Updated: 06 Sep 2009

[ Home ] [ Index ] [ Back ]

April 28, 1989
Sapulpa Herald
Sapulpa, Creek Co. OK
Photo

JOE C. KNOWLES JR.

The Rev. Joe C. Knowles Jr., 48, died Thursday night at Saint Francis Hospital, Tulsa, following an extended illness.

Services will be 4 pm Monday at the First Baptist Church with the Revs. Roy D. Moody, Billy Pierce and Page Cole officiating.

Burial and committal rites will be at Green Hill Memorial Gardens under the direction of Owen Funeral Home.

He was born July 31, 1940, in Borger, Texas. He was graduated from Borger High School, Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He also did additional graduate study.

Rev. Knowles married Susanne Morgan on June 30, 1961 in Wichita Falls.

Rev. Knowles was preceded in death by his son Christopher, in 1988 and Mother Zola Knowles, in 1974.

Survivors include wife Suzanne; son Chad Knowles; parents Joe C. and Janice Knowles of Borger, and sister Mrs. C. W. (Bitsy) Howell of Laredo, Texas.

His former pastorates included First Baptist Church of Tipton, Okla., College Heights Baptist Church Cleburne, Texas, and College Heights Baptist Church, Plainview, Texas. In 1977, he became pastor of the First Baptist Church of Sapulpa.

His ministry was both evangelistic and Christian discipleship oriented. He has pastored people from all walks of like, including academicians, business people, civic leaders, students, ____ and farmers.

Rev. Knowles has preached in more then 150 revivals and Bible conferences.

He was licensed to preach by the First Baptist Church of Borger in 1959 and ordained to the Gospel Ministry by the First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls in 1962. He served as member of the Executive Board of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and chaired the Administrative Committee and the Budget Committee. He also was an instructor with Southern Baptist Convention Seminary Extension and president of the Board of Trustees for Plains Baptist Assembly in Texas. He held national certification in Continued Witness Training by Home Mission Board in leading Spiritual Awakening Pray Seminars.

The Rev. Knowles served as a member of numerous Southern Baptist Convention committees and took on many associational responsibilities, He also was an adviser in B. S. U. work and member of the School of Christian Service Associates and Oklahoma Baptist University.

In 1981 and 1986, he served as the Assembly Bible Teacher at Falls Creek. In 1983, he preached at the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. At the invitation of the foreign Mission Board, he preached in the Philippines, Canary Islands, twice in Spain, Barbados, Puerto Rico and Toured Various Caribbean Islands. He has served as banquet speaker and speaker for various public school teacher orientation seminars, children and youth camps and civic clubs.

He served as chaplain for the Creek County Jail, Hospitals and Oklahoma Highway Patrol. He also served as chaplain of the Oklahoma Long Range Action Committee of the Chamber of Commerce.