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Baptists grew under shepherd's guidance

The Rev. William R. Moyle spent more than three decades leading bay area Southern Baptists. He died at 78.

By MARTY CLEAR
Published August 28, 2005

WILLIAM R. MOYLE: 1927-2005

TEMPLE TERRACE - With more than 150 churches and some 65,000 members, the Tampa Bay Baptist Association is among the largest Southern Baptist groups in the country.

For more than three decades, its executive director was a quiet but dynamic man named William R. Moyle.

The Rev. Moyle was known in Baptist circles around the state and country for his leadership and the innovative programs he introduced in Hillsborough County.

He died of a brain hemorrhage on Aug. 20. He was 78.

The Rev. Moyle was a young man when he came to Tampa in 1961 to become the executive director of the association, which at the time included all Southern Baptist churches and congregations in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, plus a few in Pasco. He held that post until he retired in 1993.

"There are about 1,200 Baptists associations in the country, and Tampa Bay is one of the biggest," said his successor, Tom Biles. "He was executive director for 32 years, and that's the longest tenure of any executive director of any Baptist association in the country."

The Rev. Moyle's term was marked by explosive growth of the Southern Baptist church in this area. The association grew so large that it split in two, with Pinellas County churches becoming a separate organization.

Besides presiding over that growth, the Rev. Moyle oversaw the creation of a variety of ministries, services and outreach programs now considered central to the local Southern Baptist community, including the Baptist Student Center at the University of South Florida, the Christian Counseling Center on Busch Boulevard and the Seaman's Ministry.

He also created the Tampa Bay Baptist Foundation, which raises funds for the association.

He was born in Charlotte, N.C. His mother died when he was just 4 months old, and he was raised by his father, who worked as a printer, and his sister, who was 25 years his senior.

He earned a bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University, then attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.

He was working toward his degree in divinity when he met his future wife, Emma Grace, who was studying religious education. They married shortly after graduation, and he began his ministerial career at the University of Georgia.

"We were there for four years," his wife said. "He was assistant chaplain, and acting chaplain for one year, and he got his master's degree in counseling."

The couple moved to Florida State University, which had become coeducational just a few years earlier. The Rev. Moyle served as the first male director of FSU's Baptist Student Union from 1956 to 1961.

The couple came to the Tampa area and settled in Temple Terrace. Mrs. Moyle taught social studies at Temple Terrace Elementary and became an administrator with Hillsborough County Schools.

They raised two daughters, Janet and Marcia, both of whom still live in Tampa.

Although he was zealously devoted to his work and his religion, family members said he was also actively involved in his children's lives. At his funeral, his daughter Janet read a tribute titled My Hero.

"You celebrated my victories and embraced my losses," she said. "Even as an adult I occasionally feel the need to call you just to hear your comforting voice."

His colleagues remembered him as both an effective administrator and a man of faith whose commitment never wavered.

"He was devoted to his calling," Biles said. "That's a nice thing to see today."

[Last modified August 27, 2005, 11:05:06]