The Rev. James Hackney

The Rev. Dr. James W. Hackney, 87, of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, July 2, 2014, at the Lutheran Home.

He was born Jan. 5, 1927, at Eldon, Missouri, to the late Clifford and Edith McKinley Hackney. He graduated from Eldon High School in 1944. At age 17 he joined a special program of the Army that sent him to the University of Wyoming at Laramie for six months, then to basic training at Fort Hood, Texas, during which time the atomic bomb was dropped and the war in the Pacific ended. He was on one of the first ships that went directly to Japan and he served 13 months in the Army of occupation of Japan.

Upon fulfilling his military duties, he committed himself to the ministry, graduating from Southwest Baptist College, Bolivar, Missouri, where he met Marjorie Gable of Odessa, Missouri. They were married Sept. 11, 1949. They both graduated from Union University, Jackson, Tennessee, then moved to New Orleans where Jim earned a master of divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Seminary. As a student, he pastored churches in Harwood, Missouri; Mount Herman, near Eldon; White Hall Baptist, Trenton, Tennessee; and while in seminary the Baptist Church at Norco, Louisiana.

After seminary, he was privileged to serve as pastor of the First Baptist Churches of Slater, Missouri; Rolla, Missouri; Sikeston, Missouri; Maplewood Baptist in St. Louis; and First Baptist of Gulf Breeze, Florida. After retirement from the active pastorate in 1992, he worked for the Florida Baptist Convention in Partnership Missions. He and his wife spent seven summers in the western Dakotas and four summers in West Virginia checking on mission teams from Florida enlisted during the winter months to do construction projects, vacation Bible schools, children's camps and Indian missions.

From 1962 to 1964 while director of evangelism for the Missouri Baptist Convention, he helped plan and direct the MO-Australia Crusade, taking 150 pastors and wives to Australia to serve in 400 Australian churches in evangelistic meetings for a one-month crusade. Later Australian pastors came to Missouri for a similar campaign.

While active in Missouri, he served as an officer of the Missouri Baptist Convention, a trustee of Southwest Baptist University, a trustee of New Orleans Seminary and two terms as trustee of the Foreign Mission board (now International Mission Board.) He and Mrs. Hackney made mission trips with groups to South America, Africa and Europe and Ukraine. He also escorted several groups to tour Israel and Europe.

In 2007 he received the Life Service Award from Southwest Baptist University in recognition of a life lived in following the Lord's leadership and serving others. At 80 years of age, this was very meaningful to him.

His passion was preaching and teaching the Bible. During 45 years of active ministry he preached in over 100 revival meetings in Missouri and Florida, and several other states, including Alaska.

His hobbies were reading, hunting, fishing, raising roses and tomatoes. He enjoyed teaching the grandchildren to fish and to watch them grow up.

Surviving are his wife of nearly 65 years, Marjorie; daughter Carol (John) Eaton of Jackson; sons David (Janet) Hackney of Madison, Alabama, and Doug (Laura) Hackney of Spanish Fort, Alabama; four grandchildren, Austin Hackney of Franklin, Tennessee, Sarah Hackney of Madison, Dr. Andrew (Dr. Erika) Eaton of Oklahoma City and his twin Alison (Matt) Cagle of San Diego; two nieces; and one nephew. His only sibling, a brother, Harold Hackney, died in 1999.

Visitation with the family will be at 9:30 a.m. today at Bethany Baptist Church, 1712 Randol Ave., where the Hackneys are members.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. today at the church. Dr. Shawn Wasson will officiate. Burial will be in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.

Eaton Funeral Home, Sullivan, Missouri, is in charge of arrangements.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to Bethany Baptist Church or First Baptist Church of Sikeston. Friends may sign the family's online guest book at eatonfuneralhome.com.