Roy C. Deaver (1922-2007) was born in Caddo, Texas (Stephens County) on December 22, 1922, the oldest of four children. While yet very young Roy’s family moved to East Texas where he learned, by working on his father’s farm, in the cotton and corn fields of neighbors, and at the area saw mills, the necessity and value of hard work. He graduated from Longview Senior High School. He grew up under the preaching and influence of Foy E. Wallace, Sr. and C. M. Pullias.
In 1940 he married Wilma Ruth Gibson and, that September, entered Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson, Tennessee. Roy recalls with deep affection and gratitude the great lessons of N. B. Hardeman, L. L. Brigance, W. Claude Hall, C. P. Rowland, J. R. Endsley, Joe T. Rivenbark, and others. Upon graduation from Freed-Hardeman College he was awarded the “Faculty Scholarship Medal.”
In 1943 Roy entered Abilene Christian College. Most of his work was under the direction of Charles H. Roberson and Paul Southern. He majored in Greek and graduated summa cum laude in 1945. He went on to attain LL.D., Ph.D., and Th.D. degrees in the field of “Biblical Sociology” (the application of sacred principles to everyday human needs and problems).
He was the founding President of Fort Worth Christian College, and, later, the founding Director of the Brown Trail School of Preaching. Addionally, he taught at Tennessee Bible College (where he served as Vice-President), the Bellview Preacher Training School, and the Southwest School of Bible Studies.
In addition to editing the paper he founded, Biblical Notes, he wrote extensively for Gospel Advocate, The Spiritual Sword (edited by the late Thomas B. Warren), and served as assistant editor of the Firm Foundation (edited by the late William S. Cline).
He was a veteran gospel preacher, debater, lecturer, teacher, elder, administrator, author, and helper of many.
Biblical Notes 