Dick Wakefield

Richard L. "Dick" Wakefield, age 87, went to be with the Lord on Sunday morning, November 24, 2024, at the Lebanon South Nursing and Rehab Center in Lebanon, Missouri.

Dick was born in Hartville, Missouri on March 8, 1937. He was the youngest of four boys born to Earl and Alma Wakefield. He graduated from Hartville High School in 1955, then moved to Jackson, Tennessee to attend Union University. While in Jackson, Dick met and married Mary Virginia Hanna in 1959 and they began a faithful, loving marriage of 55 years that lasted until Mary Virginia’s death in 2014. Dick and Mary had a total of five children, four sons and one daughter. After Mary’s death, Dick married Elizabeth "Millie" Brooks in the summer of 2015 and they enjoyed married life together over the past nine years.

Dick was saved and baptized as a child at First Baptist Church of Hartville, then at 14 years of age was called to the gospel ministry. After getting his degree in religious studies at Union University, he went on to get his Master of Divinity degree at Southern Seminary, in Louisville, Kentucky, and later received an honorary doctorate from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri.

Dick was a loving and faithful shepherd of God’s people, starting with the first church he pastored, Pleasant Site Baptist Church, in Selmer, Tennessee. He then spent the next 15 plus years pastoring churches in Indiana, Kentucky, and other locations in Tennessee. In 1977, he and his family moved back to his home state of Missouri where he pastored First Baptist Church of Cabool for 11 years. He left Cabool to pastor First Baptist Church of Camdenton for the next six years. In 1994, he left FBC Camdenton to serve as Director of Missions for the Tri County Baptist Association, located in and around the Branson area. In 1999, he retired from this position and he and Mary Virginia renovated his boyhood home and moved back to Hartville. After they returned to his hometown, Dick pastored Little Creek Baptist Church and served as interim pastor for several churches in and around the Hartville area. He also served as interim Director of Missions for Wright-Douglas-Ozark Baptist Association for seven years. Dick was also very involved in Baptist life outside the local church, serving on numerous committees and boards for both the Missouri Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention, including serving as convention president for Missouri Baptists in 1998-99. He loved preaching the word of God, leading over 100 revivals in churches across the nation, from New Jersey to Arizona.

Dick was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He loved spending time with his family, whether on the river, traveling the country, playing cards, or just hanging out over grilled burgers and homemade ice cream. He was a prolific storyteller. He loved to share jokes, sayings, and stories of his life growing up in the Ozarks and his ministry experiences through the years. He was an avid fisherman his whole life. He especially loved spending time on the beautiful Ozark rivers, fishing with his children and grandchildren, his brothers, other family and friends, and anybody else that would climb in the canoe with him. One of his greatest joys was telling people about the love of Jesus and leading numerous people to faith in Christ. 

Dick is survived by his wife, Millie; five children, Mike Wakefield (Tricia) of Thompson Station, Tennessee, Tim Wakefield (Becky) of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, Tom Jones (Sarah) of Bolivar, Missouri, Mitzi Wakefield of Linn Creek, Missouri, Rick Wakefield (Donetta) of Phillipsburg, Missouri; twelve grandchildren, Hannah Wakefield, Zach Wakefield (Jessica), Maddy Jones, Joshua Wakefield (Hannah), Abby Sparks (Trevor), Jordyn Sindorf (Rob), Paige Wakefield, Sam Jones (Molly), Carlson Wakefield, John Jones (Hannah), Jacob Wakefield, Makenzie Wakefield; and six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by five step-children, Tim Brooks (Christie) of Memphis, Tennessee, Shelina Johnson (Stephen) of Henderson, Tennessee, Tammy Brooks of Jackson, Tennessee, Jordan Brooks of Henderson, Tennessee, Michael Brooks of Henderson, Tennessee; five step-grandchildren, Jake, Luke, Georgia, Dominick, and Vada Brooks; one brother, Bill Wakefield of Daleville, Virginia, numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and lots of friends.

In addition to his parents, Dick was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Virginia, and two brothers, Bob Wakefield and Don "Cap" Wakefield.

Whether we knew him as husband, dad, granddad, pastor, brother, uncle, or friend, all of us will greatly miss Dick Wakefield. But we are forever grateful for the legacy of love and faith he has left behind.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, 

the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me,

but to all those who have loved his appearing.

II Timothy 4:7-8

Memorial contributions may be made to Missouri Baptist Children's Home at the funeral home or by clicking on the link below.