Retired minister Bill Burkett died Nov. 12 of a heart attack. He had been serving as interim pastor at West Green Baptist Church for the past year. The funeral was at Burkett Baptist in West Green. He is survived by his wife, Joann, and other family members.

 

Wanda Allen, 73, wife of former Southern Baptist Convention President Jimmy Allen, died Nov. 13 in Big Canoe after a lengthy illness.

In addition to their Baptist involvements, the Allens became known for a 1997 book, Burden of a Secret, about the deaths of a daughter-in-law and two grandsons to HIV/AIDS following contaminated blood transfusions.

Bryan's House, the nation's first pediatric agency for children with AIDS, was named for one of the grandsons, the first baby of record to die of HIV/AIDS in Dallas, according to the Baptist Standard in Dallas.

Wanda Allen, an Oklahoma native, also had been a public school teacher for 23 years and a Texas Baptist women's missions leader.

She is survived by her husband, who also led the former SBC Radio & Television Commission, and three sons, Michael, Skip and Kenneth.

 

James Lester Palmer Sr., 85, of Demorest, died Sept. 5 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center following a brief illness. A retired minister, he had pastured Hazel Creek Baptist Church, Tates Creek Baptist Church, Damascus Baptist Church, and Ruth Baptist Church. He was a member of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church and a World War II veteran, having served in the U.S. Army.

Palmer was the last surviving member of his family of 10 children. He is survived by his wife, Fay Thomason Palmer; one daughter, Lucy Davis of Toccoa; two sons, James Palmer of Toccoa and Eddie Palmer of Alto; and seven grandchildren.