Dr. Orvel Edwin Hooker Jr. ¹⁷

  Research Notes:

Pre-Dawn Blaze Damages First Baptist Parsonage

A two-alarm pre-dawn blaze severely damaged the interior of the First Baptist Church parsonage today. The three-story frame dwelling, home of the vacationing Rev. Orvel E. Hooker and family at 84 Elmwood Avenue, was being refurbished.

No on was reported injured, although North Adams Firefighter William LaFountain, among the first to report at 5:05 a.m., received a heavy dose of smoke but was not overcome.

Short Circuit Blamed

A short-circuit in the second floor between electric wiring and water piping set the blaze which smoldered all night, according to Chief Arthur A. Girard. He ordered the second alarm, heard around the city, about 5:30 a.m.

"It was just starting to get enough air to really get going when we got there," Chief Girard said. The insidious flame shad eaten through partitions in the attic, west side wall, second floor and stairwell. Water and smoke added to the damage to the house and its contents.

"They (the Hooker family) were lucky, in a way," Chief Girard said. "The new paper wasn't on yet. The rear portion of the house can be made habitable in a week."

Painters carrying on an extensive redecoration project reportedly were working in the house yesterday.

The fire was reported by Mrs. Sylbert T. Martin and Mr. and Mrs. Karl E. LaPine, both of nearby 50 Dover St., who, with other neighbors were awakened by smoke.

Smoke Like Fog

"The smoke around was just like fog," Mr. LaPine said. "Mrs. Martin looked out, saw light in the house, thought it meant prowlers, called us, and notified police. We checked, saw it was fire, and called the Fire Department," Martin said.

Smoke continued to seep from the house after the blaze had been checked. Firefighters had torn two holes in the outside west wall to get at the flames inside the wall. Chief Girard said no windows were broken.

He said the intensity of the heat in the attic was a measure of the time the blaze had been smoldering. He and City Wire Inspector Russell F. Noel Sr. determined the cause.

Neighbors said the Hooker family of four had gone on vacation in the middle of July, and were expected to return soon from Kentucky. Church trustees indicated they would notify the family of the fire.

North Adams Transcript
Wednesday Afternoon Edition, 15 AUG 1962
North Adams, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA ¹⁸

  Life Events:

• Occupation: Minister/Teacher. ¹

• Graduated-High School: Caruthersville High School, 1946, Caruthersville, Pemiscot, Missouri, USA.

• Graduated-Undergraduate: Ouachita Baptist University (Bachelor of Arts), 1951, Arkadelphia, Clark, Arkansas, USA. ¹⁹ Attended Westminster College (Fulton, Callaway, Missouri, USA) & Central Methodist University (Fayette, Howard, Missouri, USA) in 1946/1947

• Graduated-Graduate: Temple University (STB/STM), 1955, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

• Graduated-Doctorate: Trinity College of the Bible Theological Seminary (Theology), 1983, Newburgh, Warrick, Indiana, USA. ¹

• Graduated-Doctorate: Trinity College of the Bible Theological Seminary (Philosophy), 1985, Newburgh, Warrick, Indiana, USA.

• Religion: Baptist: Brookleigh Baptist Church (Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA). ¹

Orvel married Helen Neeper, daughter of Oscar Lee Neeper Sr. and Lettie Magness Stiles, on 22 Aug 1950 in Malvern, Hot Spring, Arkansas, USA.¹⁶ (Helen Neeper was born on 10 Sep 1929 in Willow, Dallas, Arkansas, USA,^4,20 died on 2 Jul 2008 in Malvern, Hot Spring, Arkansas, USA and was buried on 7 Jul 2008 in Clinton Cemetery (Clinton, Hinds, Mississippi, USA).)

  Marriage Notes:

Presiding: Rev. Hoyt Chastain
¹⁶