The Reverend Dr. Michael Waco's Obituary
The Rev. Dr. Michael Waco, 83, of McKinney, Texas, passed away on June 3 surrounded by family and filled with an unwavering faith in God. Robert Michael Waco (Mike) was born on August 28, 1937 to Robert and Lillian Pearl Waco in Fort Worth, Texas. He was always a great story-teller, even as a child. He loved to tell the story about a family goat that his little brother Rodney called “a doggie” who wasn’t welcome for very long because of an incident involving his mother’s laundry.
The Waco family moved from Texas to Lawton, Oklahoma where Michael attended high school. While there, he took piano lessons. It was during these lessons that the teacher discovered his real musical talent was not playing on the keyboard, but in his singing voice. She nominated him to attend a voice workshop in Arkansas, and his love for singing and music grew from there. After graduating from Lawton High School in 1955, he went on to study music and religion at Texas Christian University.
While at TCU, Michael applied his talent in many musicals, plays, and operas at TCU. He became well known on campus and in the community because of his powerful tenor voice and was featured in the Ft Worth Star Telegram on many occasions.
When a new theater company in Ft. Worth was forming, he auditioned with friends... on a dare. He was one of very few chosen to sing for the summer musicals program produced at Casa Manana. It was one of the first paid singing jobs he landed. He sang with Casa Manana several summers, and also sang for one summer at Starlight Theater in Kansas City. Then, he decided to try his luck in New York City. He spent a little over a year in New York. During that time, he sang with the New York Metropolitan Opera chorus and the New York Symphony Chorus. He was also cast in an off-Broadway play but it folded before it opened because of a labor strike.
Although he had experienced some success during his year in New York, he decided to return to school at TCU, pursuing his interest in music as well as religion. He graduated from TCU with a Bachelor’s degree in 1962, was ordained as a minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 1965 and completed his Master’s of Divinity degree at Brite Divinity school of TCU in 1966.
Rev. Michael Waco began his career in ministry at Richland Hills Christian Church in Ft. Worth as the Associate Minister while also directing the choir. It was there that he met Linda Nevitt, after the Sr. Minister's wife recommended she join the choir (even though she didn’t sing) to meet Michael. He invited her out to coffee, they discovered they had a lot in common, and the rest is history. Being lifelong Disciples and “TCU horned frogs”, they were married within the year at Robert Carr Chapel on the TCU campus on December 21, 1964.
In the summer of 1965, they moved to San Angelo, Texas where he began as Associate Minister at First Christian Church, becoming Senior Minister a few years later. In San Angelo, Mike and Linda became a family, welcoming a daughter Jennifer Leigh and a son (just 15 months later) Michael Geoffrey. They always looked back on their years in San Angelo fondly, filled with fish fries, rodeos and childhood birthdays. While in San Angelo, Michael also served in the community in many capacities including the symphony board, but one of his most proud accomplishments of that time was his role in the founding of the San Angelo Emergency Children's Shelter in the late 70s. In 1984, he returned to San Angelo to provide a benefit concert for the shelter that continues to provide services in the Concho Valley to this day.
In the mid 70s Rev. Waco returned to his beloved TCU to continue his education in ministry. He took classes over summers, and in 1978 he completed the coursework and earned his Doctorate of Ministry degree from Brite Divinity School.
Rev. Dr. Waco went on to serve as Senior Minister at Community Christian Church of Kansas City and Central Christian Church in Dallas. In retirement, he served as the part-time minister at Forest Grove Christian Church in Lucas, Texas and First Christian Church of Weston, Texas. He also ministered to those grieving the loss of a loved one through providing pastoral care at several area funeral homes. His work helping grieving families was featured in a Dallas Morning News article that focused on the work of retired ministers who served families wishing for a religious service to honor their loved one, who was not connected with a local church.
Although a great preacher, pastoral Care was a touchstone of Dr. Waco’s ministry. He had an amazing way of blending humor with love and kindness that allowed people to process personal crises as a part of life to be experienced and valued. In 2016, Rev. Dr. Waco was recognized by Brite Divinity School with the “Distinguished Minister Award for Pastoral Ministry”. This proud moment of his career was especially important as family and friends from throughout his career gathered in Ft. Worth to honor his work in the church.
Over the course of his life and career, Michael had many roles, but none more important to him than the role of “Papa”. He was always ready to pile on the fun with his grandchildren Max and Delaney. He and Linda made a special effort to be present for their special moments, which meant lots of school activities and birthdays in Frisco with Delaney and traveling to spend time with Max in Kansas City and Indiana. His last phone call on June 1 (from his hospital room) was to Max on the occasion of his 21st birthday. He was so proud of the kind, smart and funny people they have both become. They will certainly continue his legacy of sharing kindness mixed with humor.
Michael was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Lillian Pearl Waco, and his brother Rodney Waco. He is survived by his wife Linda Waco of McKinney, Texas; his children Geoffrey Waco (and wife Hope) of Frisco, Texas and Jennifer Fettchenhauer (and husband Scott) of Bloomington, Indiana, and his grandchildren Maxwell Fettchenhauer of Bloomington and Delaney Waco of Frisco.
All are welcome to celebrate Dr. Waco’s life during visitation on Thursday, June 10 from 4:00-6:00 pm at Restland Funeral Home in Dallas and at a service on Saturday, June 12 at 2:00 pm at First Christian Church of McKinney located at 1800 W Hunt St., McKinney, Texas. A graveside service will follow at Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery.
Memorial gifts can be made to Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University or First Christian Church of McKinney.
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