Ansel Jarratt Major, 1932-2020

Ansel Jarratt Major, 87, of Tyler died July 15, 2020 in Tyler. He was born Nov. 8, 1932 in Port Arthur, the day Franklin D. Roosevelt was first elected president. He was the son of the late Grace Jarratt Major and Ansel Millard Major and was also preceded in death by a sister, Juanita Jones.

He graduated from Lee High School in Baytown and Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, where he met Sylvia Bigby of Marshall. They wed in 1953.

Mr. Major received a bachelors degree from Centenary College in Shreveport and a bachelors from the Perkins School of Theology at SMU in Dallas.

He became a Methodist preacher and was first assigned to the Rusk circuit with rural churches at Atoy, Bethel, Sacul and Recklaw. His next circuit was Hooks which included churches at Hooks and Red Lick. His next assignment was the Hughes Springs circuit with churches at Harris Chapel and Cornett. During this time their son, Phillip, was born.

His first full-time church was at Big Sandy, after which he became a campus minister at the Wesley Foundation at what was then known as East Texas State, now A&M-Commerce, in 1958. During that time daughters Cindy and Laura were born.

In 1962 the family moved to Denton where he became director of the Methodist student center at what is now the University of North Texas. He spearheaded the project to build a new student center.

He took a two-year sabbatical in 1970 and bought a Gulf service station, receiving training in various aspects of automotive repair. He returned to campus ministry in 1972 at Texas Woman’s University. He and Sylvia divorced in 1978.

He returned to church ministry in the Dallas area, and in 1983 married Linda Baird, formerly of Henderson, and became the step-father of Rhonda and Jason Baird.

Mr. Major went through the training program at the multi-denominational Pastoral Counseling Center in Dallas and then joined the staff full-time.

In 1992 he and Linda purchased property south of Jamestown and eventually relocated there to begin a ministry at Wildwood Sanctuary, which included a pastoral retreat and bed and breakfast.

He continued as a counselor in the area, with an office in Tyler, and also officed for a time at the Methodist ministry center in Mineola.

He was involved in the Walk to Emmaus in East Texas and continued to teach the course of study for later-in-life Methodist pastors in Jacksonville until recent years.

He is survived by his wife, Linda, of Carroll; son, Phillip and his wife Lesa of Mineola; daughters, Cindy Major of Tyler and Laura Triggs and husband Casey of Arlington, Va.; step-daughter Rhonda Baird of Dallas; step-son Jason Baird of Allen; grandsons, Sam Major of Mineola, Taylor Triggs of Arlington, Va. and Travis Triggs of Arlington, Va.; and step-grandson Preston Baird of Allen.

A memorial service will be planned later.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Samaritan Counseling Center of East Texas or the Alzheimer’s Alliance of East Texas.