Paul Bellington

BELLINGTON, ROBERT PAUL Robert Paul Bellington departed this life and saw Jesus face to face on August 7, 2012. He was born August 10, 1928, to Barna D. Bellington and Mary Elizabeth Ferrill Bellington in Richland, Missouri, the youngest of seven children. He graduated from Richland High School in 1946 and from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri in 1953. He pastored at Frazier Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Stewartsville in Missouri during this time. In 1954, Paul and his family moved to Fort Worth, Texas where he attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and served as pastor of Truett Chapel Baptist Church in West Dallas. Upon earning his degree in theology, he was appointed to the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board as missionary to Brazil in 1959, where he worked for eighteen years. In Brazil, he served as a pastor, evangelist, church planter and jungle pilot all along the western Amazon region. He returned to the United States in 1977 and continued ministry throughout the United States, Brazil, and Central America. He served on the staff of the Encourager Church in Houston from 1990-1999, where he first became involved with missions in Mexico. He worked alongside missionaries in Piedras Negras and with church planting in Matamoros until his death. His final trip to Matamoros was July, 2012. Paul is preceded in death by daughter, Paula Jean Bellington, both parents, two sisters, and three brothers. He is survived by sister, Rowene Bellington Sagaser, son Paul Bellington, Jr., son John Mark and wife Linda Bellington, daughter Liz Rogers, son Timothy and wife Michelle Bellington, 16 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends whose lives have been impacted for eternity by the witness of Paul's life. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 Visitation will be Monday, August 12, 2012 from 6:00-8:00pm at Restland Funeral Home. Graveside service will be 10:00am, Tuesday, August 14 at Restland Memorial Park.