Cecil L. McGee, 89, a retired Southern Baptist minister, finished a long life of service Sunday afternoon, April 8, 2007. He was surrounded by members of his loving family.
Funeral: 3 p.m. Thursday at North Richland Hills Baptist Church. Burial: 2 p.m. Friday in Stilwell Cemetery, Stilwell, Okla. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Olivet Funeral Home.
Cecil was born July 10, 1917, in Marble City, Okla. He was the first person in his family to not only finish high school, but to get a college degree from Oklahoma State University. Cecil later went on to do graduate work at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and received his master's degree from Southwestern Theological Seminary.
His first job was as a high school teacher in Yale, Okla. He then became principal of Stilwell Elementary, which placed him in charge of many of the teachers that had taught him during his own school years.
When World War II began, he was one of the first to enlist and spent 3 1/2 years fighting in the South Pacific. He reached the rank of battalion sergeant major, returning home a highly decorated soldier, something he almost never spoke about. When the war ended, he returned home to begin a life dedicated to his Lord. He served as minister of music, education and youth for churches in Oklahoma, Texas and Illinois. He then went on to serve as drama consultant at the headquarters of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, Tenn. During that time, he authored several books that are still in use in churches and colleges across the country. He also taught music and drama in youth retreats throughout America.
Cecil traveled the nation and the world doing evangelism work which he continued to do after moving to a church in Titusville, Fla., that had built a retreat center just for him to give conferences for people seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus.
No one could have been more devoted to sharing the love and peace his faith gave him. Cecil lived in joy and wanted no less for every person he encountered. Many who have preceded to a heavenly home have done so because he helped show them the way. Cecil was an inspiration, a mentor and a consummate loving heart. Now, surely, he is being rewarded for the benefits he brought to others during a lifetime of selfless effort and a life lived with honor.
Cecil was preceded in death by his mother, father, seven brothers and one sister.
Survivors: Brother, Emmett H. "Bo" McGee and wife, Sarah; sisters-in-law, Oleta McGee of Muskogee, Okla., and Patty McGee; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Published in the Star-Telegram on 4/11/2007.