Biographies U
November 23, 2020
Biographies W
November 23, 2020

Biographies V

OTHONIEL A. VALDES, SR.

Othoniel A. Valdes, Sr. (1956-) was born in Havana, Cuba, the son of Benjamin and Carmen Valdes. He graduated from Mercer University, Macon, GA and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, LA. Valdes served as Regional Missionary-Language Missions Department of the Florida Baptist Convention and a church planter with the Tampa Bay Baptist Association. He and his wife Maria Carmen Valdes have two sons.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

RICK VAN CLIEF

Rick Van Clief served as pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Winter Haven.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

J. J. VAN DOOTINGH

J. J. Van Dootingh served as pastor of Johnston Park Baptist Church, 1929.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

WAYNE VAN GELDEREN

Wayne Van Gelderen (    -1997) was a native of Miami, the son of Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Van Gelderen. He graduated from Bob Jones University. Van Gelderen served as pastor of Goulds Baptist Church and First Baptist Church, Sylvania Heights. He married Tirrell Stoutenborough and they had five children.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

GERALD VAN TREUREN

Gerald Van Treuren (1893-1968) was born in Rotterdam, Holland, and came to Florida in 1945. He held pastorates in Miami, Bonita Springs, Goulds, and Fernandina. He last lived at Daytona Beach, and died June 22, 1968.

Secondary Source:
Florida Baptist Witness, July 11, 1968.

JANE VANE

Jean Vane served as association missionary for Elim Baptist Association from 1897-1899 during which time he was supply pastor for Muscogee Baptist Church. He served as pastor of Beulah Baptist Church (1900-1907), Union Hill Baptist Church (1900-1902), and Tenth Avenue Baptist Church, Pensacola (1902).

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

J. E. VANN

J. E. Vann served as pastor of Oakland Baptist Church, Taylor County.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

HARRY VARNADOE

Harry Varnadoe (1926-2020) was born in Palatka, Florida, the son of James Paschal and Effie Mae Leaptrot Varnadoe. He graduated from Mississippi College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Varnadoe served as pastor of Nocatee Baptist Church, Francis Baptist Church, Palatka, and Bunnell Baptist Church. He and his wife Merle Cannon Varnadoe had two sons and one daughter.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

TROY VARNUM

Troy Varnum (1962-) was born in Plant City. Varnum graduated from Stetson University, Deland and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville. He served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Pierson and First Baptist Church, Jasper and director of missions for the Northwest Coast Baptist Association. Varnum and his wife Latriva Cannon Varnum have two daughters. Source: Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

JAMES REDUS VASSER

James Redus Vasser (1897-1988) was born in Millport, AL the son of William and Kittie Vasser. He served in the Army during WWI. Vasser was ordained by First Baptist Church, Pensacola and attended the Baptist Bible Institute, Lakeland and Stetson University, DeLand. He started a mission sponsored by First Baptist Pensacola on the south side of the city, and it was organized into the Southside Baptist Church. Vasser served as pastor to Lake Hill Baptist Church, Orlando, Brownsville Baptist Church, Ockalawaha Bridge Baptist Church, and Laurel View Baptist Church. He and his wife Hattie Lojeania Coward Vasser had two children.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

OZZIE VATER

Ozzie Vater graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (1981) and served as pastor in Pennsylvania and Florida. In 2008 Vater became pastor of Fifth Street Church in Key West. He served as DOM of the Florida Keys Baptist Association from 2013-2017.

Source:
Florida Baptist Witness, January 24, 2008, p. 14.

