Rev. Raymond L. Horne

Raymond L. Horne, 91, passed from this earthly life into the eternal presence of his loving Lord Jesus Christ on April 6, 2019. Born in Hammond, Louisiana on May 30, 1927, Raymond was the son of the late Rev. Jacob L. Horne and Sarah Wilcher Horne, who moved their young family to the Shady Grove Community of Jones County in 1931. Being reared on a small Mississippi farm during the Great Depression, Raymond spent his high school years as an active member in 4-H and Future Farmers of America organizations, serving as an officer in the Mississippi FFA Association and winning numerous awards, among which was the American Farmer Degree. Following his graduation from Shady Grove High School in 1945, he was drafted into the US Army for service during the ending months of World War II. After concluding basic training and brief service at four different army posts, Raymond was assigned to foreign service at Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. There, he served in the office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters Company, of the Alaskan Department, until his honorable discharge. Raymond pursued higher education at Jones County Junior College, Ellisville, Mississippi and Anderson College (now Anderson University), Anderson, Indiana. He was a member of the school newspaper staff at both colleges. At Anderson he was named Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, was managing editor of the school newspaper, and was elected secretary of the student body. Following his January 1951 marriage to Shirley Rowe, the couple moved to his hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, where he worked for the Laurel Leader Call as farm editor, photographer and reporter, and also at Sears Roebuck & Co. Feeling God’s call to the Christian ministry in 1954, Raymond spent the next several decades pastoring Church of God (Anderson, IN) congregations in Mississippi and Alabama. During his ministry, he continued writing for Christian publications and even edited monthly news publications for the church’s state organization in each state. The blend of Raymond’s love of God’s church and people, family, history, and writing consumed his retirement years. Thus, in addition to preaching assignments and state-wide church leadership roles, those retirement years were spent researching, editing and publishing histories. There were more than 21 such publications about churches, families and historical sites. He also was a contributing columnist for a weekly newspaper in Jones County. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rev. and Mrs. Jacob L. (Sarah) Horne; first wife and mother of his children, Shirley Hope Rowe in 1986; second wife, Rachel Baughman Cowden in 2005; and brother Willus M. Horne. He is survived by daughters, Gay Dawn Horne-Nelson (Darryl) of Trussville, AL and Linda Hope Creel (Terry) of Rome, GA; granddaughters Dara Hope Creel Meyers (Andy) and Kayla Creel; great-grandchildren, Corbin Meyers and Ledi Meyers, and a sister, Christine Horne Mangrum. Raymond’s life will be memorialized on Monday, April 15, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at First Church of God in Laurel, with visitation beforehand beginning at 9:30 a.m. and on Sunday, April 14, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Memory Chapel. Interment will be in Crestview Cemetery. Rev. Duane Parker will officiate. To view and sign the online guestbook, visit: www.memorychapellaurel.com

Rev. Raymond L. Horne

May 30, 1927 - April 6, 2019