Donald Dunlap

Donald J. Dunlap CHRISTIANSBURG - The Rev. Dr. Donald Jordan Dunlap, 75, passed into God's eternal presence Sept. 15, 2008, in Charleston, S.C., after battling an illness while visiting his daughter. Born Dec. 14, 1932, in Christiansburg, he was the son of the late Lilburn Dunlap Sr. and the late Elizabeth Hawley Dunlap. He was preceded in death by his brother, Lilburn Dunlap Jr. and his two sisters, Elizabeth Dunlap Robinson and his twin, Louise Dunlap Tisdale, as well as his nephew, Donald Andrew Tisdale. He is survived by his beloved wife of 44 years, Kay Francis; two daughters, Laura Kay Flick and husband Gregory of Norfolk and Rebecca Kent Glander and husband Michael of Summerville, S.C.; four grandchildren, Olivia Kay, Alan Donald Flick, Donald Edward and Virginia Kay Glander; niece, Elizabeth Tisdale Armstrong and husband George of Hilliard, Ohio; a nephew, Richard Tisdale and wife Susan of Williamsburg, Va.; three great-nieces, Katherine Armstrong and Alexis and Jennifer Tisdale; a great-nephew, Nicholas Armstrong; and several cousins. He graduated from Christiansburg High School in 1950 and from Virginia Military Institute in 1954. He then entered seminary at Andover-Newton Theological School in Newton Centre, Mass. He was ordained into the gospel ministry at Main Street Baptist Church in Christiansburg in 1957 and graduated from Andover-Newton the following year. He did post-graduate work at New College University of Edinburgh in Scotland from 1959-1960, and did extensive traveling in Europe and the Holy land while there. He was a reserve chaplain in the United States Army for a brief period of time. In 1982, he received the Doctorate of Ministry degree from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va. He was associate pastor of Franklin Baptist Church in Franklin, Va., from 1957 to 1959, pastor of Conway Baptist Church in Conway, N.C., from 1961 to 1966, of West End Baptist Church in Suffolk from 1966 to 1985 and of Freemason Street Baptist Church in Norfolk, from 1985 until his retirement in 1999. After his retirement, he served as interim pastor at Churchland Baptist Church in Chesapeake from 1999 to 2000, at Franklin Baptist Church in 2001, and at Freemason Street Baptist Church in 2002. He also preached in numerous churches in the Tidewater area as a guest minister. In 2003, he and his wife returned to his family home in Christiansburg where he continued to fill pulpits as a guest minister. He celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination into the gospel ministry in August of 2007. Throughout his ministry, he was an active participant in many interdenominational, interfaith and interracial causes, including the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the Suffolk Ministerial Council, which promoted interracial fellowship during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1967, he preached at the first interracial Thanksgiving Day service in Suffolk. He particularly enjoyed preaching at the Thanksgiving Day services at Ohef Sholom Temple in Norfolk while he was pastor at Freemason Street Baptist Church. He served as president of the Virginia Baptist Pastor's Conference in 1970. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Religious Herald, on the Tidewater Community Services Board and on various committees of the Baptist General Association of Virginia. He was an active Rotarian for more than 30 years. At the time of his death, he was Minister Emeritus of Freemason Street Baptist Church in Norfolk and a member of First Baptist Church in Radford, Va. He was also serving on the Christiansburg Ministerial Council, the Coordinating Council of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia and the Board of the Montgomery County Museum. Arrangements will be as follows: In Christiansburg, a visitation and viewing will be held today from 6 to 8 p.m. at Horne Funeral Home and a funeral at the graveside will be held Friday at 11 a.m. in Sunset Cemetery with Dr. Paul Lane and the Rev. Dale Martin officiating. In the Hampton Roads area, a visitation with the family will be held Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Churchland Baptist Church in Chesapeake, and a memorial service will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at Freemason Street Baptist Church, Norfolk, with Dr. Steve Jolly, the Rev. Wayne Blythe and the Rev. John Dean officiating. Memorial donations can be made to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Habitat for Humanity and/or the American Heart Association. Arrangements are being handled by Horne Funeral Service, Christiansburg, (540) 382-2612. Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.hornefuneralservice.com.