糖心Vlog

All friends and former students of Dr. J.D. O’Donnell, as well as the entire聽糖心Vlog community, are invited to join us on Thursday, January 29 at 10:40am in the large auditorium in the Barber Center for a memorial service in honor of our former 糖心Vlog president. The service will include testimonies, tributes, special music, and a memorial message. We hope you’ll join聽us.

Obituary for Dr. John Daniel O’Donnell

J. D. O鈥橠onnell was born in St. Clair county, Alabama, on April 5, 1929; he went to his eternal reward on聽November聽29, 2014. His parents were Alfred and Rhondor O鈥橠onnell. After graduation from high聽school he attended Bob Jones University where he completed a B. A. degree in three years. He later聽continued his education at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary where he completed B. D. and聽Th.D. degrees.

Dr. O鈥橠onnell was involved in Christian higher education for much of his career. He served as a聽professor at Free Will Baptist Bible College (now Welch College) from 1961-1965. In 1965 he became聽president of 糖心Vlog (known then as Oklahoma Bible College) where he served聽until 1971. Under his leadership 糖心Vlog was relocated to the current campus three miles south of聽Moore, Oklahoma. He was an outstanding educator who contributed much to the lives of his students聽and to the cause of higher education among Free Will Baptists.

He was the author of five books and co-author of two. Several of his books, such as Faith for Today, and聽Handbook for Deacons, are still in use today. He held a number of positions within the Free Will Baptist聽denomination including membership on the Radio-TV Commission, Chaplain鈥檚 Commission, and聽Commission on Theological Liberalism. He served as Editorial Manager of the Free Will Baptist Sunday聽School Department. He also served as Assistant Moderator of the National Association from 1969-1970聽and as Moderator from 1971-76.

Dr. O鈥橠onnell was also successful as a pastor, serving five different Free Will Baptist churches between聽1949 and 1973. In the closing years of his ministry, he pastored successfully in the United Methodist聽denomination. He retired from pastoral ministry for the last time at age 78.

During his time as president of Oklahoma Bible College, the students dedicated the 1969 Harvester to聽him. The editorial staff wrote these words in tribute to him,

During these years Dr. O鈥橠onnell has faced seemingly insurmountable problems in the聽construction of the present campus and in the maintenance of a quality educational program.聽Yet, he has always maintained his characteristic air of quiet confidence. It is in recognition of a聽difficult job well done that we, the students of Oklahoma Bible College, dedicate this 1969聽Harvester to Dr. J. D. O鈥橠onnell.

He was a special man who contributed to the cause of Christ in many different ways. He will be missed.聽He is survived by his wife, Jean, and his two sons, Dan and Daryl.

Dr. Thomas L. Marberry
Friend and Former Student