Edward Morrow Vernon

Margie Ruth Nichols Vernon was born August 19, 1927, in Randolph County, Alabama. She was the first in her family to graduate from high school and graduated at the age of 17. Margie was an accountant for an insurance company in Columbus, Georgia, when she met Edward M. Vernon and they were married in 1950. While attending a revival, Margie gave her life to Jesus, changing her for eternity. In 1960, her family moved to Fort Worth where the family joined Gambrell Street Baptist Church and actively participated until Ed was called as a bi-vocational pastor to Russett, Oklahoma in 1962. Margie served as a pastor’s wife off and on for the next 10 years. She attended Southwestern Seminary and graduated with an MRE Associate Degree in 1969. In 1973 the family, with two daughters still at home, moved to Virginia when Ed was transferred to Andrews Air Force Base. Again, Margie assumed the role of pastor’s wife while they pastored a small chapel outside Washington DC. In 1977, they returned to Fort Worth due to medical reasons and rejoined Gambrell Street in 1981 where they are still members. Margie took a very active role in the church, establishing the prayer ministry which is still active today. She served on the Pastor Search Committee, calling Dr. Clyde Glazener as pastor in 1992. She was actively involved in the WMU, Baptist Women, Sunday School leadership and flower committee. She loved to garden, whether vegetables or flowers and one of her most fulfilling missions was sharing the fruits of her labor, whether garden-grown or home-baked with others. It was not unusual for her to take coffee cake, sheath cake, tomatoes, turnip greens, okra or fresh-cut flowers to church or neighbors. She was truly a giving woman. Margie is survived by her husband of 67 years, Edward Morrow Vernon, and her four daughters; Marcia Hunter and children, Kristi Williams, Jonathan Hunter, and Kerri Meador; Cindi Dawson and husband Larry; Susan Stigall and husband Russ and children Joshua Stigall and Patricia Odell; and Ellen Sloan, husband Chris and son Ben Kissinger. She has 6 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. When asked about her greatest life accomplishments, she listed being a wife and mother, graduating from seminary, gardening and sewing. When asked how she was doing, her favorite reply was, “I’m too blessed to be stressed,” and she lived by that motto. She was loved by friends, family and co-workers and truly embodied the description of a Godly wife in Proverbs 31.