Rev. Dickson H. Rial's Obituary
Dickson Hughes Rial, 89 years old, passed away on January 11, 2024, surrounded by his wife and children. He was born in 1934 in McGehee, Arkansas to Hubert Hughes Rial and Ruby Helen Rial.
Growing up in McGehee, Dickson was very involved in sports and was an all-state receiver at McGehee High School and a devoted Arkansas Razorback fan. His 73 years in the ministry began at age 16 when he was called to preach. He began pastoring his first church, Eastside Baptist, at age 18 in Dewitt, Ark, where the church led the association in baptisms for three years.
He attended Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. After graduation, he was called to First Baptist Church in Antelope, Texas, and was there for three years. He then attended and graduated from Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he met Shirley Terry from Houston. She had enrolled in the seminary, and they began dating in January 1961. He said to her “she was brought there by God to marry him”, and marry they did in September 1961.
Dickson and Shirley began as pastor and wife of Stadium Drive Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. They were there until he was called to Orchard Hills Baptist in Garland, Texas, in 1963, where he pastored for eight years. During the Rials’ ministry, Orchard Hills Baptist was a leader in baptisms for the state of Texas. Their son, Randy, was born, followed three years later by the arrival of their daughter, Renee.
After serving in First Baptist of Ada, Oklahoma, he went to River Oaks Baptist in Houston, First Baptist Church of Benton, Arkansas, and Hillcrest Baptist of Dallas. Prior to returning for a second time to Orchard Hills in 2001, he was in evangelism for over nine years where he preached revivals all around the world.
Reverend Rial served on the executive board of the Arkansas and Oklahoma State Conventions, Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, and has been pastor adviser of the Texas Evangelism Association. He completed his fifth book prior to passing about the book of Habakkuk, after authoring "Honey from the Rocks", "How to Win When the Roof Caves In", "Angels: Do they still make house calls?" and "Victory in the Valley".
Dickson and Shirley have led groups to the Holy Land and ministered in revivals in Korea, Israel, Europe, Greece and Canada.
Reverend Rial was preceded in death by his parents, Hubert Hughes Rial and Ruby Helen Rial, and his brother, Jarrell Rial.
Survivors left to cherish his memory are: his wife, Shirley; his son, Randy (Holly) Rial; his daughter, Renee Rial-Reynolds (Ray); his grandchildren Cody (Amber) Rial, Rylee (Jordan) Fiore, Ryan Reynolds, John (Katelyn) Reynolds and Kyle (Jessica) Reynolds; his great-grandchildren Ellis, Aaron, Malia, Phoenix and Conrad; and dear friends both near and far.
Family will receive friends from 6:00PM to 8:00PM on Friday, January 19, 2024, in Morgan Chapel at the Ethiopian Evangelical Believers Church (formerly Orchard Hills Baptist Church), 3033 Saturn Road in Garland.
A funeral service will begin at 1:00PM on Saturday, January 20, 2024, in the Main Sanctuary of the Ethiopian Evangelical Believers Church (formerly Orchard Hills Baptist Church). Interment will follow at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas.
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