James Callins

James was born on June 4, 1941, in Mangum to Jesse Sr and Ruby (Washington) Callins and passed away at the age of 76 years and one month.

James began school at Booker T Washington School and He graduated from Mangum High School in May of 1959.

In August of 1959, James enlisted in the United States Army. Following a tour in Korea, James was stationed at Fort Sill in. While in the service, James met and married Jeanette Thomas. To this union three daughters were born, Brenda, Bobbi, and Kimberly. James was honorably discharged from the United States Army in 1962.

Following discharge from the Army, James lived and worked in Lawton. In August of 1964 he began working at the Republic Gypsum. James worked there for four years.

In 1968, after receiving the Lord Jesus as his personal savior, James began working for what was then called the Oklahoma Highway Department, which later became the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. James worked there for 36 years and retired in 2003, only to go back and work for four more years.

James met Annie Scarlett in Clinton, Ok. She later moved to Amarillo, TX and in March of 1992, the two were married. In January 1993, Annie moved to Mangum and they made their home there.

James accepted the call to the ministry in 1970 and was ordained in July 1971. He was interim pastor at Mt Zion Baptist Church and in 1972, was called to his first pastorate at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Texola, OK where he remained until the fall of 1978. James was called as Pastor of St. John Baptist Church in Mangum in 1978 and remained there until 1989. He was then called as pastor of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Hobart, OK in 1989. James felt God had called him to Mt. Calvary for a special reason. Immediately following his unanimous acceptance as pastor of Mt. Calvary, the pastor of St. Emmanuel and he began discussing uniting the two Baptist churches. Knowing that for the churches to unite successfully one of the Pastors would need to resign. James knew that this was the special reason the Lord had brought him to Mt. Calvary. In 1998, the two churches united to form Emmanuel Calvary and James resigned. Within the next year, James was called as Pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Quanah, TX, where he remained until April of 2016. Resigning as pastor was one of the hardest things James had done throughout his entire ministry.

July 4, 2017, James received the call we all will one day receive; the call he spent almost 50 years in preparation for. James' greatest desire was to hear the words from his Father, "Well Done Thy Good and Faithful Servant".

preceded in death by his mother and father, baby girl Kimberly Michelle, brothers Newton, Jesse Jr., John, and Samuel, and his grandparents. Left to mourn his passing are his wife Annie, daughters Brenda, Bobbi and husband James, Teresa, Mary, Lillian, and Rhonda; sons Rusty, Michael, Leon Jr., Stacy, and Todd. Spiritual son and Grandson James and wife Umo, Zaria and Zane; his brother Charles and wife Sandra. 25 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.

Visitation will be Sunday, July 9 from 1:00 PM-8:00 PM and Monday, July 10 from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM at Ray & Martha's Funeral Home in Mangum. His funeral service will be Tuesday, July 11, at 1:30 PM at First Baptist Church in Mangum with interment to follow at Riverside Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Ray & Martha's Funeral Home, Mangum.