The Brand (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 95, No. 4, Ed. 1, Tuesday, October 10, 2006 Page: 1 of 8
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THE BRAND
ISSUE 4 VOLUME )."
IIARJHN-SIMMONS 1TNIVERS1TY
OCTOUER 10 2000
Texas Baptist Leader Lee Hempill Passes
World Premiere of unfinished
Mozart Credo to be perform
on Hardin-Simmons campus.
Read more on pg. 3.
HHBB SBiflifF'XlHHH
Portrait of Dr. Lee Hemphill courtesy of University Communications.
by Dave Cofficld
HSU public relations
Dr. Lee Hemphill of 3531
Hunters Glen Abilene vice
president emeritus at Hardin-
Simmons University major
benefactor to the University
and loyal supporter of Christian
higher education and Baptist
causes grasped the hand of his
Lord at 8:00 a.m. Saturday
October 92006.
The former pastor served
HSU as a student alumnus
trustee and administrative offi-
cer serving as vice president
for development from 1959 to
1968 and as vice president for
deferred giving until 1975. He
was a leader among Texas devel-
opment officers and a confidant
to five presidents at HSU.
Dr. Craig Turner president
of HSU stated "Dr. Lee Hemphill
was truly a man of God led by
God. The fruit of his labor glo-
rified God. This institution has
been immensely blessed by the
life of this godly man."
Dr. James Cantrell former
president of the Texas Baptist
Foundation Dallas called Dr.
Hemphill "a trailblazer" among
development officers at his 1975
retirement luncheon. He cred-
ited Dr. Hemphill with lead-
ing HSU as it became the first
Baptist institution to organize
a full development department.
"I know of no other man in this
state who deserves more recog-
nition than Lee Hemphill" said
Cantrell.
The late Dr. James H.
Landes president of HSU
from 1963 to 1966 described
Hemphill as one who "sowed
seeds of goodwill that will last
for eternity." The late Dr. Elwin
L. Sidles former HSU president
said Hemphill was a great source
of strength especially during his
early days as president.
Dr. Hemphill a Coleman
County native was born Nov.
2 1907. He was a member of a
pioneer ranching-banking family
in Coleman valedictorian of his
Coleman High School graduat-
ing class and a magna cum laude
graduate of HSU in 1929.
He taught school in Coleman
County and at Sweetwater
before going to Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary
Fort Worth where he received
his master of theology degree
in 1936. Before going to first
Baptist Church of Littlefield in
!943 he previously served at
Silver Valley Baptist Church of
Novice First Baptist church of
Dayton and Plainview Baptist
Church in Colorado City.
At the invitation of the
late President Evan A. Reiff in
1959. Dr. Hemphill an HSU
trustee while serving as the pas-
tor of the First Baptist Church of
Littlefield became the first full-
time vice president for develop-
ment at HSU. He served in this
capacity until relinquishing his
position to Dr. Clyde Childers in
1968. He then became the vice
president for deferred giving
(estate planning) until his retire-
ment in 1975.
In i960 Hemphill inau-
gurated the HSU Board of
Development and was a prime
mover in the formation of the
Board of Young Associates and
Academic Foundation.
In 1968 he and HSU presi-
A national tragedy left linger-
ing bitterness. Some say it's
time to let go.
Read more on pg. 7
dent Dr. Sidles founded the HSU
President's Club. He created of
the Cowboy band Foundation
and encouraged the former band
members to build the Cowboy
Band Hall in 1972. His photo
hangs on the band hall's "Wall
of Fame" and the Cowboy Band
Foundation voted him an honor-
ary foundation member.
Dr. Hemphill and his first
wife Lunelle Nix Hemphill
developed and managed wide
business interests using their
assets for the advancement of
HSU. One of the first build-
ings to materialize was Nix Hall
through the generous gifts of Mrs.
E.C. Nix Sr. Mrs. E.C. Nix and
their family members. In addi-
tion Mrs. Lunelle Nix Hemphill
and her husband Lee Hemphill
were major contributors to the
construction of Nix Hall.
In 1966 "The Cornerstone Series"
Bible lectures were endowed by
Lee and Lunelle in honor of his
parents the late Mr. and Mrs.
C.W. Hemphill of Coleman.
In 1986 the Hemphills fur-
nished the Business Reading
Room on the third floor of the
Richardson Library. Following
Lunelle's death in 1987 an
endowment was established by
the Hemphill family to honor
her and to provide an opportu-
nity for students to be involved
in mission outreach projects.
Subsequently Dr. Hemphill
and Koreen Willcox Logsdon
whose husband Charles passed
away in 1981 were married. The
wedding the first to be conducted
in the newly constructed Logsdon
School of Theology Chapel was
performed by then-HSU presi-
dent Dr. Jesse C. Fletcher now
president emeritus.
In 1990 the HSU School
of Music Foundation was estab-
lished through the generosity and
participation of Lee and Koreen
Logsdon Hemphill to promote
the growth and excellence of the
School of Music. Both became
"Members for Life" of the HSU
School of Music Foundation in
1998.
He and Koreen continued a
pattern of generosity to HSU in
many areas of need. They made
a million-dollar naming gift for
the Hemphill Music Building
which adjoins the Caldwell Music
Building and Woodward-Dellis
Recital Hall.
In a resolution of apprecia-
tion by the Board of Trustees of
HSU he was commended for his
exemplary work and for his life's
motto "Work as though it all
depended on me. Pray realizing
it all depends upon the Lord."
Dr. Lanny Hall former HSU
president lauded Dr. Hemphill
at the dedication of the Hemphill
Music Bldg "The name of Dr.
Lee Hemphill will always be rec-
ognized as one of HSU's greatest
administrative leaders."
Dr. Hemphill was honored
by HSU in 1958 and by Howard
Payne College (now University)
in 1952 with honorary doc-
tor of divinity degrees. HSU
also honored him in 1968 as the
recipient of the Keeter Alumni
Service Award the highest honor
bestowed upon an alumnus.
The HSU Former Faculty Staff
Administration Fellowship also
honored him with an award as a
former administrator.
In addition to his work for
HSU Dr. Hemphill served Texas
Baptists in many endeavors and
was a strong advocate of Christian
education. He was a member of
the executive Board of the Baptist
General Convention of Texas
and served as second vice presi-
dent of the BGCT. He was vice
chairman of the Texas Baptist
Children's Home at Round rock
president of Baptist District 9
the Plains Baptist Assembly and
the Texas Baptist Development
Officers Association. He served
as a trustee of Wayland Baptist
College (now University) in
Plainview for 14 years.
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The Brand (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 95, No. 4, Ed. 1, Tuesday, October 10, 2006, newspaper, October 10, 2006; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth104725/m1/1/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hardin-Simmons University Library.