Rev. Robert Maynard French Sr.

Rev. Robert Maynard French Sr. went home to be with the Lord on August 1, 2011, surrounded by family at his home. Born in North Holston, VA, he was the son of the late Thomas George and Docie Belle Sheets French. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he served our country during WWII. He taught at Emmorton Baptist Bible Institute for 11 years while working toward his Doctor of Divinity Degree. He served as pastor at Dublin Missionary Baptist Church from 1976-1980 and at Harmony Missionary Baptist Church from 2007-2010. He had been employed at Southern States in Bel Air from which he retired.

Mr. French is survived by his wife of 66 years, who was his childhood sweetheart from elementary school, Evelyn M. Wyatt French of Bel Air, MD; son, Robert Maynard French Jr. and wife, Ruth, of Mooresville, NC; daughter, Patricia Lynn Thomas and husband, Richard "Dick", of Bel Air, MD; brothers, Eugene French of Tannersville, VA, Harold French of Malta, OH; sisters, Ida Mae Taylor of Dry Fork, VA, Pauline Minton and Mabel Orr both of Saltville, VA, Betty Lou Huffaker of Knoxville, TN, Kathleen Allison of York, PA and Sue Kinder of Tannersville, VA; grandson, Richard Scott French and wife, Laura, of New York, NY; and great-grandchildren, Christophe and Luca French of New York, NY. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brothers, George, Kyle, and Billy French.
Services will be held at Oak Grove Baptist Church, Bel Air, MD on Friday, August 5, 2011 at 2 p.m., with Rev. Steve Dixon and Rev. Kenneth E. Tipton officiating. Interment will be in the adjoining church cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Jeff Robertson, Rev. Paul Cole, Dick Thomas, Donald Perkins, Bill Mitchell and Joe Lewis.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Harmony Missionary Baptist Church, c/o. Rev. Steve Dixon, 2619 Jacob Tome Highway, Colora, MD 21917.