December 18, 2011
It has taken a long time to write this because Tim was such a unique person and such an important part of my life. We became best friends at a time in life when friendships are intense and forever. I met Tim the first day of school at Tuscaloosa Junior High in 1955, the seventh grade. We were pretty much inseparable from then until we graduated from Tuscaloosa High six years later in 1961. We had more fun and laughs in each of those years than most people have in a lifetime. We shared primary interests in basketball, girls and goofing off. Tim was better at the first two. He had a basketball scholarship to Auburn and a seemingly unlimited number of wannabe girlfriends. As an athlete he was always a 100% player – I saw how he energized the Auburn team in a game against Kentucky in New Orleans. I also saw how popular he was when I visited him at Auburn. The summer after our sophomore year in college we taught swimming to 3–5 year olds from his mother's school. Tim was a Red Cross certified instructor / lifeguard. A couple of kids learned to swim and no one drowned. With the money from the swimming lessons we took a once in a lifetime trip to California with Henry by way of Las Vegas. Tim did 99% of the talking on the CB as we drove non-stop back to Tuscaloosa from San Diego.
Tim and I and our friends talked a lot about a lot of different things, but we didn't talk much about serious stuff, about God. Tim was always the one most likely to bring up something about Jesus, about what it meant to be a Christian. I know that issues of faith were on his mind even during high school and much more so as years passed. He made a total commitment to preaching the Gospel around the time of his thirtieth birthday. About that time we were both living in Colorado. He called one day to say that he needed a ride back to his house in the mountains. I asked what happened to his car. Tim said he sold it to cover living expenses, but he wasn't worried because he knew he was doing the right thing in making the commitment to preaching and that the Lord would help if he needed transportation. I don't think that he ever waivered from that commitment no matter how many difficulties he faced.
With his movie star looks, high energy and his charismatic personality he could have succeeded in any number of endeavors. He chose to be a professing Christian, a very difficult path for anyone. Even in a Christian country a professing Christian is usually out of sync with most people. I know that I did not always understand his ministry and we had some intense conversations about what it meant to be a Christian, but I also know that he was truly committed to preaching to any and all; to rich and poor, to black and white, to the leading citizens and to convicted felons serving time in prison. I know that he felt called to preach and he had even more intensity in his preaching than he had on the basketball court. He could maintain this intensity in his ministry because his loving wife Michelle shared his faith and provided the emotional and spiritual support that Tim needed.
A week or so before he died he we had a wonderful phone conversation; just like back in school when we saw each other every day. Tim seemed so happy and at peace. We talked about getting together in Tuscaloosa this fall and sharing some good times with old friends. I did visit Tuscaloosa during the beautiful autumn days of early November. Harry and Dick and everyone else talked about how Tim was such a Christian and how his life was so remarkable and way too short.
Tim, you know that the high school building has been torn down, but the old junior high is still standing. When I walked by there I had a clear image in my mind of the five foot tall bundle of energy that you were that first day of the seventh grade. I wish you could have been there with me. I will always treasure the memories of our times together. God bless you.
~ Dan Morgan, DENVER, Colorado
