William Paul Duckett, Jr.
Dr. William Paul Duckett, Jr. was born on March 27, 1952 in Houston, Texas, to William Paul and Peggy Pate Duckett. He was born while his father was training for the ministry at the Fundamental Baptist Bible Institute in Fort Worth, Texas, a ministry of the First Baptist Church of Fort Worth, pastored by Dr. J. Frank Norris. John Duckett, Paul's grandfather, who was also a Baptist preacher, graduated from the same Bible institute in 1939.
The Duckett family's association with Dr. Norris started when Walter and Margaret Duckett, Paul Jr.'s great grandparents, joined the First Baptist Church of Fort Worth in the early 1900's.
Paul was saved at the Central Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, on a Friday in August of 1960 at the age of eight. He went forward as his father conducted the invitation at the final Vacation Bible School service. Mrs. Peggy Duckett, Paul's mother, led him to the Lord at the altar. Two weeks later he followed the Lord in baptism at the same church where he was saved.
Paul followed the example set by his parents, becoming involved in everything that happened at the church. In the summer of 1967, he accompanied his church's youth group to Mexico on a missions trip. Bearing Precious Seed conducted the trip for the purpose of passing out Bibles to the Mexican people. While in Mexico, at the age of fiveteen, Paul surrendered to full-time Christian service. However, it would be three more years before he would take his decision seriously, agreeing to do whatever the Lord would have him to do, wherever the Lord chose.
Paul attended Tarrant County Junior College after graduating from high school. From there he transferred to Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, where he met his future wife Miss Martha McGee. Paul and Martha were married on January 11, 1974. They would have three children: Amy, Becky, and Matthew, and one granddaughter, Emily Robinson.
Paul finished his college education when he graduated from Hardin-Simmons College in Abilene, Texas, in December 1976 with a degree in music. He went to work as the music director and associate pastor for his father, who pastored the Memorial Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, in January of 1977. He was ordained into the Gospel ministry in October of the same year.
Over the next several years, Brother Duckett would serve as the music director in four different churches. Though his expertise was music, he also served as a youth director and for two years, a Christian school principal at the Bay City Baptist Church and school. In addition to his work in the local church, Brother Duckett taught music classes at the Trinity Valley Seminary in Arlington, Texas, and the Norris Bible Institute in Fort Worth.
Another fundamental Baptist preacher began influencing the Duckett family in the early 1980's, Dr. Bob Gray of Longview, Texas. Brother Duckett first heard Dr. Gray preach at a conference held at his father's church. In 1985, when he joined his father's staff in Bay City, Texas, he and Dr. Gray crossed paths again.
When Longview Baptist Temple's music director resigned to go into the pastorate, Dr. Gray, upon the recommendation of Brother Duckett Sr., contacted his son Paul about becoming the new music director and assistant pastor. Though flattered with the offer he was somewhat reluctant to work at LBT, fearing he was not a prolific enough personal soul winner. After being reassured by Dr. Gray, he accepted the music director's position at LBT. His first Sunday was August 2, 1987.
Following the same pattern that had characterized his entire life, Brother Duckett immediately became involved at LBT, becoming a bus captain on the Henderson, Texas, bus route. He would serve in this capacity for four and a half years. After years of faithful service at LBT, Brother Duckett was awarded a Doctor of Humanities degree from Texas Baptist College in May 1996.
Dr. Duckett's duties at LBT would increase over the years. Along with his work as music minister he also served as assistant pastor, a class captain in the Ambassador Sunday school class, the benevolence pastor, and was LBT's hospital visitation director. In addition to teaching music in Texas Baptist College, Dr. Duckett gave private lessons in trumpet, piano, and voice. His skill in composing music and writing lyrics has also been evident at LBT's National Soul-Winning Clinic, as he wrote the theme songs for many of the Clinics. Dr. Duckett was selected to play taps for the VFW memorial services in Longview every Memorial Day, which he did for many years.
After eighteen years of faithful service, Dr. Duckett went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, September 14, 2005, while working in his office at the Longview Baptist Temple.
Memorial DVD available:
