DATE: Saturday, May 31, 1997                TAG: 9705310238

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   49 lines

WILLIAM L. LUMPKIN

Dr. William Latane Lumpkin, 81, left his earthly home to go to his heavenly home Thursday, May 29, 1997. A native of Irvington, Va., Dr. Lumpkin was the son of the late Mason Henry and Viola Hayden Lumpkin.

Dr. Lumpkin was pastor emeritus of Freemason Street Baptist Church, where he served as minister from 1959 until his retirement in 1984. Prior to his work he served four other Virginia Baptist churches - Holland, South Quay, Manley Memorial in Lexington and Hatcher Memorial in Richmond.

Dr. Lumpkin graduated from White Stone High School, the University of Richmond, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and studied at Oxford University, the University of London and Edinburgh University, from which he obtained his Ph.D. He also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Richmond.

He was a noted educator and author, having taught at the University of Richmond, Southern Seminary, Southeastern Seminary, O.D.U. and Budapest Baptist Seminary in Hungary, among others. He was a respected church historian, having published 20 books, some of which were used as text and source books in various parts of the world.

Dr. Lumpkin was committed to spiritual advancement through the Southern Baptist Convention at the local, state and national levels. He served the Baptist General Association of Virginia in the capacity of clerk, vice president and president from 1968 to 1984. He served as president of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society and on the Historical Commission of the S.B.C.

He was an active member and chaplain of the Norfolk Host Lions Club, the Theophilus Club and served on the B.O.D. of the University of Richmond for many years.

He also had an outstanding career as a track athlete and coach. He broke 12 collegiate records and his two-mile Southern Conference mark stood for nearly a quarter of a century. He was a cross country coach as a student and as a teacher at the University of Richmond. He also coached cross country at V.M.I. He was inducted into the U. of R. Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

Survivors include his beloved wife, Louise Cozart Lumpkin; daughter, Frances L. Nunnally of Norfolk; two sons, William L. Lumpkin Jr. of Norfolk and John C. Lumpkin of Portsmouth; an five surviving grandchildren.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday in Freemason St. Baptist Church by Dr. Donald L. Dunlap. Burial will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 3, at 2 p.m. in the Irvington Baptist Church Cemetery, Irvington, Va. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Traylor Cozart Nunnally Award Fund, c/o Norfolk Academy, 1585 Wesleyan Drive, Norfolk, Va. 23502. The family will be at Cox Funeral Home Sunday from 7 to 8 p.m. for visitation. KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY

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