Obituary: Deacon Charlie Joe Law

CHARLIE JOE LAW went to be with the Lord on May 30, 2010. He was born September 5, 1927 to parents Newell and Nettie Law in Atlanta, Texas.

Charlie was a faithful servant of God who was preceded in death by his wife Ella Mae Law.

He is survived by wife Georgie Jurischk Law; daughters: Sherry Bogus (Mel) and Sandra Warren (Stephen); and by many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and loved ones.

His funeral service was June 2, 2010 at 10 am at North Oaks Baptist Church, 18411 Stuebner Airline Road, Spring, Texas 77379. Interment at Rosewood Cemetery in Humble, TX.

In lieu of flowers, memorials were asked to be sent to the Gideon’s International Bible Fund. Obituary was published in the Houston Chronicle, June 1, 2010. Arrangements by Earthman Resthaven, 13102 North Freeway, Houston, TX.

Those officiating included: Pastor Fred Wiesen, Danney Stanley, Emmett Hunt, Jimmy Moore. Pianist Dorothy Salser; Audio Visual Brad Bogus Makeshift Productions. Music included Rock of Ages, I’ll Fly Away, The Lighthouse, I Surrender All.

Charlie Law was a businessman who worked his way from being a delivery boy to management, to business owner. He opened Photo Haus in 1979 with partner Waymon Perry. It was the first one-hour photo lab in Texas and the fourth in the United States.  It should also be included that he loved hunting and fishing. 

Charlie Law was devoted to his family, his church, and to his Lord. He was a longtime member of Gideon’s International, the Christian businessman’s organization that distributes Bibles in America and around the world. He was respected as a deacon and spiritual leader. He was a devoted friend to his pastor. He often shared his faith in Jesus Christ with others.

Brother Law served as a deacon in Doverside Baptist Church and North Side Baptist Church in Houston, TX where my dad, Joe Brumbelow served as pastor. He and dad served together during parts of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

Charlie was a great example of what a deacon ought to be. He loved and supported his church and his pastor. During his memorial service his current pastor mentioned he had a special connection with Charlie Law. I thought every pastor that ever served with him would have felt the same way. That’s just the kind of man Brother Law was.

When I was about 14 years of age I remember overhearing part of a conversation between my dad and Charlie Law. There was some problem in the church and they had been discussing it. I don’t remember the problem. But I remember a comment by Brother Law. He said something along these lines: “Brother Joe, as our pastor you’ve already taken enough hits and criticism. I think I should take the lead and be the one to get the criticism for this issue. Just let me take care of it and you just keep leading us as pastor.”

Even at my young age, I remember being impressed with that, thinking, now that’s a deacon.

Another Charlie Law story goes back even further to about 1962 when I was about 5 years old. We would sing the song To the Work with the chorus, “toiling on, toiling on.” I remember thinking how famous Deacon Charlie Law was. The reason? I actually thought we were singing, instead of toiling on, toiling on; that we were singing Charlie Law, Charlie Law. I knew he must be famous to have a hymn written about him! Years later I told him what I thought we were singing; he enjoyed that story. His daughter Sandra asked me to say a few words at his graveside service and to be sure to include that story. I did, as well as the previous story.

My mother, Bonnie Brumbelow, brother Mark, and I attended the funeral and graveside service. We saw so many old friends. We saw, heard, remembered so many stories of God’s grace connected with Charlie Law, those churches he served, and God’s people. Stories of God’s grace that had affected one generation to another to another.

Thank God for deacons like Charlie Joe Law. Someone said at his funeral that some people are born and leave this world no better than they found it. Some leave it a little worse. But some leave this world a better place because of their life and legacy. Charlie Law left the legacy of a godly man.

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. -1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

During this series about deacons, I thought it appropriate to include this article.

NEXT: Questioning the Deacon Candidates; Order of Service for Deacon Ordination

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, June 30, AD 2010.