Field Reports: Precious in His sight

posted by Wendy, on November 20th, 2011
tagged in: East Asian workers, obituraries

by Wendy Lee

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Psalm 116:15

Active workers

Two outstanding workers in active service among the East Asian Peoples died this year from illness. Both of them were 62 years of age, and both were veteran workers who had served in numerous places. Both left grieving spouses and deeply saddened colleagues. But they also left rich legacies of lives changed for eternity through their ministries.

Though their names can’t be shared because of the ongoing work among peoples who desperately need to know about Jesus, their stories deserve to be told and their lives remembered.

Six countries, 25 years

“A” was born in 1948 in Canton, China, but lived there for less than one year. She spent most of her childhood and early adulthood in Taiwan. “A” accepted Christ during college. She migrated to the USA in 1975.

She was the mother of four children, one of whom died in infancy. From 1985 until her death, she worked alongside her husband among the Chinese Diaspora, living in six different countries and serving in theological training of Christian leaders.

Pioneer in business evangelism

“D” was known as a pioneer in using business practices to reach out to the Asian community. His love and determination for sharing the Gospel was something he learned as a child from a Southern Baptist worker in his home country, Malaysia.

Born in 1948 to a Buddhist family, he didn’t hear about Christ until he attended a children’s Sunday school class. He went for the free cookies but came away with something better. When he finished high school, the Sunday school teacher told him there was a scholarship waiting for him in the U.S.

He worked hard to excel, ultimately earning a Ph. D. He and his wife were married for 32 years before his death. They served together for 19 years among the Chinese people in four different countries.

Recently departed emeritus missionaries

As is true every year, some highly regarded emeritus missionaries also completed their earthly journeys this year and are now with the Father.

Robert Greene died January 26, 2011 at age 75.

Known by missionaries colleagues as Bob and by folks in his Blowing Rock, NC, hometown as “Pug”, he served along with wife Mary for 29 years in East Asia (1969-98). Twenty-three of those years were spent in village evangelism and church planting. Bob also served at various times as the administrator of the Taiwan Baptist Mission and the Macau Baptist Mission, and pastor of several overseas English congregations. Mary now resides in Blowing Rock.

John Raborn died January 28, 2011 at age 86.

The Waco, TX, native met his wife Nelwyn while studying at Baylor University. They spent 32 years in Hong Kong as missionaries with the International Mission Board. There he served as the General Manager of the Baptist Press, the Chinese Baptist literature publishing house, and later as Area Coordinator of the MasterLife Discipleship Program. Nelwyn preceded him in death.

Tena Morris Putnam died June 10, 2011 at age 79.

Tena and husband Richard were appointed by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board in 1958 as the first Taiwanese language missionaries to Taiwan. They helped establish Taiwanese churches throughout the island before Richard’s illness required early retirement. He died eight months after leaving they left the field in 1985. Tena remarried in 1992. She remained fluent in Taiwanese all of her life.

Saranell Head Beard died June 17, 2011 at age 85.

Nell Beard served with husband Bob Beard through the IMB from 1968 to 1992. Their 25 years in Taiwan included service at Trinity Baptist Church in Tainan where he was pastor, Morrison Academy at Kaohsiung where she was librarian and the Ping Tung Baptist Church where they worked with students. Bob died in 2005.

Theodore Cox died June 17, 2011 at age 87.

Ted Cox served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II and was in combat on Iwo Jima. He returned to the U.S. wearing a purple heart on the outside and carrying a burdened heart inside for the people of Japan. He and wife Patricia (Pat) were appointed as missionaries to Japan in 1959, serving until retirement in 1986. They later returned for five stints of volunteer service, giving a total of 30 years service in Japan. Pat preceded him in death.

Daniel Ray died August 3, 2011 at age 87.

Dan Ray, very tall and obviously Caucasian, always drew strange looks when he told people that he was Chinese. He was born to missionary parents Rex and Janet Gilman Ray on December 25, 1923 in Wuchow, China. Dan and wife Frances served with the IMB from 1953 to 1992 in South Korea, Macao and Hong Kong. Frances now resides in Temple, TX.

Tom D. Gullatt died November 15, 2011 at age 91.

Tom Gullatt and wife Mary Studdard Gullat spent 35 years as missionaries to Japan, retiring in 1985. Even then they returned to Japan for short stints of service. Mary preceded him in death. He is survived by his present wife Vera Campbell Gullatt, who was also a missionary to Japan.

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