Marvin Knox

Marvin Knox, a Baptist pastor who served churches more than six decades, died Jan. 16 in Marlow, Okla. He was 88.

He was born May 11, 1933, in Canadian, Texas, to John W. Knox and Imagene Dunsworth Knox. He married the love of his life, Margaret Moore Knox, Aug. 20, 1954, in Higgins, Texas.

Marvin grew up in Borger, then a Texas Panhandle petroleum boomtown, where he graduated from Borger High School in 1952. He earned a degree from Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas, in 1956 and attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
He accepted his first pastorate in 1957 and followed that calling until he retired in 2019. The churches he served are:

• First Baptist Church of Gage, Okla., pastor

• First Baptist Church of Phillips, Texas, associate pastor

• Keeler Baptist Church of Borger, Texas, pastor

• Lincoln Street Baptist Church of Dalhart, Texas, pastor

• Key Heights Baptist Church of Perryton, Texas, pastor

• Southside Baptist Church of Wichita Falls, Texas, pastor

• Central Baptist Church near Marlow, Okla., pastor

• First Baptist Church of Stratford, Okla., pastor

• Liberty Baptist Church near Duncan, Okla., pastor

Members of those churches knew him as a loving pastor, who cared deeply for them, their families and their communities. He also developed a reputation as an earnest Bible preacher and a church leader committed to strong Sunday schools.

A lifelong Baptist, Marvin always provided leadership to area Baptist associations of churches. More broadly, he served on the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board and the board of directors of the Oklahoma Baptist Foundation.

Beyond the pastorate, Marvin’s greatest feat was donation of a kidney to his beloved daughter, Martha Knox Scott, in 1994. At 61, he was the oldest living organ donor in the history of Parkland Hospital in Dallas. His donation extended her life by more than 14 years; she died April 26, 2009.

Marvin’s parents preceded him in death, as did his three brothers—Garvin Knox, his twin, and their twin younger brothers, Gorman and Norman.

Margaret Knox, his wife of 67 years, survives him. Other survivors include his sons: Marv (Joanna) Knox of Durham, N.C. and Martin (Valorie) Knox of Weatherford, Texas. Also, six grandchildren: Lindsay (Aaron) Kahler of Buda, Texas; Molly (David) Leverenz of Durham, N.C.; Shelby (Dylan) Price of Independence, Texas; Jamie (Nathan) Roach of Vernon, Texas; Mackenzie Knox of Shawnee, Okla.; and Tanner Knox of Waco, Texas. His family includes six great-grandchildren: Ezra and Abram Kahler; Eleanor, Rosie, and Margo Leverenz; and Gracelyn Roach.

Service will be Friday, January 21, 2022, at 1:00 at Liberty Baptist Church, Duncan, Oklahoma. The family requests all attending the service to wear a mask. Internment will be Monday, January 24, 2022 at 11:00 at Crestview Cemetery in Wichita Falls, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the National Kidney Foundation (kidney.org/donate) or The Knox Fund for Immigrant Relief (https://fellowshipsouthwest.org/donate-index-impact).