Rev. Gordon Dorian

Dorian, Rev. Gordon D., beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend and retired Southern Baptist pastor went peacefully to be with his Savior and Lord on March 25, 2016. On Good Friday Pastor Dorian woke up celebrating in the presence of the Lord. Pastor Dorian, "Bro. D", was born on July 5, 1922 in New Orleans, LA. He spent his formative years in Ashville, NC, attended Hampton DuBose Academy, Orlando, Florida and graduated from the Fortier all boys High School in New Orleans in 1942. Pastor Dorian then joined the Navy. As a VERY proud American, he served in WWII in the Pacific theatre on the LSM 377. In addition to his active duty on his ship, he served as chaplain. After the war, he graduated from Carson Newman College. In college he met the love of his life, Doris Kathalyn Overbey and married her in 1948. After college he continued to pursue God's calling as a Pastor and graduated from Southwestern Seminary with a Divinity Pastoral Degree. He pastored at Alta Mere Baptist Church for three years while he attended seminary. Soon after graduating he was called to pastor a new church in Wichita, Kansas, Olivet Baptist in 1954. He loved his Olivet church family as his own for thirty-five years and for many, those days were known as "the Golden Years". During his pastorate at Olivet, Pastor Dorian was able to fulfill a lifelong passion for missions by traveling and preaching around the world. His love for people around the globe was clearly evident. He "Never met a stranger"! Also, he loved being Southern Baptist and helped to start many new Baptist churches in Kansas and served as President of the Kansas/Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptist. He was a trustee of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and served on the Executive Board of the National Southern Baptist Convention. He also led "Together We Build" fund raising campaigns for churches all across the United States. Pastor Dorian loved the Wichita Community and served as a Police Chaplain for many years. After retirement as a fulltime pastor, he joined Mel Hambelton Ford as Chaplain and was also a vibrant teacher/preacher in churches and continued both until his death. He also taught the Seniors Sunday School class at Immanuel Baptist Church for the last twenty-eight years. (Even teaching his last Bible class 2 Sundays ago... !) He was always passionate for studying and teaching the Bible. Pastor Dorian will always be remembered with a camera in his hand sharing his life long love of photography. He was an avid sportsman enjoying golf, handball, fishing and swimming. He enjoyed life to the fullest, embracing adventure from traveling to leading and actively participating in youth church camps to keeping up with his close and growing family... he never slowed down! Always an avid reader and historian, he naturally began to write in his later years producing a beautiful memoir of his life. Pastor Dorian would say his greatest accomplishment was to be the father to his three children because Family was so important to him. He adored his five grandchildren and six great grandchildren (with two more coming soon). Although, he will be greatly missed, we are choosing Joy and Gratitude for his life and love for us!! At 93 he finished strong. We are most thankful for his wonderful legacy of faith in Jesus Christ and love for others. He was preceded in death by his parents; Lillian Mears Dorian and Levon Berge Dorian. He is survived by his wife of sixty-eight years, Doris, son; Mark Dorian of Newport Beach, CA. daughters; Deborah & Pete Ochs of Wichita and Diana & Jeff Brown of Newport Beach, CA. Grandchildren: Austin (Danielle) Ochs, Lauren (Jon) Rolph, Evan Dorian, Chase (Anne) Dorian and Carolyn Dorian. Step grand children: Spencer(Lauren) Brown and Parker Brown. Great Grandchildren: Emma, Olivia, David &Peter Rolph, Raef & Thatch Ochs. Niece, Emmeline (Alan)Cottrell. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established with Trinity Academy, 12345 E. 21st, Wichita, KS 67206 and Dorian Ministries for Missions, c/o Olivet Baptist Church, 3440 W. 13th, Wichita, KS 67203. Visitation with Family will be 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Olivet Baptist Church. Funeral Services and Celebration of Life will be at 2 p.m. Friday, April 1, at Central Community Church. Share condolences at www.CozineMemorial.com. Services by Broadway Mortuary.

Visitation

Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm, Thursday, March 31, 2016 Place: Olivet Baptist Church
3440 W. 13th St. N., Wichita, KS 67203

Celebration of Life

Time: 2:00pm, Friday, April 1, 2016 Place: Central Community Church
6100 W. Maple, Wichita, KS 67209

Memorials

Trinity Academy
12345 E. 21st N.
Wichita, KS 67206

Dorian Ministries for Missions
c/o Olivet Baptist Church
3440 W. 13th N.
Wichita, KS 67203

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