CARL BILDERBACK

CARL BILDERBACK Col. Carl Edwin Bilderback born October 18, 1935, in Denison, Texas made his final move to his heavenly home on January 25, 2024. Born to Earl and Mary Bilderback, Carl was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, mentor, and friend. If you talked to him for 5 minutes you knew someone in common and you knew he loved the Lord with all his heart, mind, and strength. At the age of twelve he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. He began teaching Sunday School at age 16 and then surrendered to God's call to preach his senior year at Denison High School. His call to preach would be his life's call through all his many adventures, one that he never wavered to accept. After graduating from DHS in 1954, he attended East Texas Baptist College, now University, where he met and married Doris Elaine Feltman from Port Arthur, Texas. He was pastoring Grand Bluff Church in Beckville, TX and that is where they were married. Carl was a gifted left-handed artist who not only provided sets and evangelism banners for the school but also designed his bride's wedding gown. In December of 1957, their first daughter, Deborah, was born and in 1958 he became the pastor for Hyde Park Baptist Church in Denison, TX and finished his BBA at Southeastern State College in Durant, OK. He would go from there to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth for his masters in Divinity. He was bivocational and always worked for a paycheck while pastoring a church and raising a family. Their second daughter Sheila was born in 1962 while he was pastoring First Baptist Krum, Texas while going to seminary and plowing fields. Carl moved the family to Ennis, TX to pastor Baylor Baptist Church. It was here shortly after he graduated from seminary that he knelt next to his desk and asked God for a direction for his career. A pamphlet fell from his desk which read, "Have you considered the military chaplaincy?" This led to twenty-six years of amazing mission work with challenges, victories and blessings at every turn while serving in the United States Air Force. He would later say God led them out of the military just as clearly as he had led them in. The last tour was as Command Chaplain of the Air Force Intelligence Command, which was perhaps the most challenging of all. He retired full Colonel and went directly back into the pulpit as Interim Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Denison while living in Whitehouse, Texas. He then took a full-time pastorate at First Baptist Troup Texas where God would later use this ministry to lead him to a beautiful future. They moved to Pottsboro to be closer to the Bilderback family and he pastored First Baptist Pottsboro 2004-2007. After retiring yet again he filled pulpits, preached revivals, mentored pastors, and loved all who would share a minute or two so he could tell them a story. In 2017, after celebrating 60 years of marriage, his first wife Doris went to her heavenly home in July of the same year. She was as much a soul winner as her husband and shared in celebrating his ministry, especially being a wife of a military chaplain. In 2020 he married Joyce Mattingly and they moved to Pasadena, by way of Texas City. He loved music, painting, being on the beach, spending time with the kids and his wife, Joyce. But most of all, he loved Jesus and wanted everyone to know Him the way he did. John 3:16 AND 17 were the crux of his ministry. Philippians 4:13 was the source of his amazing strength and Psalms 23 served as his peace and purpose, to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. He is survived by wife, Joyce (Mattingly) Bilderback, daughters Deborah E. Clark and Sheila R. Richardson, Brother Doug and his wife Georgia (Tropp) Bilderback, sister-in law, Diane (Tropp) Bilderback, Stepchildren Thomas (TJ) and wife Heather Greenwell, Rachel and husband Robby Salinas, Jason and wife Anita Frantz, and Amanda and husband Eugene Bell. Sheila's three children, Curtis and wife Crystal Cardwell, Rebecca Hodge and husband Chris Smith and Stephanie and husband Shawn Adiar. In all there are 16 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, one great grandchild and adopted grandson, Andre Mullins. Carl was preceded in death by his first wife Doris Bilderback, brother Billy E. Bilderback, nephew Doug Bilderback, Jr. and sons-in-law David Clark and Steven Richardson. Funeral service for Mr. Bilderback will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 3, 2024, at Parkside Baptist Church with Rev. Keith Taylor and Rev Jerry Coffman officiating. Interment with Full Military Honors will follow in Georgetown Cemetery in Pottsboro. Family and friends will gather to visit and celebrate his life Friday, February 2, 2024, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Fisher Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers and gifts, donations may be made to the following organizations: Gideons International www.gideons.org/sendtheword Veterans for Veterans, 6919 Glenn Lily Road, Bowling Green, Ky 42101 https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/vetsforvets Condolences may be registered online at www.fisherfh.com Arrangements are under the direction of Fisher Funeral Home in Denison.