Harold Tinsley Dill

1918 - 2006

Harold Tinsley Dill, 87, a retired professor of religious education at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, died Sunday, Oct. 8, 2006.

Funeral: 2 p.m. Thursday in the sanctuary of Broadway Baptist Church. Dr. Brett Younger and the Rev. Jorene Swift will officiate. Burial: Laurel Land Memorial Park. Visitation: 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Thompson's Harveson and Cole Funeral Home.

Active and honorary pallbearers: Members of the Longhorn Sunday School Class, Adult 1 Department, and deacons of Broadway Baptist Church.

Memorials: Should friends desire, contributions may be made to the Endowment Fund, Broadway Baptist Church, 305 W. Broadway Ave., Fort Worth, Texas 76104; or a charity of choice.

Harold T. Dill was born Dec. 25, 1918, in Spartanburg, S.C., son of Montie Tinsley and Walter William Dill. He graduated from Spartanburg High School and earned an A.B. degree from Wofford College in 1939. He felt called to Christian ministry and attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, graduating in 1941 with an M.A. and doctorate of religious education.

He married Ethel Lucile Pickens and together they began a lifelong career in Christian education. They first served at First Baptist Church in Hartsville, S.C., and together they joined the faculty of North Greenville College in Tigerville, S.C. Harold served as minister of education at the Citadel Square Baptist Church in Charleston, S.C., Wornall Road Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo., and Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth.

In 1959, he became professor of religious education at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he served for 25 years. During this time, he did graduate studies at the University of North Carolina, Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas, as well as special studies in drug education at the University of Oklahoma.

He led conferences in churches, associations and state conventions and at Glorieta Ridgecrest Assemblies. He was active in Allied Youth, an alcohol education organization, and served in youth camp leadership roles in Royal Ambassadors and church camps.

Harold was a member of the American Association of College Professors, the Southwestern Religious Education Association, Southern Baptist Religious Education Association, Civitan in Charleston, S.C., and the Fort Worth Botanical Society.

Harold joined Broadway Baptist Church in 1956 and after serving on staff, he was very active as a deacon, on committees and as the teacher of the Longhorn Sunday School Class.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Ethel Pickens Dill, with whom he shared a deep love and companionship in service to God.

Survivors: His son, Walter Pickens Dill and his wife, Diane; daughter, Gwen Ruth Daniel and her husband, Richard; granddaughters, Stephanie Ellis and her husband, Vaughn, Shelly Dill and her husband, Michael Combs, Brooke Daniel and Lindsay Daniel; and great-granddaughters, Riley Shapter and Lauren Ellis.