Reverend H.E. Gerald, 76, of Orange, passed from this life, Wednesday, March 31, 2010, at Select Specialty Hospital in Houston.
Funeral service will be held at North Orange Pentecostal Church, where he was pastor for 34 years. The service will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, April 5, 2010, with burial to follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens near Bridge City.
Visitation will be from 5:00-8:00 p.m., Sunday, at the church.
H.E. Gerald was born January 21, 1934, in Hemphill, Texas to Gary and Flora Brown. At the death of his mother he was adopted by Jesse Ira and Viola Lemons Gerald.
After H.E. Gerald graduated from Lutcher Stark High School he attended ABI in St. Paul, Minnesota. He received a Bachelor of Theology from Texas Bible College in Houston, where he was an instructor. H.E. Gerald served the Foreign Missions of the UPCI as the pioneer missionary to Nigeria-West Africa, opening the first UPCI Bible School in Nigeria.
Upon returning to the United States he served as Texas District Foreign Missions Director for 14 years. Reverend H.E. Gerald was serving in his 20th year on the Texas District Board of Presbyters.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Viola Gerald; brothers, Homer, Raymond, G.W., Roy Lee, and Bennie; sisters, Ima and Geneva.
Reverend H.E. Gerald is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mozelle Barnhill Gerald; sons, Reverend Gregary C. and Machel, of Shepherd, Texas, and Herman Wade of Kilgore, Texas; grandchildren, Brandon, Shandolyn, Katelyn, Ashley, Bailey, and Landon Wade; sister Rachel VanSlyke of Pineland, Louisiana; and niece, Deborah Gallander, and other loving nieces, nephews, and friends in the ministry.