Dann William Barger was born September 29, 1935, in Milan, Tennessee to John and Ruby Taylor Barger. He was called home by his Savior on May 25, 2010, after a two month battle with cancer. A memorial celebration will be held at First Baptist Church, Brownwood on Friday, May 28 at 10:00 AM. Interment will be at the Nimrod Cemetery, south of Cisco.
Visitation will be from 6:00 – 8:00 PM Thursday at Davis-Morris Funeral Home.
Dann came to Texas in January, 1956, to study Bible and Agriculture at Howard Payne College. He had heard about a degree program from James McEachern (Dr.) while in training to sell Bibles for the Southwestern Company, a Company that hired college students. He holds the only Bachelor of Science degree at Howard Payne with a required major in Bible and minor in Agriculture. On May 31, 1958, he married Melba Ray Harrelson in Cisco. On Monday they would have celebrated 52 years.
He received a Master of Arts in Social Work and Social Rehabilitation from San Houston State University in 1973.
In 1962 Dann began a lifelong career with the Texas Youth Council (Commission) at the new Mountain View School for Boys in Gatesville. From 1965-1970 he was Chief Probation Officer for Potter County (Amarillo). He returned to TYC in June, 1970 to serve at the new Brownwood State Home and School for Girls. In 1974 he was named Superintendent at Crockett State School. In 1975 he was moved to Corsicana State Home. He returned to Brownwood as Superintendent of the Statewide Reception Center in March of 1978. He retired from TYC as a Placement Specialist in 1993. He continued his social work passion with the establishment of Catch-22 Living and Learning Center in 1995. Dann touched the lives of thousands of young people. Later, he served as Counselor for the Heart of Texas Baptist Area.
Dann had a passion for Volunteering. For thirty-five years he served on the Board of Directors for Mid-Tex Federal Credit Union. When Dann retired from the Youth Commission, he began a long tenure with the Brownwood Community Advisory Council for the Benefit of TYC Youth. Currently, he was serving on the Social Work Advisory Board at Howard Payne University, the Provider Network Advisory Committee at Center for Life Resources, the Advisory Committee for Mid-Tex Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse, Christian Women’s Job Corp, and Ranger College Beauty School.
Dann had a passion for Missions. He was a member and deacon at First Baptist Church of Brownwood.
For over twenty years he had served at Sunset Mission (First Baptist Mission.) He encouraged people to support missions and do missions. He did missions in Mexico with Brother Jose Mares. For five years he traveled to Minnesota to work with churches there, in Canada, and in South Dakota.
Dann is survived by his wife, Melba; son Harrel and wife, Kimberly of Carrollton, son Michael and wife, Tammy of Forney, and grandchildren, Evan, Alex, Dana, Garrett, and Holli. He is also survived by one sister, Ruby Barger Clark of Milan, Tennessee. He is also survived by a host of close friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Harrelson-Barger Endowed Scholarship for Social Work students at Howard Payne University, PO Box 2369, Brownwood, Texas, 76804.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.davismorrisfuneralhome.com
