Ernest Mosley

GASTONIA - Dr. Ernest E. Mosley was freed from mortal flesh on July 8, 2009, to live eternally with the Lord.

A native of Miller County AR, he was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Grace Mosley; two sisters, Jean Mosley Bickham and Faye Mosley Griffith Vanderbilt, all of Texarkana, AR; two brothers, Mason Mosley of La Jolla, CA and Thomas Mosley of Texarkana, AR.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Vivian Bachman Mosley; three daughters, Jan Hill (Marty) of Greensboro, NC, Melody Morris (Ken) of Thompson's Station, TN, and Lenora Crabtree (Scott) of Gastonia, NC; brother, Paul Mosley (Clarene) of Rogers, AR; uncle and aunt, David and Loreta Moore of Liberty, MO. He was exceedingly proud of ten grandchildren, Brandon and Jennifer Hill, Hilary, Kerey, Colleen, Jeremy and Gideon Morris, and Taylor, Seth and Sam, Crabtree.

Ernest Mosley became a Christian at age 8 and began a life of preaching and teaching at age 16. An alumnus of Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, AR and a Distinguished Alumnus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth, TX. Rev. Mosley served as Assistant Pastor of First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia, AR, First Baptist Church, Pine Bluff, AR, and Broadmoor Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA before moving to Hawaii to pastor Pali View Baptist Church and University Baptist Church.

In 1967, Rev. Mosley went to the Baptist School Board in Nashville, TN (now LifeWay Christian Resourses) to develop programs for Pastoral Ministries for use in supporting pastors and deacons in Southern Baptist churches. He served as supervisor of Pastoral Ministries until 1980 when he became Executive Director of the Illinois Baptist State Association. The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention employed Dr. Mosley in 1987 to serve as Executive Vice President and Director of Program Planning, a position in which he served until retiring in 1998.

Dr. Mosley continued to minister to churches without pastors through training transitional pastors around the United States. He served as transitional pastor for First Baptist Church of Swannanoa, NC. Since moving to Gastonia in 2003, he and his wife have been active members of Parkwood Baptist Church.

A celebration of life service will be held 2 p.m. Saturday at Parkwood Baptist Church.

Testimonies will be shared by pastors and denominational leaders who have worked with Dr. Mosley during his ministry.

The family will receive friends immediately following the memorial service at the church.

Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Ernest and Vivian Mosley Youth Mission Fund, c/o Community Foundation of Gaston County, P.O. Box 123, Gastonia, NC 28053.

Condolences may be sent online to www.mcleanfuneral.com

McLean Funeral Directors of Gastonia is serving the family of Dr. Mosley.