Pastor Carl Earl Rea, of Strafford, left his home on earth to be with his Lord on October 27, 2013. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Marlyn Sue Hoover Rea; three children, Carl Edward Rea and his wife Judith Weiss Rea, of Greenville, SC, and their sons, Micah and Benjamin; Carla Sheeley and her husband, Larry Sheeley, of Raytown, MO, and their children, Hannah, Jonathan, and Matthew; Karen Pohl and her husband, Gerhardt Pohl, of Carmel, IN, and their children, Zoe, Carl, and Isaiah; his sister, Susie Long and her husband Gary Long of Springfield; his sister Florence Rea of Springfield; relatives and friends. Carl was preceded in death by his parents, Edward Elmer Rea and Juanita Goldie “Needie” Scrivener Rea. He was born June 16, 1935 and put his faith in Christ at the age of 9. Six years later he surrendered his life to preach. He graduated from Baptist Bible College and accepted his first pastorate in 1956. Carl retired in December 2010, after pastoring 54 years in seven churches. He had a tender heart, truly loved people, and was concerned for their souls and their needs. On a daily basis he lived out his life verse: 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon Him; for he careth for you.” As a layman, after retiring, he continued to faithfully serve the Lord as his church’s visitation pastor and an adult Sunday School teacher. Carl wanted to die serving the Lord “with his boots on.” The Lord granted him the desire of his heart by allowing Carl to enter his Eternal Home on a Sunday, after he faithfully taught his Sunday School class and led a men’s prayer meeting with a devotional. The family will receive friends from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 30, at the Greenlawn North Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held 10:00 a.m., Thursday, October 31, at Berean Baptist Church, 507 E. Norton Rd, Springfield, 65803. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Berean Baptist Church Missions fund. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord,” 1 Corinthians 15:58.