wfn.org | ABCUSA: Richard Waltz, Former Executive Minister and ABPS Director,

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

Dies

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 4/23/03)--The Rev. Dr.
Richard L. Waltz, former executive minister of the American Baptist Churches
of the Dakotas and the first director of American Baptist Personnel
Services, died April 22.

Waltz retired as executive minister in September 1991 following five years
of leadership.	For most of that period he oversaw the ministries of the
North Dakota Baptist State Convention and the South Dakota Baptist
Convention; on Jan. 1, 1991 the two bodies officially merged to form
American Baptist Churches of the Dakotas.

Prior to that he served from 1975 to 1985 as pastor of First Baptist Church
of Kansas City, Kans.

Waltz became the first director of American Baptist Personnel Services when
that organization was formed in 1971.  He led ABPS until 1975.

He also pastored churches in Kansas City, Mo., and Parsons, Kans., and was
minister of evangelism and church extension for the former Kansas Baptist
Convention.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, April 25 at First Baptist
Church, 29th and Minnesota, Kansas City, Kans.	A fellowship gathering will
follow after the service at nearby Central Baptist Theological Seminary.
Visitation is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 24 at Porter Funeral
Home, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, Kans.

Condolences may be sent to his wife, Becky, and family at 9816 Belleview
Ave., Kansas City, MO 64114-3805.

K/2003ABNS/03ABN60

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org