Kenneth Ralph Lyle

Kenneth R. Lyle, Sr., 81, of Abilene, TX, passed away on April 10, 2018 in Abilene, TX.

Visitation will be from 5-7 PM, Friday, April 13 at the Welcome Center of the First Baptist Church of Abilene.  

A Celebration Service will be held at 10 AM, Saturday, April 14 at the First Baptist Church of Abilene with the Rev. John Moore of First Baptist Church and the Rev. Ed Deuschle of Madison, MS officiating.  Services are under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road.

Ken was born in Houston, TX to Oscar and Lucy Lyle on May 14, 1936.  He attended Milby High School and earned a Bachelor’s degree from Mississippi College, a Master of Divinity from the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he received an honorary doctorate from Georgetown College, Kentucky.  He married Judith Deuschle on September 6, 1957 in Tupelo, MS. An ordained minister, Ken served as a pastor, Director or Missions, and Executive Director of two Baptist State Conventions in a ministry career that spanned sixty years.  Ken pastored churches in Mississippi, New York, Georgia, and Texas. Beginning in 1963 Ken and Judy served the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention in New York. Between 1970 and 1978 Ken served as the Director of Missions for the Metropolitan New York Baptist Association.  In 1978, Ken became the pastor of the Atlanta Baptist Tabernacle in Atlanta, GA. In 1983, Ken was appointed as the Executive Director of the Maryland/Delaware Baptist Convention. In 1993, Ken became the Executive Director of the New England Baptist Convention. He retired in the year 2000.

In retirement, Ken served as a consultant to the Mississippi Baptist Convention in Jackson, MS and most recently as interim pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Sweetwater, TX. He was a frequent preacher at the International Baptist Church of Abilene and at City Light Ministries of First Baptist Church.  He was a faithful member and teacher of the Fellowship Sunday School Class at First Baptist Church. Ken was a veteran of the United States Army.

Ken was preceded in death by his brother James Owen Lyle, his mother Lucy Rucker Lyle, and his father, Oscar Onen Lyle.

Ken is survived by his wife Judith D. Lyle; children Christy and Bobby Waddail; Sandy and Duane Hammack; Ken and Anita Lyle, Jr.; Scott and Missy Lyle; eleven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Bobby Waddail, Duane Hammack, Jon Mason, Rob Waddail, Chris Waddail, Walker Lyle, Patrick Lyle, and Jonathan Lyle.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to City Light Ministries of First Baptist Church Abilene.