ROBERT TERRY VAUGHAN

Robert Terry Vaughan (1938-2014) was the son of Calvin Culpepper and Robert Herman Vaughan. He graduated from Auburn University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Vaughan served as pastor of Circle Baptist Church, Pensacola and as co-pastor of First Korean-American Baptist Church in Pensacola. He and his wife, Sandra Baggett Vaughan had two children.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

J. N. VAUGHN

J. N. Vaughn served as pastor of Springfield Baptist Church, Panama City.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

TIM VAUGHN

Tim Vaughn served as pastor of First Baptist Church Tuscawilla, Winter Park, 2001-2004.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

W. JUDSON VAUGHN

W. Judson Vaughn (January 19, 1943- ) was born in Montgomery, Alabama. He was the son of W. Judson and Louise Dean Vaughn. Vaughn graduated from Sanford University (B.A., 1964) and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div., 1968, Ph.D., 1971). He was ordained at the Forest Park Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama in 1961. Vaughn served as pastor of four Southern Baptist churches. He served as pastor of New Prospect Baptist Church of Autauga County, Alabama (1961-1964), Hopewell Baptist Church in Henry County, Kentucky (1965-1971), First Baptist Church, Phoenix City, Alabama (1973-1978), First Baptist Church, Elba, Alabama (1978-1982). Vaughn served as Instructor in New Testament Greek at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (1969-1972), and also as Assistant Professor of New Testament Interpretation in 1972-1973. Vaughn married Linda Grace Glaze on July 16, 1966, and they had two sons, Mark and Michael. Vaughn has taught Biblical Introduction and New Testament at the Baptist College of Florida since in 1982.

Secondary Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

RAUL ANGEL VAZQUEZ

Raul Angel Vazquez was born June 18, 1943 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied at Lee College in Baytown, Texas (A.A., 1963), Seminario Teologico Bautista de Buenos Aires (B.Th., 1943) and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (D.Min., 1988). Vazquez worked with Platil Corporation (1964-1966), Firestone (1966-1967), and Crysler (1967-1969) in Argentina. Vazquez served as pastor in Argentina (1969-1977) and Texas (1977-1982). He worked with the Home Mission Board (1982-1993) before becoming the Director of the Language Division of the Florida Baptist Convention in 1993. Vazquez is a third generation minister. He was saved at age eight in Argentina and ordained in Argentina on November 11, 1972. He married Mirta Elisabet Rodriquez Vazquez on July 4, 1970. They have two children, Andres Vazquez (5-3-1973), and Sebastian Vazquez.

Secondary Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

WILLIAM VEALE

William Veale served as pastor of Westside Baptist Church, Wewahitchka, 1984-1989.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

JOE L. VERNON

Joe L. Vernon graduated from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Winter Park and First Baptist Church Sweetwater,  Longwood, 1976-1984.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

THOMAS VICKERS

Thomas Vickers served as pastor of Shady Grove Baptist Church, Perry, 1990 and now serves as pastor of First Baptist Church, Groveland.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

DANIEL BRENT VICKERY

Daniel Brent Vickery (1966-) was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. He graduated from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Vickery has served as pastor of churches in Virginia, Alabama and Florida, including First Baptist Church, Port St. Joe. He and his wife Terry have two sons.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

JOSEPH G. VINCENT

Joseph G. Vincent (1950-2006) was a native of Haiti and immigrated to Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1970. He moved to Port Charlotte in 2002 and was pastor of Redeemer Haitian Baptist Church in Port Charlotte where he died on August 8, 2006. Vincent assisted in starting several churches in New York and previously served as pastor of New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Fort Myers. Vincent and his wife Rhode had two sons, Daton and Sidney.

Source:
Florida Baptist Witness, September 7, 2006, p. 11.

ERNEST RANDOLPH VINCETT

Ernest R. Vincett (1886-1943) was born in Gravesend, England. He came to the states in 1905. He was converted in 1922 when the family was living in Water Valley, Mississippi. He attended Baptist Bible Institute in New Orleans, and was pastor of Gentilly Baptist Church when it was a mission. He served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Milton, (1930-1941), and First Baptist Church, Graceville (1941-1943). Vincett died unexpectedly after minor surgery and this tragedy compounded the grief of numerous service people from the Graceville area who were in the military. Vincett began his ministry at First Baptist Church, Graceville on December 7, 1941.

