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Life’s Reflection
Samuel Stillwell was born on February 9, 1934 in Burton, Texas to Wilbert Richard and Mattie Goins Stillwell. Samuel grew up in Houston, Texas. He graduated from Jack Yates High School in Houston, Texas in 1952. After high school is attended Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas where he received a Bachelor of Science in History and Sociology.
He began his ministry in the St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Houston Texas. Reverend Stillwell was Dean of the Baltimore Bible College and Seminary and was also professor of Theology in the Old Testament and Church History in Hebrew. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from George Washington University.
Reverend Stillwell also holds the distinction of being the first African American Minister to be installed as Associate Pastor of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church Houston, Texas. His appointment, in the latter half of the 1960’s, made him the first African-American Lutheran Pastor in the State of Texas.
Licensed also in the Baptist ministry, Reverend Stillwell served as minister of New Hope Baptist Church until he returned to Washington D.C. in 1972. In D.C. he became ordained at Rehobeth Baptist Church. Reverend Stillwell’s work in the Baptist Ministry found him working with, the congregations of Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, Peace Presbyterian Baptist Church and Goodwill Baptist Church before he return to his Methodist roots by assignment to the Westphalia United Methodist Church, located in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where he was appointed Senior Pastor by the United Methodist Church Conference.
Reverend Stillwell and his family moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he continued to minister at First Baptist Church 5th & Nebraska, in Kansas City, Kansas.
He was an educator in the Houston, D.C., and the Kansas City Missouri Public School Systems for a total of over 30 years.
Samuel Married Patricia Ann Cunningham in 1965 in Houston, Texas they were happily married for 53 years.
Rev. Samuel Stillwell Sr. 86 passed away on February 16, 2020 at his residence in Kansas City, Kansas. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilbert Stillwell and Mattie Goins Stillwell; sister, Evelyn Bullard and granddaughter, Sarah Stillwell.
Rev. Samuel Stillwell is survived by his spouse, Patricia A. Cunningham Stillwell, of Kansas City, Kansas; His children with his first wife, Marijo Wharton are Samuel Stillwell, Jr. (Lisa); Kathy Stillwell; Regina Stillwell and Kent Stillwell all of Houston, Texas. His children with Patricia Ann Cunningham are Garland Stillwell (Victoria Adeleye) of Conroe, Texas; Samuel G. Stillwell (Mary), of Kansas City, Kansas; Patricia G. Stillwell of Overland Park, Kansas and David Stillwell (Richelle) of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; a host of grandchildren and great grandchildren; his siblings, Cheryl Woolridge (Fred); Michael Stillwell (Pamela); Mark Anthony Stillwell; Wilbert Richard Stillwell all of Houston, Texas; a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
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