Rev. Dr. William "Bill" Leroy Masters

On Sunday, June 30, 2024, Reverend Dr. William Leroy Masters took a quiet breath and completed his life on earth to enter his Heavenly Home. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, August 3, 2024, at Central Christian Church, Enid OK, with Reverend Bill English officiating. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home and Crematory.

Bill was born on September 28, 1925, in Abilene, Texas. He was raised in Enid, Oklahoma, graduating from Enid High School in 1944. Bill grew up attending Central Christian Church with his family. He attended Phillips University, where he met Beth Lawless. Bill and Beth were married August 20, 1947. They made their first home in Enid while attending Phillips University. Bill attended Phillips Theological Seminary and was ordained at Central Christian Church in 1953. He later attended Claremont School of Theology with an emphasis in pastoral counseling, which enriched his approach to ministry and working with people. Bill was then awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Phillips Theological Seminary. Bill and Beth began their first ministry in Spearman, TX. They later served churches in the Oklahoma communities of Nash, Mangum, Duncan, and Ponca City. In 1985, the Masters moved to Neosho, MO, as ministers of The First Christian Church. They retired from full-time ministry in 1990. Bill continued serving churches in Enid, Claremore, Miami in Oklahoma, and Camdenton, MO, as interim minister while they maintained their home in Neosho. While in ministry, Bill was active in the church, serving on many regional and national committees and traveling to and participating in World Assemblies. Together, Bill and Beth prioritized their ministry with youth in the church. They led many camps and conferences for local youth groups, took students to International Affairs Seminars, and developed dynamic youth ministry groups, often meeting weekly in their home. Wherever they lived, Bill participated in civic groups, including the Lions Club, Civitans, and the Rotarians, serving in various capacities. One of his personal goals was to learn to fly. He was thrilled when he attained his private pilot’s license in 1977. He loved to be on the lake fishing, thinking, and meditating and shared that love with his son Marc, who continues the family tradition. The Masters fully retired in 2002. In 2015, they returned to Enid, where they first started their lives together. Bill continued his ministry, teaching evening classes at Central Christian Church. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bill took pride in writing and recording devotionals for the church’s online ministry. An avid reader, he never stopped thinking and creating throughout his 98 years, sharing his love of religion, theology and psychology with friends and family, always wanting to engage visitors in the latest book he had read or new ideas he was ‘processing’ by saying, “let me think this through with you.” Bill and Beth raised two children: a daughter, Polly, and a son, Marc. They shared their love of traveling worldwide. Family vacations were spent annually in rustic cabins in the beautiful Colorado mountains. Bill shared his love of fishing, photography, and playing board games with his family. Even on this last Father’s Day weekend, he enjoyed playing “Kings and Aces” with his great-grandsons, a board game he helped create. 

Bill was preceded in death by his father, Roy E. Masters; his mother, Opal Harris Masters; his sister, Vinita Scheller; his brother, Glen Masters; and his wife of nearly 72 years, Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Masters. He is survived by his sister, Marilyn Masters Fox, of Tampa, FL. Bill and Beth are survived by their two children, Polly Maxwell of Enid, OK, and Marc Masters of Enid, OK. Grandchildren are Brian (Ali) Masters, Orange City, Iowa; Angela (Mark) Johnson, Norman, OK; Ashley (Mark) Kimbrell, Ponca City, OK; Capt. Trevor Maxwell, United States Air Force. The Masters were delighted to have eight great-grandchildren: Beckett, Gratia, Levi, and Lucy Masters of Orange City, Iowa; Grant and Reid Johnson of Norman, OK; and Jordan Kimbrell and Fayth Kimbrell of Oklahoma City. 

Memorial contributions in Bills memory may be made to Phillips Theological Seminary with Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home, P.O. Box 3501, Enid, OK 73702, serving as custodian of the funds. Condolences may be made, memories shared, and services viewed online at www.ladusauevans.com