Louisiana AHGP

Part of the American History and Genealogy Project

Vernon L. McKee

Dr. V. L. McKee served as pastor from 1931 to 1942, the longest tenure of any pastor of First Baptist, Homer. He was called to Homer from the pastorate of First Baptist Church of Windsor, Missouri. His wife was pianist while they lived in Homer and it was during his tenure as pastor that the music director, Marian Dormon, finally succeeded in convincing the church to buy robes for the choir. Mary Earl Brown vividly remembers Brother McKee convincing her to take on a Sunday School class of eleven year old boys who had already run off several teachers with their antics. Only eighteen at the time, she took a deep breath and marched into the room, determined not to disappoint the pastor who held such faith in her. Looking each one in the eye, she took off her shoe and threatened the first one to misbehave. Cowed and uncertain, the boys made not a peep! He is remembered as a very learned man, but more of a teacher than a preacher.

He and his wife had three daughters: Naomi, Miriam and Ellen. He grew up in Missouri and received his education at Abilene Christian College. He left Homer to go to Carthage, Texas and taught at Navarro College. He is buried in Carthage, Texas. 37

After leaving Homer McKee moved to Lebanon, Missouri, where a son, John Clay, was born. In January of 1948, McKee became pastor of Central Baptist Church in Carthage, Texas, serving until 1966, his retirement from the ministry.

He was educated at Bolivar Baptist Academy in Bolivar, Missouri, Hardin Simmons University, in Abilene, Texas, and Central Baptist Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. He taught at Panola Collage in Carthage, Texas

Addendum December 2012  submitted by J. Clay McKee.
The following errors appear in the biographical sketch of Dr. McKee, former pastor of the First Baptist Church of Homer, Claiborne Parrish, La.: His daughter, mentioned as "Miriam", was named Marion.

Biographical Sketches| Claiborne Parish | AHGP

Source: Author's Notice: I hereby give permission for the free dissemination of any and all material included within the book and permit any non profit use of that material. Should any agency wish to use the material in a profit context, permission must be secured from the church body of First Baptist Church, Homer, LA 71040.  By Barbara Smith, Homer, Louisiana.