Bishop Jack M. DeHart

Bishop Jack DeHart, Sr., age 75, joined his Lord and Savior peacefully on January 14, 2010 at 06:43 AM surrounded by his wife and children at his home in Colleyville, Texas.Born December 16, 1934 to James and Mary White DeHart in Pt. Arthur, Texas, he was the youngest of five children. Orphaned at the age of nine upon his mother's passing, he was raised by his eldest brother Harold and his wife, Helen Morgan DeHart. He graduated Pt. Neches-Groves High and shortly after felt a calling to help others. He married his childhood sweetheart, Doris Martin, on November 1, 1952. In 1952 he began his long journey from layman to evangelist to pastor. Ordained in 1955, he served as pastor in LaFeria (08/1956-07/1958), Pt. Arthur (08/1958-03/1963), and Paris, Texas (04/1963-06/1971). He then moved to Irving, Texas in July, 1971 taking the helm of what is now Heartland Church, when he remained Senior Pastor until elevated to Bishop in 2000. He remained active in the Church until his death, even managing to attend the final service at the Irving location and held in the Sanctuary he dedicated, this past Sunday, January 10, 2010. Along with his distinguished pastoral resume, Bishop DeHart served in numerous other capacities including: Board of Directors for Texas Bible College; Sectional Youth Leader, Sectional Presbyter, Texas District Youth President, National Home Missions Board and Home Missions Ethnic Director for UPCI; Board of Elders and recently Chairman for the Global Network of Christian Ministries. He traveled extensively to Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Germany, Britain, France, the Mediterranean, Asia and Africa along with other developing nations where he counseled pastors and ministered to hundreds of thousands of people. In one service in Ethiopia, over 200,000 came forward to accept Christ and receive his Holy Spirit. He has published three books along with numerous other writings that are still used as text and reference in numerous churches, Bible Colleges and seminaries around the Globe.He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Harold and Kimmie DeHart, sisters Etta Eves and Hazel Bedair, and the sister-in-law that raised him, Helen DeHart. He is survived by his wife of fifty-seven years, Doris Martin DeHart of Colleyville, TX; son, Jack (Bo) DeHart, Jr. and wife, Candi Cotton DeHart of Grand Prairie, TX; daughter, Rebekah Ann Dean and husband, the Rev. William Daniel Dean of Colleyville, TX; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.Visitation: 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at Heartland Church, 4020 Nazarene Drive, Carrollton, TX, 75010. Celebration of Life: 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at Calvary Church, 4401 N. Hwy 161, Irving, TX., 76028, followed by private interment at the historical Bear Creek Cemetery. Should friends desire, the family kindly request memorials to the Jack DeHart Memorial Fund, c/o Heartland Church, 4020 Nazarene Drive, Carrollton, TX., 75010. Florist are requested to make deliveries to Heartland Church after 9 a.m. Monday.