Darris Leon Egger

Dr. Darris Leon Egger, Sr., of Abilene, went to be with his Lord and Savoir Saturday, June 2, 2007, at the age of 87. Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2007, at St. Paul United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in the Garden of Memories Cemetery. Reverend Robert Ford, Reverend Robert Monk, Reverend Jon Sims and Reverend Greg Kennedy will officiate. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Tuesday in the chapel at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. On December 21, 1919, Darris was born to John Franklin Egger and Emma (Barton) Egger in Egger, Arkansas. In 1929, he moved to McAdoo, Texas in Dickens County where he graduated from McAdoo High School in 1938. Darris attended McMurry University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1942. On October 25, 1942, Darris married Helen Joy Davis in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. He was ordained as a Deacon in Dallas, Texas in 1944 and in 1946, he was ordained as an Elder in Pampa, Texas. Furthering his education, Darris graduated from Perkins School of Theology at S.M.U. in 1947. He served in a number of churches in Northwest Texas and North Texas Annual Conferences. From 1970 to 1975 and 1978 to 1984, Darris served as the District Superintendent of the Abilene District of United Methodist Churches. He was the Program Council Director for the Northwest Conference from 1975 to 1978. He returned to Sweetwater in 1984, to serve for a second time as Pastor of the First United Methodist Church, before retiring in 1987. Dr. Egger served as Trustee of the following institutions: McMurry University, Sears Methodist Retirement Centers, Methodist Hospital, Lubbock, Butman Methodist Camp, Methodist Mission Home in San Antonio and was Chairperson of the building committee of the Don Davidson Chapel at Sears Methodist Center. Not only a minister, Dr. Egger was also an author, writing "Prairie Parsons" in 1991 followed by "Prairie Parsons II", "Butman Methodist Camp in Mulberry Canyon" in 1994 and in 1995 "A Church Named St. Paul". At the time of his death, a fifth book was being published, a biography of J.W. Hunt, first president of McMurry University. Dr. Egger was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church where he taught Sunday School classes and regularly visited those who were ill and in the hospital. Dr. Egger received many honors through his life including: Pastors Town and Country Award in 1958 for the Northwest Texas Conference, Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree at McMurry University in 1973, and the Texas Methodist College Association Award for Northwest Texas Conference in 1982. He was a member of the West Texas Genealogical Society, the Taylor County Historical Society and the Five State Watch and Clock Collectors. In the fall 2007, Dr. Egger will be honored with the Cross and Flame award from the McMurry Alumni Association. Dr. Egger served as Pastor for many communities including: Wylie, Moran, Caddo Mills-Salem, Josephine Circuit, Stinett-Morse, Clyde, Wheeler, Amherst, Hamlin, Dimmit and Colorado City. He served twice as Pastor in Sweetwater. Preceding Dr. Egger in death were his parents, John and Emma Egger, his son Charles F. Egger, on December 31, 2004 and his brother, Owen Harris Egger. He is survived by his wife, Helen Egger of Abilene; his son, Darris Egger, Jr. and his wife Cheryl of Huntington Beach, CA; his sister, Johnnie Shaw of Lubbock; a daughter-in-law, Melody Egger of Abilene; one granddaughter, Amy Yoder and her husband Mike of Navarre, Florida; three grandsons, Russell Buccola and his wife Lori, Ryan Buccola and his wife Andrea, and Kevin Buccola, all of Southern California; two great-grandsons, Derek and Brenden Yoder; one great-granddaughter, Paige Buccola; and several nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made in honor of Dr. Darris L. Egger, Sr. to: Sears Methodist Retirement Center "Charitable Care Fund", 3202 South Willis, Abilene, Texas, 79605; McMurry University, PO Box 938, McMurry Station, Abilene, Texas 79697; or to St. Paul United Methodist Church "Memorial Fund", 525 Beech, Abilene, Texas 79601.