and Mixon,
all dear to him.
After graduating from Rusk Academy he enrolled in Baylor
University, where he would later have a 29 year tenure as
President, Chancelor and President Emeritus. During this
time, while as a student at Baylor, he pastored Frankston
and Bullard churches half time, both of which were
special to him. He spent one year at Baylor and because
of a health issue went to Brownwood to recover and after
a year entered Howard Payne College, graduating in 1917
with a B.A. in Social Science. Following graduation he
enlisted for service in WWI and attended Chaplain
Training School in Louisville, Ky. After pastoring two
years at Goldthwaite he then went to Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary in 1919 where he earned his Master
of Theology in 1922 and Doctor of Theology in 1924. He
became Pastor of First Church, Greenville, Texas
1927-1928 and then First Church, Lubbock, Texas
1928-1929. In 1929 -1931 he served as Executive Secretary
of the Baptist General Convention of Texas; he pastored
Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas 1931- 1935; he
then pastored First Church, Oklahoma City, Ok. 1935-1940
and served as Director of Oklahoma Baptist University; he
became President of Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene,
Tx. in 1940 and served until 1943, during which time
Hardin-Simmons became affiliated with the Baptist General
Convention of Texas; he was then elected President 0f the
Baptist General Convention of Texas after which he served
as Editorial Secretary through 1945. During the period
1942-1965 he served on the Board of Trustees, Bishop
College, Dallas, Tx. He also served as Trustee of Howard
Payne College, Baylor University, Oklahoma Baptist
University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and
Baptist Hospital of Fort Worth, Tx. He was a member of
the Board of Directors for Southern Baptist Mission Board
and the Executive Board of the Baptist General Convention
of Texas. Dr. White was a thirty-third degree Scottish
Rite Mason, a Kiwanian, the Executive Secretary of the
United Forces for Prohibition in Texas, 1932-1945 and a
member of the Anti-Race Track Gambling League of Texas
for one year. From 1945-1948 he pastored First Church,
Austin, Tx. He accepted the Presidency of Baylor
University in 1948 where he was described as clergyman,
educator, denominational leader, Christian Statesman and
friend of youth. He served in this capacity until 1961,
then becoming Chancellor until 1963 at which time he
became President Emeritus. A world traveler, he was
privileged to preach in Soviet Russia when Nikita
Kruschev was in power. He served on the Point Four
Program under Presidents Truman and Eisenhower. He
bestowed an Honorary Doctorate on President Eisenhower
while President of Baylor. He served under Governor Price
Daniel on the Texas Public Safety Commission and Texas
Library and Museum Commission and the Advisory Council of
Texas Christian Life Commission. During his thirteen
years as President of Baylor eleven new buildings were
built on the Waco Campus at a cost of approximately ten
million dollars, with more than 15,000 degrees being
granted. From the beginning of 1948 through 1961 there
was an increase of almost thirty million dollars in
buildings, campuses, equipment and improvements of all
units of the University. The same period shows an
increase in endowments of nearly eleven and three-quarter
million dollars.
In addition to his earned degrees Dr. White received
honorary degrees: D.D. 1927, Howard Payne College; D.D.
1930, Baylor University; Litt. D. 1953, Hardin-Simmons
University; Doctor of Humanities 1957, University of
Alabama; Doctor of Laws 1962, Bishop College.
Always a prolific writer, Dr. White authored several
books among which were: THE ROYAL ROAD TO LIFE, 1938,
BAPTIST DISTINCTIVES,1946, BROADMAN COMMENTS, 1946-1948,
THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW, 1947, and A MANIFESTO OF FAITH,
1967. He originated the Broadman Sunday School
Commentaries and wrote Sunday School lessons for the
Baptist Standard for many years until his death.
Vernon B. Snell, a contemporary of Dr. White, eulogized
him in an article, having known him for forty years. He
described him as an humble, kind, benevolent,
accommodating, tender, sympathetic, compassionate,
merciful, gentle and kind hearted man. He also considered
him a great pulpiteer, a master conversationalist and
orator. Vernon pointed out his record as a Church
builder, turning First Baptist, Oklahoma City into the
second largest congregation in the Southern Baptist
Convention, exceeded only by First Baptist, Dallas, Tx.
He is credited with bringing order out of financial chaos
at Baylor. Mr. Snell understood the sacrifice of time and
energy Dr. White devoted to the rebuilding of the
athletic program at Baylor. He was also aware of Dr.
White’s great love for football and his efforts to
attend the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State
games. He concluded that Billy White was a Godly man who
desired that his life might magnify God “the one to
whom he owed credit”.
On August 23, 1935, while serving as Pastor of First
Baptist, Oklahoma City, Dr. White conducted the funeral
service for Wiley Post, pilot for Will Rogers, both of
whom were killed when their plane crashed. The packed
Church seated 2,000 while thousands of others unable to
get inside waited on the streets where a public address
system permitted them to hear the service. It was the
largest funeral in the history of Oklahoma; some
reporters estimated 40,000 people were within a two block
radius of the Church. The funeral director, Tip Watts,
estimated 75,000 people either attended the funeral or
paid tribute to Wiley along the route from the State
Capitol to the Church. Dr. White mesmerized the audience
saying “He died doing what he wanted to do. Flying
was his supreme emotion and passion. It was in flying
that Wiley Post found himself. It was in this endeavor
that he lived, moved and had his being”.
Dr. White’s successor as President of Baylor, Dr.
Abner V. McCall said of him “The greatest sermon Dr.
White has preached has been his life”. The funeral
for him was held at First Baptist, Waco, where he had
been a member twenty-nine years. Officiating were Pastor
Peter McLeod, Dr. McCall, Baylor Chaplain W.J. Wimpee and
Pastor Milton E. Cunningham of Westbury Church, Houston,
Tx. Burial was in Oakwood Cemetery, Waco.
Compiled by: Wayne Smith
Sources and Credits:
Handbook of Texas on-line, Baptist Standard, Rena White
Spencer, Vernon B. Snell, Dr.Stephen M. Stookey, Wanda
Williams Lacy and Anne Williams Brewster.
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