Obituary for Gerald Weyman Squyres
Dr. Gerald Weyman Squyres, of Anaheim California, passed away on December 18, 2022 at 94 years of age. Known to most as G.W. , Pastor or Preacher, he served as a Southern Baptist minister for well over 70 years in churches in Oklahoma, Texas and throughout Southern California.
G.W. was born on March 26, 1928 in Wellington, Texas to Weyman (W.A.) and Peggy Squyres. He had two younger siblings, Ray and Jody. G.W.’s father, grandfather and many uncles and other relatives were also Baptist ministers.
Soon after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, G.W.’s father joined the Army Air Corps. as a chaplain. G.W. would also enlist in the Army Air Corps. a few years thereafter where he served until 1947. G.W. married his high school sweetheart, Betty Jean Robertson, also of Wellington, Texas and they began their life together serving in numerous churches in Oklahoma and West Texas.
With their first four children in tow, they moved to La Verne, California in 1955 where G.W. served in his uncle’s church for a year while he assisted in securing funding for California Baptist College (now California Baptist University). After a year, G.W. and Betty moved their now five children to Lancaster to build a new church, where he served for 10 years and their sixth child was born.
G.W. moved his family again in 1965 to Anaheim to lead Standard Avenue Baptist Church in Santa Ana. After many years, in 1985 G.W.’s congregation took over a larger property in Huntington Beach and changed the name to Huntington Beach Baptist Church, where he served as Senior Pastor until his retirement in 2016.
G.W. was ordained into the Gospel Ministry in 1949. He earned a Master of Arts Degree and a Doctorate in Theology from California Graduate School of Theology. He served in various leadership positions with the Orange County Southern Baptist Association and the California Southern Baptist Convention Executive Board.
Many may not know G.W. was a talented artist and used this skill to do what he called “chalk talks” to share the Gospel in the early years. He drew and painted prolifically for many years. He also loved deep-sea fishing and golfing. He played golf almost every week for many years with friends and preacher buddies.
G.W. was preceded in death by his wife, Betty and their daughter, Rhonda (and son-in-law, Edmund), grandson, Joe, grandson-by-marriage, Sean, great-granddaughter, Marissa, and his brother, Ray. He is survived by his children, Weyman (Kate), Cheryl, Diane (Michael), Warren (Debbie) and Shannon (Diane), his sister, Jody as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
G.W. was born on March 26, 1928 in Wellington, Texas to Weyman (W.A.) and Peggy Squyres. He had two younger siblings, Ray and Jody. G.W.’s father, grandfather and many uncles and other relatives were also Baptist ministers.
Soon after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, G.W.’s father joined the Army Air Corps. as a chaplain. G.W. would also enlist in the Army Air Corps. a few years thereafter where he served until 1947. G.W. married his high school sweetheart, Betty Jean Robertson, also of Wellington, Texas and they began their life together serving in numerous churches in Oklahoma and West Texas.
With their first four children in tow, they moved to La Verne, California in 1955 where G.W. served in his uncle’s church for a year while he assisted in securing funding for California Baptist College (now California Baptist University). After a year, G.W. and Betty moved their now five children to Lancaster to build a new church, where he served for 10 years and their sixth child was born.
G.W. moved his family again in 1965 to Anaheim to lead Standard Avenue Baptist Church in Santa Ana. After many years, in 1985 G.W.’s congregation took over a larger property in Huntington Beach and changed the name to Huntington Beach Baptist Church, where he served as Senior Pastor until his retirement in 2016.
G.W. was ordained into the Gospel Ministry in 1949. He earned a Master of Arts Degree and a Doctorate in Theology from California Graduate School of Theology. He served in various leadership positions with the Orange County Southern Baptist Association and the California Southern Baptist Convention Executive Board.
Many may not know G.W. was a talented artist and used this skill to do what he called “chalk talks” to share the Gospel in the early years. He drew and painted prolifically for many years. He also loved deep-sea fishing and golfing. He played golf almost every week for many years with friends and preacher buddies.
G.W. was preceded in death by his wife, Betty and their daughter, Rhonda (and son-in-law, Edmund), grandson, Joe, grandson-by-marriage, Sean, great-granddaughter, Marissa, and his brother, Ray. He is survived by his children, Weyman (Kate), Cheryl, Diane (Michael), Warren (Debbie) and Shannon (Diane), his sister, Jody as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.