Rev. Cecil Finfrock

Cecil Finfrock was born in Kansas City, Missouri on March 25, 1919 to John C. and Maude (Pearson) Finfrock. He was the fifth child born to this couple, one brother died in infancy. Cecil graduated from Manchester Grade School and East High School in Kansas City. He attended and graduated from the Kansas City College of Commerce.
While working in the business world and attending Centropolis Southern Baptist Church he trusted Jesus as his savior in 1939 and shortly afterward he was called to the gospel ministry. He then attended and graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago Illinois. While at Moody Bible Institute he became engaged to Evangeline Hope Hayward also of Kansas City, Missouri. After graduating Moody Bible Institute he returned to Kansas City and attended William Jewel College.
He was called to pastor the Stillwell Baptist Church, who called for his ordination. He had been licensed to the ministry in 1941 by the Centropolis Baptist Church and was ordained by that church in 1942.
In October 1942 he and Hope Hayward were united in marriage at the Centropolis Baptist Church. They soon moved to Waco, Texas where they attended Baylor University. Cecil graduated with the centennial class in 1945.
Cecil was employed in several secular jobs while he attended school. He belonged to the Common Laborer’s Union, the Carpenter’s Union, and the United Auto Workers Union. While attending Baylor he was the executive director of the Waco Boy’s Club. He was also the youth/ music director at the Edgefield Baptist Church in Waco and the pastor of a church in Schwertner, Texas.
They returned to Missouri following his graduation from Baylor where he became pastor of the Polo Baptist church and later the Brunswick Baptist Church. While at the Brunswick Baptist Church he felt the call to Home Mission work and was appointed Director of Missions for eastern Kansas. He was the first missionary to be appointed by the Home Mission Board (now; North American Mission Board) to the pioneer work in Kansas. While in Kansas he organized three associations and served as pastor of the Welborn Baptist Church in Kansas City, Kansas.
After serving in Kansas for four years he was called to pastor the First Baptist Church of Aurora, Colorado. Under his ministry the church had phenomenal growth, growing from less than 100 in attendance to over 500, averaging 9 additions to the church each Sunday; built an appropriate building to accommodate growth; and sponsored a Spanish mission and constructed a building for them. He also served as the Chairman of the Executive Committee for 6 years. He traveled extensively in the 5 ½ state, Colorado Baptist General Convention, preaching in evangelism conferences and teaching and training sessions.
After a seven and a half year ministry at the FBC of Aurora, Colorado he was called to the First Baptist Church of Miami Beach, Florida. This work was under the sponsorship of the Home Mission Board and the Miami Baptist Association. While there, he led the church to begin a Spanish/Cuban Ministry which has now grown to be larger in attendance than the mother Church.
After two years in Miami Beach he accepted the call to be Associational Missionary for the Valdosta Baptist Association, covering six counties. His emphasis was in evangelism and missions. He brought to the association many leading pastors and denominational leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention. He served the V. B. A. for 24 years and retired as missionary in 1990. He continued to preach the gospel of Christ for the remainder of his life.
He has made 6 overseas mission trips. He was in the first Southern Baptist group to teach and preach in Jamaica and South Africa. Other Preaching appointments have taken him to Zimbabwe, Puerto Rico, Kenya and Germany. He has taught evangelism classes at both Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly in North Carolina and Glorieta Conference Center in New Mexico. He was also a commissioned officer in the Civil Air Patrol as a Chaplin.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John C and Maude Finfrock, one brother John Edward Finfrock, two sisters Marybell Finfrock Gorham and Rosella Finfrock Petersen, and his beloved wife of 58 years Evangeline Hope Hayward Finfrock.
He is survived by his daughter Carol Faith Finfrock Warren; two grandsons, Matthew Brian Warren and Donald James Warren; 2 great granddaughters;3 great great granddaughters; a number of nieces and nephews; and a host of brothers and sisters in Christ.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, October 16, 2016 at First Baptist Church with Reverend Mac Weaver officiating. The family will receive visitors Saturday from 5-7 p.m. at Carson McLane Funeral Home, 2215 N. Patterson St. Valdosta, Georgia.

A visitation will be held from 12:30-1:30 PM, Thursday, October 20, 2016 at Heartland Cremation & Burial Society, 6113 Blue Ridge Blvd., Raytown, Mo 64133. A graveside service will follow at 2:00 PM at Elmwood Cemetery, in Kansas City, MO.