of Springfield, MO

August 29, 1931 - February 9, 2024

Mercein Jackson (Jack) Baskin, 92, of Springfield, Missouri died Friday, February 9th in Springfield. He was born August 29, 1931 in Clarksville to Dewy Buchanan and Essie (Jacobs) Baskin. Jack always described his childhood as being surrounded by loving parents and siblings living on the farm. He decided not to attend college but rather join the US Army. While in training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he met and married his late wife, Shirley. Not long afterwards, the Korean War began and he was sent to the battlefield as a combat engineer. The plight of the people of Korea greatly touched him but it wasn't until he came home that the Lord spoke to him and called him back to Korea as a missionary. He attended Baptist Bible College, Springfield, Missouri, graduating in 1957. He and his family served as missionaries for ten years in Korea. He started eight churches and a Bible College. He returned home to the US in 1969 and began working at the BBFI Mission Office and teaching mission classes at Baptist Bible College. In 1972, he left Springfield for California to serve as the Executive Vice President of Pacific Baptist Bible College in San Dimas. In 1984, he left California for Georgia to serve as President of Baptist University of America in Atlanta. During that time, he and his son, Steve, started Western Hills Baptist Church in Kennesaw. Over the years, while living in Georgia, Jack served as President of Atlantic Baptist College, helped several churches by temporarily pastoring through a difficult time and was active in missions in several closed countries. While traveling to these closed countries, he began to believe that the Filipino people he saw everywhere while traveling were ready to begin mission work worldwide. Jack spent a great amount of time in the Philippines devoting his time to teaching missions. In 2016, he met and married Shari and they began traveling throughout the US and worldwide teaching missions. During their 7 years of marriage, they traveled to 36 countries. Never did Jack slow down or lessen his desire to lead people to the Lord and teach about missions. Even up to right before his death he was planning travel and talking about missions.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Shirley J. Baskin; daughter, Valerie Wilburn; daughter, Deborah Lee and daughter, Sandra Howard and one grandson, Timothy Parker. Jack was the last of his siblings and preceded in death by three brothers, Garth Baskin, Wade Baskin and Blake Baskin and three sisters, Reba Laster, Ann Schmatjen and Marilyn Kilcrease.
Jack is survived by his wife, Shari Baskin; his son, Steven M. Baskin (wife, Junellen); daughter, Vickie Wood; stepsons, Ben Black (Kelli) and Ryan Black (Nicole) and stepdaughter, Sara Black. He was greatly blessed with 14 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and 11 great-great grandchildren.
A visitation will begin 12 p.m. Monday, February 12, 2024 at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel followed by a funeral service at 2 p.m. Interment will be at Harmony Cemetery. Pastor Steve Baskin and Pastor Craig Bowler will be officiating.

Obituary Provided By:
Roller-Cox Funeral Home
Rogers & Poplar Streets
Clarksville, AR  72830
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com