LaJuana Jo "Tiny" Renshaw

LaJuana Jo Dean was born on December 29, 1930 in Lubbock, Texas, to William Riley Dean and Lola Lena Hacker Dean. She was the middle child of 7 siblings. She was a tiny little girl, and so LaJuana was known thereafter as “Tiny”. She was preceded in death by her parents, and all her siblings, Carl Dean, Louise Horton, Wayne Dean, Gene Dean, Rolph Dean, and Nancy Courtney.

Her father was a deacon and Tiny was raised in church. Saved at the age of 9, she was baptized and became a member of Central Baptist Church, Lubbock, Texas.

Tiny graduated from Lubbock High School in 1948. Afterward she attended Draughon’s Business College, where she was trained in secretarial skills. Next came a move that would change her life. She enrolled in Jacksonville Baptist College, Jacksonville, Texas. There Tiny met a young preacher boy, fresh out of the United States Navy. She and Gordon Renshaw were married on August 18, 1950.

Tiny and Gordon both graduated Jacksonville Baptist College with their Associates Degree. While in Jacksonville, they were blessed with two children, a son, Richard Curtis, and a daughter, Rhonda Gail. While in Jacksonville, Tiny began her new role as the Preacher’s Wife. Gordon was pastor at several churches in East Texas over those years. In her role as the preacher’s wife, she was known to all as “Ms. Tiny”.

In 1960, Unity Baptist Church in Hope, Arkansas extended a call to Gordon, and the family moved to what would be their home for 20 years. Another daughter was added to the family, Regina Sue.

Tiny put her secretarial training to work as secretary and bookkeeper for many years for General Farms Services of Hope, Arkansas. Her other role as the Preacher’s wife kept her busy - teaching Sunday School, VBS, WMA, typing and editing Gordon’s sermons, and helping with all activities of the church. Tiny served as church secretary for Gordon when he was called to pastor the Farmington Baptist Church, in Farmington, Mississippi, in 1980.

In 1982, Tiny and Gordon moved back close to her roots in West Texas. Gordon began pastoring College Avenue Baptist Church, in Levelland, Texas. Tiny was able to spend family time with her mother and her brothers and sisters that were still in Lubbock. During this time, she worked as a secretary for the Hockley County District and County Clerk’s office.

The next move was to Morton, Texas where Gordon pastored First Missionary Baptist Church. This would be the couple’s last pastorate, as the Lord called Gordon home on March 30, 1999, after a battle with cancer. The couple was a year short of their 50th anniversary. It was a happy marriage of two people who loved each other and enjoyed serving their Lord.

During the years in Morton, Tiny worked at the Cochran County Clerk’s office, and she continued her work there until her retirement in 2002. Where would Tiny go now that she could live anywhere? Lubbock, Texas, of course! She moved into the first home she ever owned, and became a member of Central Baptist, her childhood church home. When the church disbanded, she joined Lakeridge Baptist. The next years would be a time for fun, where she would spend time with her sister-in-law Marjorie Dean, sister Louise and brother-in-law Earl Horton, whom they referred to as “their” husband. The four went to church and shared a meal most every Sunday. Marjorie and Tiny went on several cross-country tours, seeing many places for the first time. They had a lifelong friendship and depended on one another, going to see the doctor together and making sure the other was taken care of.

In 2015, the west Texas city girl began spending her last years living on an East Texas ranch, with her youngest daughter and family, north of Paris, Texas. She lived in her little Grammy apartment until April of 2019, residing at the Heritage House of Paris, Texas until the time of her death, July 30, 2019.

Survivors are her children, son Rick Renshaw and wife Sharon of Waxahachie, Texas; daughter Rhonda Irvin and husband Tim of Hope, Arkansas; daughter Regina Hodnett and husband Greg of Paris, Texas. Grandchildren: Cody Renshaw of Minot, SD; Jared Renshaw and wife Naphtali of Estacada, OR; Leslie McMonagle and husband Paul of Lynchburg, VA; Luke Irvin and wife Jackie of Conway, AR; Seth Irvin of Conway, AR; Sam Hodnett of Dallas, TX; Riley Hodnett of Paris, TX; and Hannah Hodnett of Paris, TX. 9 great-grandchildren: Caelum, Eleanor, Jason and Darby Renshaw; Megan and Lydia McMonagle; Milo, Mika and Mack Irvin.

Her request was that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to: BMA Missions, P.O. Box 878, Conway , AR 72033 or Lakeridge Baptist Church, 4601 82nd Street, Lubbock, TX 79424.