Dr. Fred A. White, long-time professor at Dallas Baptist University, died Monday, October 9, at the age of 93. He led the establishment of Dallas Baptist University in 1965 and personally enrolled the entire first freshman class of 900+ students before the school opened. He served as acting president twice and served as the chairman of the Bible Department for many years, his special love being Greek and New Testament. Prior to that he pastored churches in Texas and Arkansas. He was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Duncanville; and his last pastorate was the First Baptist Church of Carrollton, from which he resigned to go to Dallas Baptist College, now DBU. He had degrees from the College of Marshall (now East Texas Baptist University) and Baylor University, and he earned two from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (B.D. and Th. D.). DBU named him Distinguished Professor of Christian Studies and honored him with the Doctor of Divinity, as well as naming a building for him and another for him and his wife, Mary Lou. A farm boy, born near Tenaha, in Shelby County, Texas, January 3, 1913, he grew up to become a world-class athlete, especially in track-and-field, and continued to compete locally and internationally until he was 85 years old. He won hundreds of medals and set an international record and a national record for his age group. He was active in the Dallas masters Track and Field Club. Dr. White influenced thousands of lives. Many have contacted the family by saying, "Let me tell you about the time...." They refer to how he helped them get into school, or get a job, or how he recommended them to a church, mentored them as young pastors, conducted a funeral or wedding, or won them to faith in Christ and baptized them. He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Mary Lou, in 2005 and by his son, Fred A White, Jr. in 1962. He is survived by his son, Dr. Bill White, and his wife, Vicki; by his daughter, Mary Helen Atkins; by three granddaughters, Holly Nunns, Rebekah Craddock and Amy Atkins, and by four great-grandchildren, Hannah and Andrew Nunns, and Gracie and Luke Craddock. Family will receive friends Thursday in the Great Hall of the Student Center at Dallas Baptist University, 3000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Services will be in the Burg Center at DBU on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 at 2:00 pm. Burial follows at Little Bethel Cemetery, Duncanville. Memorials may be made to the Fred White Endowed Scholarship at Dallas Baptist University.
Jaynes Memorial Chapel
811 South Cockrell Hill Rd
Duncanville, TX

Submitted by Betty Lou (Stanley) Dennis