Bessie "Betty" Criswell dead at 93

[kepdawg]

This probably won't mean much to most of you, but for some it will.

Bessie "Betty" Criswell dead at 93

05:21 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 2, 2006

By SAM HODGES / The Dallas Morning News

Bessie “Betty” Criswell, widow of legendary First Baptist Church of Dallas pastor W.A. Criswell, died Wednesday, church officials confirmed. She was 93.

Funeral arrangements were pending late Wednesday.

Mrs. Criswell was locally famous as teacher of a Sunday School class broadcast for many years on KCBI-FM (90.9). When she was honored by First Baptist Church in 2003 for "70 years of teaching the word of God," more than 1,000 people showed up to pay her tribute.

Her husband, Dr. Criswell, who died in 2002, was pastor of First Baptist of Dallas for more than 45 years.

[Chris Hart]

I'm sure she was a great woman. I know her husband was an icon in Baptist realms...

[kepdawg]

Here's the updated article.

Bessie "Betty" Criswell dead at 93

08:51 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 2, 2006

By SAM HODGES / The Dallas Morning News

Her late husband, the Rev. W.A. Criswell, earned an international reputation as a preacher and champion of biblical inerrancy while building First Baptist Church of Dallas into the pre-eminent Southern Baptist congregation.

But Bessie "Betty" Marie Criswell became a local legend herself, staunchly supporting her husband and teaching a Sunday school class that KCBI-FM (90.9) aired for nearly 30 years.

The Criswell era at First Baptist ended Wednesday when Mrs. Criswell died at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas of a respiratory illness. She was 93.

She taught her last Sunday school class – on the book of Zechariah – on July 9, said Lamar Cooper, who has helped her teach in recent years.

"For us as a church, and for me individually, this closes a very significant chapter," said Mark Lovvorn, a First Baptist Dallas deacon.

Mrs. Criswell's death prompted evangelist Billy Graham, a member of First Baptist and longtime family friend, to issue a written statement:

"We join in rejoicing that Betty Criswell has joined her beloved husband in heaven at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom she has served for so long. Her tremendous ministry will be greatly missed at First Baptist Church of Dallas."

Mrs. Criswell was born in Louisville, Ky., and earned a bachelor's degree at Western Kentucky University.

She met Dr. Criswell when he was leading a prayer service in her hometown of Mount Washington, Ky. He kept asking different young women in the crowd to give the closing prayer, and she was the first to agree.

"Somebody had to stop him," she told The Dallas Morning News in 2003. She also recalled telling her mother, "I hope I never see him again."

But they married in 1935, in the chapel of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She was with him during his early pastorates in Oklahoma. In 1944, Dr. Criswell accepted a call to First Baptist of Dallas, where he was pastor for almost half a century, then pastor emeritus until his death in 2002.

Mrs. Criswell was in his corner through a tenure that saw spectacular growth at the church but also internal and external controversies, some owing to Dr. Criswell's statements and theological positions.

"She was the perfect scriptural example of the supportive wife, especially the wife of one who was in the ministry," said Mr. Lovvorn.

Cris Criswell, a grandson of Dr. and Mrs. Criswell who was raised by them, added, "God pre-ordained that those two would be together, and that she would be his support in the ministry."

But Mrs. Criswell was a force in the church in her own right, not least by building a Sunday school class attended by 200 to 300 people and broadcast on radio throughout the region.

Mrs. Criswell focused on the Bible, moving from close study of a New Testament book to one in the Old Testament. The only book she didn't teach was the Song of Solomon, regarded as the Bible's raciest.

"I don't know if I have ever been around anybody, short of somebody who had a Ph.D. from a seminary, who had such an understanding of the Bible," said Dr. Ron Anderson, a class member and president and chief executive officer of Parkland Health & Hospital System.

Mrs. Criswell loved antiques and, with Dr. Criswell, made many a shrewd purchase, particularly of 17th- and 18th-century French pieces, which they scouted for during trips to Europe. But she said she lost interest in the pastime after his death.

A visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church of Dallas. A memorial service will be Tuesday at noon in the main sanctuary of the Dallas church. Presiding will be Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Wichita Falls.

She is survived by two grandsons and their families. The Criswells' daughter, Mable Ann Criswell, died in 2002.

Mrs. Criswell's Sunday school class may well continue, said Dr. Cooper, an administrator at Criswell College, the local Bible school.

"I think she would be very disappointed if it didn't," he said.

Special contributor Mary A. Jacobs contributed to this report.

E-mail samhodges@dallasnews.com

[Phil C]

Sad news and prayers for the family.

Kep I admire the Baptist Church.