Jesse Morris Ashcraft

Jesse Morris Ashcraft, 88, of Evanston, Ill., died January 29, 2011, after a lengthy illness at Westminster Place, One Calvin Circle, Evanston, Ill., with his wife at his side. Other family members had left the room shortly before his death. He was born August 14, 1922, at Malvern, Ark., to the late Henry and Ida Ashcraft, the fifth of eight children in the family. He attended public schools in Arkansas, and graduated from Ouachita Baptist University and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he earned the B.D. and Ph.D. degrees. Immediately upon graduation, he joined the faculty of his alma mater as professor of archeology where he served until 1958. During World War II, Morris served as a Navy aircraft pilot, and during the Korean War, he served as a chaplain. He continued his interest in flying and the chaplaincy throughout his life. He taught at Furman University, Greenville, S.C., before joining the faculty of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Mo., in 1959 as professor of theology. In 1981, he became dean and professor of theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, N.C., where he served until his retirement in 1988. He became acting president of the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond in the formative years of the institution founded by moderate Baptists. Morris commuted from his home in Wake Forest to Richmond to serve in this capacity until Thomas Graves became the president of BTSR in January 1991. Friends of Dr. Ashcraft gave $100,000 for the dean's suite to be named in his honor at the new seminary. At first, working out of a borrowed room at the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, he raised funds, hired the first staff members, answered positive and negative questions about the new school and "…took out the trash and turned off the lights at the end of each day," according to an article in the BTSR newsletter. He was a pastor for seven years in Arkansas and Kentucky. While serving the seminaries, he was frequently an interim pastor of Baptist churches. He was much sought after as a preacher and as teacher. As a member of First Baptist Church, Salisbury Street, Raleigh, he often taught Sunday school classes in the church and served as a lecturer on special topics for educational events. He was a deacon and a member of the John Hiott Fellowship Class at First Baptist, Raleigh, for nearly 30 years. He was also a prolific writer, publishing books on current issues including those that were helpful to the clergy and laity alike. A semi-autobiographical book was written late in life about his years at Southern Seminary. He wrote the commentary on the Book of Revelation in the Broadman Bible Commentary series. One of his most defining books was The Will of God, a small paperback that was designed to help any individual discover and do the will of God. The book was based on his personal experience and study. Various names were applied to him: Dr. Ashcraft, Professor Ashcraft, Dean Ashcraft, Morris, "Ash," and in his early years in Arkansas, he was known in the family as "Blue." In addition to his brilliant mind and scholarly achievements in preaching teaching and writing, Morris was known for his skills in wood working, a craft he had learned from his carpenter father. He and his close friend, Bill Kibler of Raleigh, not only fished frequently together, they also worked with Builders for Hope, Habitat for Humanity and did home repairs for poor and elderly people. He was known as a "down to earth" man, gracious and kind to family, friends and students. But he was also known as a demanding teacher and a strong administrator. His dry wit was a trademark, but so was his no-nonsense approach to serious matters. He is survived by his wife of nearly 66 years, Anna Bernice Haley Ashcraft; a son, Mark Henry and his wife Mary; a daughter, Anna Belle Ashcraft-Johnson and her husband Warren. Four grandchildren also survive: Jordan and Laura Ashcraft, and Jesse Morris and Sarah Johnson. The Ashcrafts had a son who died in infancy in Louisville while Morris was at Southern Seminary. Of his seven siblings, three are deceased. Two brothers and two sisters survive him. Memorial services will be at held at 2 p.m., Saturday afternoon, February 5, 2011 at First Baptist Church, 99 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, with Christopher Chapman, pastor, Mike Morris, associate pastor, and W. Randall Lolley, former president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, officiating. The family will have a private interment in the Seminary Cemetery at Wake Forest. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to the Maintenance Endowment Fund, First Baptist Church, 99 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27603. A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Wake Forest. (919-556-5811). www.brightfunerals.com.