Adapted from the Diocese of West Texas
The Rt. Rev. Earl McArthur, Jr., third Bishop Suffragan of West Texas, died July 17. He was 91.
Born in Houston, McArthur was a graduate of Rice University, Virginia Theological Seminary, and the University of the South. He was ordained deacon in 1963 and priest in 1964.
He served at Annunciation, Luling, 1963-65; Holy Spirit, Houston, 1965-67; All Saints’, Corpus Christi, 1967-81; and St. Stephen’s, Wimberley, 1981-88. He was consecrated bishop in 1988.
He and Shirley were married in 1948, and she died in 2005. They were deeply involved in the Cursillo movement, within the diocese and the wider church. He was also involved in the ministry of camps and conferences.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. July 26 at St. Stephen’s. Clergy are invited to vest in white stoles and process. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to St. Stephen’s.
The bishop is survived by daughters Nancy and Mary Pat, sons Rick and John, and their families.
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
