Obituaries, revivals, ministerial moves in People and Places

Deaths

Rita Diane Davenport Cox, 77, died Feb. 11 at her home in Ft. Gaines.

Cox, a native of Columbus, was a member of Springvale Baptist Church where she was song leader and pianist for 39 years. Her husband, Jim Cox, had served the church as pastor.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by a son, Steve Cox, of Ft. Gaines, and a daughter, Melissa Hinchliffe, of Camilla; sisters Connie Avery, of Denton, TX, Kathy Brewer, of Bonham, TX, Brenda Jeter, of Bonham, TX, and Chris Holley, of Crum, TX; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Longtime pastor of Clarkdale First Baptist Church Marvin "Doc" Frady died Feb. 4. He was 81.

Frady grew up in Cobb County, where he would leave a footprint through his church as well as a quarter-century of service as Cobb County Sheriff's Office chaplain. He also was chaplain to the House of Representatives and the State Senate of Georgia. In addition, Frady was the North Georgia Chairman of the Board of Directors for Cumberland Christian Academy.

Married at 18 to his wife of 63 years, Jan, they worked together to build Corner Baptist Church, where Frady was the music director. As well as being a minister, Frady established a successful chiropractic office in Smyrna, leaving that career in his early 70s to become a full-time minister.

During his 47-year ministry Frady served at Oakdale Baptist Church and Grace Baptist Church in Canton before being called to Calvary Baptist in Smyrna, where he ministered for 13 years before moving on to Clarkdale First Baptist.

He is survived by his wife and children, Rabona Frady Gordon and Randy K. Frady, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. His funeral service at Mayes Ward-Dobbin Macland Chapel in Powder Springs Feb. 7 was led by former professional wrestler Lex Lugar, to whom Frady had been a mentor.

Harold Shirley

Harold A. Shirley, 87, pastor of Monticello Baptist Church in the late 1980s, died Jan. 23.

A native of Meridian, MS, Shirley was a graduate of Southern Seminary and served more than 50 years in six states as a minister. He is preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Betty Davis Shirley, and survived by his children Jan Shirley Rierson, of Riverview, FL, and John Shirley, of Gulfport, FL as well as two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Revivals

First Baptist Nashville

First Baptist Church Nashville held its Winter Revival Feb. 7-10. Fred Evers was the guest preacher and Daniel Crews performed in concert Feb 10.

Ministerial Moves

Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis recently began serving as interim pastor at Roswell Street Baptist Church in Marietta. Lewis currently serves as the executive director, Pastoral Care and Developement of the North American Mission Board. He is on Twitter at @pastor4pastors and blogs at pastorforpastors.blogspot.com.