Oliver Delmar

Oliver Raymond 'Bennie' Delmar

CASPER -- Services for Oliver Raymond "Bennie" Delmar, 88, will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, 2007, at First Southern Baptist Church with Pastor John Herrington, Pastor Rob Peterson, and Pastor Randy Barnett officiating. Burial will be in Wyoming Memorial Gardens in Casper.

Viewing is Thursday from 2 to 8 p.m., at Newcomer Family Funeral Home and on Friday from 9 to 11 a.m.

He died Jan. 25, 2007, at Wyoming Medical Center.

He was born Aug. 23, 1918, in Tulsa, Okla., the son of Oliver Francis Patterson and Estella (Hampshire) Delmar.

He graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University and married Margaret Jo Eaton on June 1, 1941 in Seminole, Okla. He went on to attend Southwestern Seminary where he graduated in 1948. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Grand Canyon University. Immediately upon his gradation from Southwestern Seminary, he embarked upon his lifelong work of opening more than 300 Southern Baptist churches all over the western states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota.

He organized the First Southern Baptist Church of Casper, the very first Southern Baptist Church in the Rocky Mountains along the Colorado/New Mexico line to Canada.

One of the keys to his success was his ability to connect with people. He was often referred to as the last of the suitcase missionaries.

He declared that wherever there were people, he felt compelled to create a mission.

Survivors include a daughter, Deanna Delmar of Casper; a son, Jim Delmar, Burleson, Texas; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Wife, a daughter; Jennifer Delmar and brothers, James and Howard Delmar.

Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.