Rev. Dr. Paul Koonce

August 6, 1954 - July 10, 2016

Dr. Paul Alan Koonce, 61, pastor and missionary, passed away July 10, 2016 in Bartlesville. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 13 at First Baptist Church, Bartlesville with Dr. Michael Vallandingham and Rev. Keith Jordan officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. Paul was born in Oklahoma City Aug. 6, 1954. He earned degrees from Oklahoma Baptist University, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the Southern Baptist Seminary of Biblical Studies. He married Terri Belcher March 19, 1976. He ministered as pastor of three Southern Baptist churches in Oklahoma and Missouri, serving in various leadership positions in the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. He then served the 37 Southern Baptist churches of Washington-Osage Baptist Association for 18 years as Director of Missions. In addition to preaching, he led students and adults from local churches on mission trips to Leon, Mexico and Malawi, Africa, sharing the Gospel, planting churches, and developing leaders. Paul is survived by his wife, Terri; son Brian Koonce and his wife, Megan, of Jefferson City, Mo.; daughter Kelly Charles, her husband, Ryan, and grandson-on-the-way, Reed Daniel Charles, of Oklahoma City; mother, Opal Ashenbrenner, of Oklahoma City; and sister, Karen Sue Johnson and her husband, Jack, of Texhoma. He is preceded in death by his father, Guy L. Koonce, Jr. Memorial gifts honoring Paul may be given to Manna Ministries in Malawi – a ministry that provides food and hope for orphans and widows – in care of Washington-Osage Baptist Association, 3801 N. Maryland, Bartlesville, OK 74006. Viewing is available through Tuesday evening at Walker-Brown Funeral Home. Pall Bearers are: Jack Johnson, Jordan Johnson, Greg Dalton, Lonnie Hoelscher, Artie Hudson and Willard Lyons. Honorary Pall Bearers are: Pastors of Washington Osage Baptist Association Churches and Reverend Charles Malekano