Southwestern presents Wayne and Berna Dean Lee and O.S. and Susie Hawkins with Carroll, Scarborough awards

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary recognized Wayne and Berna Dean Lee with the B. H. Carroll Award and O. S. and Susie Hawkins with the L. R. Scarborough Award, March 12. The honors are given annually on Founder’s Day to recognize those who have financially supported the institution.

The awards were presented during a luncheon following the Founder’s Day chapel during which Jim Spivey, pastor at Gambrell Street Baptist Church in Fort Worth and former Southwestern professor of church history, gave an address on the life of early seminary leader James Bruton Gambrell.

Chandler Snyder, vice president for institutional relations and instructor of missions, welcomed the gathering of roughly 120 people to the luncheon, before leading them in prayer. The guests consisted of distinguished Southwestern alumni, staff, donors, as well as friends and family of the award recipients.

“Today, we have the distinct privilege of honoring those who have invested purposefully, meaningfully, and very deeply into the life of this institution,” Snyder said.

President David S. Dockery, who was honored earlier in the day with the unveiling of a presidential portrait, further welcomed the attendees and explained the history of the awards to be presented to “two very special couples that have made quite a difference in the life of Southwestern Seminary.”

“The B. H. Carroll Award is given to a person or to a couple for their investment in Southwestern Seminary and their friendship and support in many other ways,” he said. “The Scarborough Award is similar in that it recognizes those who not only invest in the seminary, but also encourage others to do so, as Scarborough himself always did.”

The Lees were unable to attend the luncheon due to a recent medical challenge for Wayne.

The son of a Southwestern alum, Wayne began life in a home built on the same block where Southwestern’s Riley Center currently stands. He grew up watching his father plant churches along the west coast and sought to carry on that legacy of ministry as a businessman and faithful layman. The Lees have been standout members of the Dallas-Fort Worth Southern Baptist community since moving to the area in 1976.

For 30 years, he and his wife led work teams westward, building facilities to serve churches, as well as being involved in mission trips and organizations that traveled throughout the world. Wayne also served as the chairman of the Committee on Nominations of the Southern Baptist Convention in 2005.

“He’s been instrumental, an outstanding, successful business leader, has made a huge difference in the lives of many people through that,” Dockery said of Wayne. “He is a churchman extraordinaire, and I know the pastors who are here who had the privilege of having him in their congregations can attest to that, speak heartily with gratitude for his churchmanship and investment in the church.”

Dockery added, “He has given himself for the good of the Gospel and service to the church in so many, many areas,” noting Berna Dean Lee has also been a blessing to those whom she meets. “We treasure their friendship and count them as important members of the Southwestern community.”

Jimmy Draper, a Southwestern alumnus, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and of Lifeway Christian Resources, and a close friend of the Lees for the last 50 years, accepted the award on their behalf.

“They have been incredible givers, they love the seminary,” Draper said. “… They certainly are great friends, and we certainly are honoring him and honoring the seminary by recognizing their gifts. I want to thank you on their behalf.”

Concerning O. S. and Susie Hawkins, recipients of the L. R. Scarborough Award, Dockery said they have been “terrific friends” of the seminary for many years.

Noting that O. S. has personally known six of the seminary’s 10 presidents, Dockery said he has participated in many significant ways in the life of the institution and “for the cause of Christ.”

O. S. received his Master of Divinity from the seminary in 1974. He has been a senior pastor at multiple prominent churches, author of over 40 books, and is currently serving as chancellor and senior professor of pastoral ministry and evangelism at Southwestern.

“I’m honored to be here, honored to be sharing this ministry with you, and greatly appreciate this award named after one of my heroes, L. R. Scarborough,” he said, noting his privilege to hold the historic L. R. Scarborough Chair of Evangelism (“Chair of Fire”) at Southwestern.

Susie is well-known women’s ministries leader having established and led multiple women’s ministries at First Baptist Church of Dallas and Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano.

“What a gift God has given to me in my wife Susie of 56 years this summer,” Hawkins said. “Nobody knows the good, godly lady she is; the prayer warrior she is. I can certainly say that the greatest gift outside my own salvation I received was that beautiful girl sitting right over there.”

Dockery expressed gratitude to the award recipients as well as those in attendance at the luncheon for their continued dedication to Southwestern and the furthering of its mission.

“Thank you for your investment in Southwestern. God has made a difference in this place because of your gifts in recent years,” he said. “We have pleaded with the Lord to provide for us, and He has used many of you as His instruments to do so. We want you to know our heartfelt gratitude. You’ve made a real difference in the lives of students, in the lives of faculty and staff, and advancing the distinctive mission of this place, and we pray God’s ongoing blessings upon you.”