Obituary

Michael, Joseph Fredrick

The Rev. J. F. Michael, Wellington's beloved clergyman who would not bow to illness and handicap, died at 11p.m. Friday, January 22 in St. Joseph's Hospital. He was in his 50th years as a pastor of the Methodist church, and his 40th years as a member of the Northwest Texas Conference. He was 74.

Rev. Michael continued his pastorate of the Dodson Methodist Church and his activities in Wellington until less than a week before his death.

He first came to Wellington in 1951 as pastor of First Methodist Church and remained six years, the longest tenure a pastor has served in that church's history. But long tenure had been his record in the churches he served, and in his 40 years in the area, he was assigned to only eight.

So much had he and his wife endeared themselves to the members of the church here, and the townspeople, that when he retired in 1958, the Methodist Men's organization bought the home of a retired preacher, and offered it as a home to the couple as long as either should live. This has become affectionately know to Methodists and Wellington generally as the Michael House.

Retirement to Rev. Michael had no relation to the general meaning of the word. He asked and received permission from the Bishop of the Northwest Texas Conference to serve as pastor of the Dodson-Kelley Methodist Churches, then without a pastor. He continued the work at Dodson until his death.

He was an active member of the Wellington Rotary Club, the Ministerial Alliance, and was chaplain of the Masonic Lodge. He also had served as chaplain of the Masonic Lodge. He also had served as chaplain of the Wellington Volunteer Fire Department.

Joseph Fredrick Michael was born at Campbell, MO September 5, 1890, the son of Fred and Tiny Wright Michael.

He entered the ministry of the Methodist Church in 1914, at the age of 24, in the St. Louis, MO conference. His pastorate, in 1915, was at the Zelma Circuit, four churches in the Ozark Mountains of Southwest Missouri. The next year he went to the Denver, CO Conference as was pastor at Rye and Saguache, CO and Aztec, NM.

From there he transferred in 1925 to the Northwest Texas Conference, where his first pastorate was at Abernathy. He then was assigned to churches at Turkey, Hooker, OK, Claude and Fairmont Church, Abilene, before coming here. His last regular pastorate was First Methodist church at Munday.

On June 20, 1919, Rev. Michael was married to Miss Maude Ellis at St. Louis, MO. She died in January 1927.

He was married to Miss Ethel Wells at Lubbock May 17, 1929.

Surviving Rev. Michael are his wife; two sons and two daughters: Joe Michael of Magnolia, Charles Michael of Guthrie, Mrs. Marie Parks of Los Angeles, CA and Mrs. C. E. Howell of Bossier City, LA. Others survivors are a sister, Mrs. Jim McNeeley of Foster, MO and three grandchildren.

The Wellington Leader January 28, 1965