When Wilbur Baxtor was asked on the morning of his birthday how it felt to be 90, he replied, "Well, I still feel with my fingers." Ha, ha. He stated he first entered the ministry in 1932. His first church to pastor was the Letart Guiding Star Advent Church in Letart, West Virginia, which just happened to be his last church at retirement. He pastored for 17 years there the last time. "If I ever had an enemy, I never knew it."
To date, Rev. Baxter has received 120 Birthday Cards! One card came from a pastor friend in West Virginia who wrote: "Dear Reverend: You must be doing well . . . I understand you are 879 years younger than Methuselah so you still have a long way to go." Also the pastor replied, "I understand the Methodist preacher who comes to visit you there in Mannford has gotten you about ready to join the Methodist Church!"
Reverend Baxter says, "You know, at 90 years of age you are almost out of the picture -- but the cards and letters don't show that do they?"
He received many cards from lady friends who he says wanted to marry him for 10 or 12 years after his wife passed away, "But," replied Reverend Baxter, "I told them I wouldn't marry the witch from Endor!"
Someone from Point Pleasant, West Virginia sent him a card and said they remembered Rev. Baxter eating country ham and buttermilk at her parent's home -- and the Rev. tells us he also remembers those dinners. When asked, "Don't preachers always eat chicken?" he replied, "Probably . . . but I'd rather have ham anyday."
Cards and letters of birthday wishes from Baptist, Christian, and all different church affiliates have showered Reverend Wilbur Baxter. And what a memory! All that has to be mentioned is maybe the name and he can tell you the address, or just the address and he can tell you the name of the person writing and the history of how he knew them and who they are kin to!
We also add our best wishes to Reverend Baxter on his 90th Birthday!
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