DBU Hosts 25th Annual Decatur Baptist College Reunion

Honoring the Past

Dallas, TX - Dallas Baptist University hosted the 25th Annual Decatur Baptist College Spring Reunion for alumni and friends on Friday, April 19. During the program, the class of 1963 was honored for their 50th Anniversary, and the class of 1953 was recognized for their 60th Anniversary. Additionally, Mrs. Nell Bowles was recognized with the Decatur Honorary Alumna Award and Mrs. Joyce Sellars was presented with the Decatur Distinguished Service Award.

Celebration and Legacy

The Reunion celebration was held on the DBU campus and was held in conjunction with the 25th Annual Norvell Slater Senior Adult Hymn Sing held in Pilgrim Chapel.

Honorary Alumna recipient Nell Bowles has strong ties to Decatur, serving as the pastor's wife at First Baptist Church of Decatur for several years as her husband, Dr. Ed Bowles, was the pastor. Currently, her son, Ron, is the dean of the College of Fine Arts at DBU.

Distinguished Service Award recipient Joyce Sellars is a graduate of both Decatur Baptist College in 1951 and Dallas Baptist University in 1973. She has remained active in the DBU Women's Auxiliary Board and is a strong supporter of the University.

History and Legacy

Decatur Baptist College was founded in 1898 with the distinction of being the first two-year institution of higher education in Texas. The school enjoyed a rich, full history in Decatur until 1965 when it moved to Dallas at the invitation of the Dallas Baptist Association. Alumni, friends, and family joined together to celebrate this significant anniversary in the life of the school.