Secondary Source:
Joe M. Bamberg. The History of First Baptist Church of Milton, Florida. pp. 32-33.
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

CHARLES JERRY VINES

Jerry Vines ( September 22, 1937-) was born in Carroll County, Georgia. He was accepted Christ in 1946 at the Tabernacle Baptist Church under the preaching of John Tippett Jr., and was ordained in August 1956 in that church. He was also greatly influenced by his grandfather, W. O. Johnson, a country evangelist. In 1957, Vines was called to his first pastorate, First Central-hatachee Baptist Church in Heard County, Georgia. In 1959 he went to Bethesda Baptist Church and it was there he met his future bride. He and Janet Denney were married on December 17, 1960, and have four children; Joy, Jodi Jim, and Jon (Jodi and Jim are twins). Vines became pastor of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville in 1982. He previously served at Dauphin Way Baptist Church in Mobile (1974-1980), Alabama, and West Rome Baptist Church in Rome, Georgia (1968-1974; 1980-1982). He served at First Baptist in Jacksonville as co-pastor with Homer G. Lindsay, Jr., until the death of Dr. Lindsay. Vines is a native of Carrollton, Georgia, and a graduate of Mercer University, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and Luther Rice Seminary. Dr. Vines has served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention (1988-1989), president of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastor s Conference in 1976 and 1977, and the Alabama Pastor s Conference in 1976. He also has served on numerous convention committees and boards.

Secondary Source:
Florida Baptist Witness, January 10, 1980, p. 8;
June 10, 1982, p. 6.
Emir and Ergun Caner. The Sacred Trust. pp. 177-180.
Belton S. Wall, Jr.,  A Tale To Be Told.

DENNIS VINES

Dennis Vines graduated from Walker Junior College, Jasper, Alabama; Birmingham Southern; and Luther Rice Seminary. He served as pastor in Ragland, Alabama, before becoming pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Panama City in 1980.

Secondary Source:
Florida Baptist Witness, December 4, 1980, p. 6.

ERNEST T. VINES

Ernest T. Vines served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Polk County and Fellowship Baptist Church, Tallahassee.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

W. M. VINES

W. M. Vines served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Quincy.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

EUGENE VINING

Eugene Vining served as pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church, Ocala and Friendship Baptist Church, Kendrick.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

E. D. VINNING

E. D. Vinning served as pastor of Astatula Baptist Church, 1924.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

VICTOR E. VOELKER

Victor E. Voelker served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Polk County.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

ELMER VOGELSANG

Elmer Vogelsang graduated from Taylor University (B. S.) and Ball State University (MS). He served as pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church and Calvary Baptist Church in the Vero Beach area. In 2010 he became director of missions in the New River Baptist Association and retired in 2012. He and his wife Nancy have one son.

Source:
Florida Baptist Witness, October 21, 2010, p. 7, June 28, 2012, p. 5.

SHEBBY VOLGE

Shebby Volge served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Raiford.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

 E. W. VOLKENANT

E. W. Volkenant served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Crescent City.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

JACKSON VOLTAIRE

Jackson Voltaire graduated from Liberty University and Northcentral University. Voltaire serves as the lead pastor at Grace Connection Church, Miami. He and his wife, Julie Voltaire, have three children.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

JOHN VOLTAIRE

John Voltaire graduated from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Union des Universités Privées d’Haïti. He serves as Haitian Church Catalyst at the Florida Baptist Convention and as a pastor at Grace Connection Church, Miami. Voltaire and his wife, Emmanuela Voltaire, have three children.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

G. E. VON HAGAN

G. E. Von Hagan (1863-1950) served as a Baptist preacher for nearly 70 years. He served as pastor of St. Marks and Lakeview, Tallahassee. He died in Winter Haven on November 3, 1950.

Secondary Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.

GEORGE COIN VOYLES

George Coin Voyles served as pastor of Oakridge Baptist Church (now First Baptist Church), Polk County.

Source:
Florida Baptist Historical Society files.