Pastor Donald Ray Loven

Pastor Donald Ray Loven, age 93, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, November 10, 2025. He was born on September 16, 1932 in Ft. Worth, TX, to Hollis and Inez (Turner) Loven.

Pastor Loven graduated from the Springfield, Mo Baptist Seminary and first served the Baptist Church in Loraine, OH. He then returned to Texas and ministered to nursing homes in the DFW area. He established Hilltop Baptist Church in Hico, Texas in 1978 and in1980, this church's ministry added a weekly radio program taught by Mr. Loven that led to supplying recorded Bible lessons to the in-house patient service network used by UK hospitals. Soon, hundreds of these Bible lessons were being distributed to West Africa, mostly in Ghana.

By the mid-1980's the volume of lessons and Bible materials had grown into shipments of 45-foot containers managed by Pastor Adu Boahene in Kumasi Ghana. This literature ministry laid the foundation for the Baptist Missionary Association of America's growth in West Africa. Mr. Loven raised funding for this ministry, ultimately joining his friend, Pastor Adu in Ghana in the mid 1990's until ill health necessitated his return to America.

He is survived by his two daughters Mrs. Pamela Smith and Mrs. Kim Baumer, five grandsons and 10 great grandchildren; two sisters and one brother. 

Graveside services will be at the Boggy Cemetery in Cranfills Gap, TX at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Arizona Missionary Resources (azmissions.org).