Dr. Orvel Hooker

Dr. Orvel Edwin Hooker, 95, of Mount Juliet, TN, passed peacefully away to his heavenly home on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, while under the loving care at Creekside Center for Rehabilitation and Healing in Madison, Tennessee where he had resided for the past year. Prior to transitioning to long term care, he resided with his son David and daughter in law Tammy in Mount Juliet, TN since 2018. He was born in Memphis, TN on January 8, 1929, to Orvel Edwin Hooker, Sr. and Atha Geneva King Hooker.

Visitation will be held on Friday, July 19, 2024 from 4-6 p.m. at Chancellor Funeral Home (Byram, MS) and friends are invited to attend. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, July 20, 2024, at 10 a.m. at Chancellor Funeral Home with a visitation beginning one hour prior to funeral. Burial will follow in the Clinton Cemetery (Clinton, MS), where he will be laid to rest next to his beloved wife, Helen Neeper Hooker who preceded him in death in 2008 after 57 years of marriage. He was also preceded in death by his parents and Marilyn Clampett O’Brien Hooker, his second wife, who was a blessing to him in his later years and passed away in 2020.

Rev. Gary Bourgeois will conduct the funeral service. Rev. Bourgeois was his pastor at Temple Baptist Church (Old Hickory, TN) after Dr. Hooker retired and moved to Mount Juliet, TN. Pallbearers will be Dr. Jeffrey Hooker, Jonathan Bethea, Dr. Kelton Kingsley, Dennis Cooke, Jimmy Comfort,  and Richard Sears.

Dr. Hooker is survived by his children, David (Tammy) Hooker of Mount Juliet, TN and Cindy (Richard) Sears, of Carrollton, GA. Other survivors include his grandchildren, Dr. Jeffrey (Randi) Hooker, Bethany (Jonathan) Bethea, Rebecca (Dr. Kelton) Kingsley, Katie (Cole) Patterson, Garrett (Morgan) Sears, Leah Sears, and Brooke Sears. Additionally, he is survived by 8 great grandchildren.

Orvel was a lover of education and a lifelong student. He graduated from Caruthersville High School (Caruthersville, MO) in 1946. He went on to attend and receive a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ouachita Baptist College (Arkadelphia, AR) in 1951. While there he served as president of the student body and was named “Intercollegiate Debate Champion of the United States” in 1951 from among 32,000 participants. After moving to Philadelphia, PA he attended seminary and received a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from Temple University (Philadelphia, PA) in 1955. The following year he completed his Master’s degree in Theology as well. In 1983 he completed his first PhD in Theology from Trinity College of the Bible (Newburgh, IN). In 1985 he completed his second PhD in Philosophy. And finally, in 1989 he received his certification to practice Reality Therapy.

Dr. Hooker served as a minister of the gospel for over 64 years working in a full-time role until the age of 89. He faithfully served the following congregations: Geiger Memorial Brethren Church (Philadelphia, PA 1954-1958); Grace Presbyterian (Jenkintown, PA 1958-1960); First Baptist Church of North Adams (North Adams, MA 1960-1964); First Baptist Church of Bryam (Byram, MS 1966-1978); and Brookleigh Baptist Church (Jackson, MS 1979-2018). He was a lifelong student of the Bible and well versed in both Hebrew and Greek. His greatest love was teaching from the Bible.

In addition to his pastoral positions, Orvel was an adjunct and occasional full-time professor at many colleges including Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts (Philadelphia, PA), Millsaps College (Jackson, MS), Mississippi College (Clinton, MS), Hinds Community College (Raymond, MS), Tougaloo College (Tougaloo, MS), Wesley Biblical Seminary (Ridgeland, MS), and others. He served as debate coach, taught courses in Religion, Group Dynamics, Oral Communications, Public Relations, and History to name a few. Additionally, he served on the Hinds County, Mississippi school board in 1971.

The family gratefully acknowledges the care Dr. Hooker received at the Creekside Center for Rehabilitation and Healing in Madison, TN and Shalom Hospice in Brentwood, TN. Appreciation is also expressed to the various physicians, nurses, and aides who attended him.

He will be greatly missed by his family but they rejoice that he is free of pain and now with the loved ones who have gone before him and most importantly, his heavenly father. He saved many souls and touched many lives. We commend him into God's Kingdom.