J.W. Depew

Rev. J.W. Depew, 96, passed from this life on February 29, 2016 at Senior Village surrounded by his son, daughter-in-law, and several pastors. J.W. Depew was born June 28, 1919 and grew up in Ochiltree County. He was always known as "Jay" or "J.W." because J.W. was all that was on his birth certificate. He accepted the Lord as his Savior at 19 and began to work with travelling ministers to spread the Gospel while continuing to farm in the Texas Panhandle with his father, James Aaron (Jim) Depew. Once he dedicated his life to Jesus Christ, he left a legacy of love for the Lord and instilled that in all of his family. He served briefly in the US Army during WWII, before returning to farm wheat for the war effort. He decided to attend the Apostolic Faith Bible School in the spring of 1946 at Baxter Springs, Kan. He accepted the fulltime call to ministry and was ordained at graduation. He had already met the love of his life, Ethel Pauline Fullbright, of Spearman, Texas. After Bible school, they were married July 24, 1946. Three sons, Ralph, Clint, and Roland, were born over the next several years while they served in evangelism, preaching and singing across several states. The Depews were founding members of a ministry organization called the Full Gospel Evangelistic Association in 1951. He served as FGEA's Vice President from 1953-1959. At his death, he was the last of the founding members who joined FGEA at its very beginning (in September of 1951) and has remained a Member ever since. While travelling as an evangelist, J.W. additionally served as an interim pastor at several churches. They also served as pastors in: Texas, Olathe, Colo.; Meade, Kan.; Webb City, Mo.; Anchorage, Alaska; and Bidville and Fayetteville, Ark. J.W. had a journey of over 70 years in the ministry. Because he was such an humble man, even his own family never heard him brag about his first sermon or his service to His Lord. He truly lived the scripture: Matthew 25:21 "…Well done thou good and faithful…" The Depews moved to Fayetteville, Ark. to pastor People's Church in 1964. In 1968, they pioneered a new church, Evangelistic Chapel (building a new building in the 1980s) and pastored there as long as they were able. In September 2002, they asked Rev. Roger Phillips to take the lead of the church and the two churches merged to become Grace Evangel Chapel. The Depews lived in Fayetteville for 45 years and in the same home for 40 of those years. J.W. has lived in Perryton since August of 2009. He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Ethel Pauline (Fullbright) Depew of Perryton; parents, J.A. and wife Bessie (Wade) Depew of Perryton; and his older brother, Wade and wife Dolly (Lee) Depew of Beaver, Oklahoma. He is survived by his three sons: Ralph & Shirley (Shepherd) Depew of Perryton and grandsons, West of Philadelphia, Pa. and Jordan of Perryton; Clint & Shirley (Hill) Depew and granddaughters, Jennifer and husband Jay Taylor, and great-grandson, Cole and great-granddaughter, Macey; granddaughter, Jodi and husband David Conachen and great-granddaughter, Alexis, great-grandsons, Kellen and Connor all of Baton Rouge, La.; and son, Roland & Kathy (Stirling) Depew of Tulsa, Okla. and granddaughters, Julia Depew of Edmond, Okla., and Deneille and husband Dallas Golden and great-grandsons: Asher, Micah, and Graham of Midland, Texas, and Megan and husband Luke McLeod of Tulsa, Okla. A celebration of J.W. Depew's home-going will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 5, 2016 at the Community Worship Center in Perryton, Texas. with burial following in the Ochiltree County Cemetery. Rev. Mike Waterbury, Pastor of CWC, and FGEA Pres. Galen Pearcy will officiate. An additional memorial service for the Depews, will be held at Grace Evangel Chapel in Greenland, Ark. at a later date. A memorial scholarship fund, in honor of J.W. Depew, has been established to fund a scholarship for ministry students. You can give to the Depew Scholarship Fund at 4D COMM, P.O. Box 702378, Tulsa, Okla. 74170.