James Emmitt Flynn

James (Jim) Flynn, 84, Hobart, Oklahoma passed away Sunday, September 7th, 2014, in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was born May 13th, 1930 in Chillicothe, TX to James Flynn and Gladys (Wilkenson) Flynn . Jim grew up on the Flynn farm near Chillicothe, TX, going to a one room school named Midway for grade school, then going to Chillicothe High School. After high school Jim went to Midwestern University in Wichita Falls, TX. After a year, he felt God was calling him into ministry and transferred to Howard Payne University, a Baptist school to finish his college education. In Jim's senior year of college he met a girl and soon fell in love. Following college graduation Jim went to Price, Utah, to start a Baptist church, sponsored by the Southern Baptist Church of Dragerton City, Utah Baptist Church. While in Utah he convinced the love of his life to marry him via telephone. Jim flew back to Texas marrying Norma Rosson on January 24, 1952, in Monahans, TX. Two days after the wedding they returned to Price, Utah. When the mission church was ready to organize into a church Jim and Norma moved to Berkley, California to attend Golden Gate Seminary. While in seminary he also worked in a steel mill and a soda-jerk at a cafe and often came home with every flavor of ice cream on the front of his white shirt. Oh what fun is was to keep them white shirts clean. He shared the story of God's love and forgiveness to his customers. Jim and Norma moved across the bay to start a church in Millbrae, CA, but sad to say it never grew to became a church. Jim decided to take time off from Seminary and went to Tuolumne, CA, to pastor in this lumber mill town, where he worked in a the saw mill to make a living while in Tuolumne, also working for the Forestry Service planting trees. When Jim decided to return to the Seminary to complete his last year, his family called for him to return to Vernon, TX, due to his father was seriously ill. Jim become a pastor of Pearl St. Baptist mission in Vernon, sponsored by First Baptist Church of Vernon. Jim returned to California in 1957, to finish Seminary, then began post graduate classes, earning his Master's Degree in Theology. Jim and Norma moved to Colusa, CA to pastor First Baptist Church, from Colusa, CA they went to Yreka, CA, to pastor First Southern Baptist, from Yreka to Chico, CA, to Aracata, CA to Lake of The Pines in EAst Texas. While at the Lake of The Pines Jim was honored to be listed in Marquis "Who's Who in Religion" third edition. Jim resigned from the Lake of The Pines to return to California, becoming a pastor of Tierra Buena Baptist Church in Yuba City, CA. Jim retired for the first time and moved to Sherman, TX, to care for his mother, also taking on the work of a Food Bank and a Downtown Chapel mission. Shortly after Jim and Norma migrated to Oklahoma to pastor at Willow, OK First Baptist Church. Retiring for the second time Jim and Norma bought a house in Hobart, OK. God called Jim's name to pastor at Headrick First Baptist Church, then moving to pastor at Vinson First Baptist Church. Jim's wife became seriously ill so he soon resigned to retire for the fourth time. Jim was a healthy man all his life until the last six months.

Survivors include:
Wife: Norma Flynn, Hobart, Oklahoma
Brother: Robert L. Flynn, San Antonio, Texas

Preceded in death by his parents, son, Danny Flynn (1977), sister, Bettye (1989)

Memorial Services: 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Washington Street Baptist Church, Hobart, OK
Officiating: Rev. Chris Block