Bertie "Bert" U. Singletary

Bertie Udell Singletary

November 14, 1931 – December 22, 2024

Bert Singletary (93) of Colleyville, went into the arms of his Savior December 22, 2024. He passed away peacefully at home with his family at his side.

Bert was born and raised in Florence, Mississippi, the youngest of three children, to parents, Milton and Lucy Singletary. The most important decision of his life was when, at 16 years of age, he gave his life to Christ. He realized he was a sinner in need of God’s saving grace. He repented of his sin and received Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. He surrendered to preach at age 17.

Bert attended Tennessee Temple College in Chattanooga, TN, graduating from the College in 1954 and from the Bible Institute in 1955. He then moved to Muskogee, OK, where for one year he taught Bible in the rural public schools.

Bert was then called as associate pastor of Kelly Ave. Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL. During that time, he held tent meetings around the Pensacola area. He spent three months in the Virgin Islands filling in for a missionary. In 1957, he was called as pastor of Kelly Ave. Baptist Church. This is where he met his bride of 64 years, Linda Doan. They were married August 19, 1960 and together had three children, Mark, Stephen, and Susanna.

Bert pastored at Kelly Ave. for eight years and was then called to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to pastor Manzano Baptist Church in 1966. He pastored at Manzano for 36 years and then continued as their outreach pastor for another 15 years. He preached his first sermon at age 17 and his last at age 87 – a total of 70 years preaching the gospel.

As a pastor, Bert was involved in all aspects of the ministry – from janitor to bus driver, to youth leader, to evangelist – he did it all. In the 70s in particular, there was a group of young people in the church, many of whom started as bus kids, who went on to lead lives of faithfulness and some to fulltime ministry, due in part to Bert’s example and testimony.

He had a way with people. He was funny. He could preach a sermon that started out with lots of laughs and then step on every toe in the place. But people loved him and always seemed to take it as it was intended – know the Lord, love the Lord, serve the Lord.

Bert was a missions-minded pastor. His church was small, but they supported many missionaries in those 36 years. He was of the mindset that if you want God’s blessing, take care of the missionaries. And he certainly did. During his ministry, Bert had the opportunity to preach all over the world – Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, Australia, Burma, and Japan, just to name a few.

In his later years, he loved ministering on the reservation to the Navajo Nation. Throughout the years, Bert often had a radio program called “Morning Manna,” first in Pensacola, then in Albuquerque, then on the Navajo Reservation.

Bert was preceded in death by his parents, Milton and Lucy Tucker Singletary, his brother, William Milton Singletary, his sister, Dorothy S. Holmes, and his son, Stephen and wife Yasmin Singletary. He is survived by his beloved wife, Linda Sue Doan Singletary, his son, Mark and wife Connie Singletary of Colleyville, and his daughter, Susanna and husband Keith Jordan of Granbury. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Cody and wife Kalyn Jordan of Austin, Ryleigh Jordan of Fort Worth, Justine Singletary of Fort Worth, and Ross Singletary of Arlington, many nieces, and nephews, and countless devoted friends. We miss you, Papa!

There awaits for me a glad tomorrow,

Where the gates of pearl swing open wide,

And when I have passed this spell of sorrow,

I will camp upon the other side.

~Zion’s Hill