Baptist Village of Owasso
Our lone stop in Oklahoma takes us to Baptist Village of Owasso, home of one of the most authentic CEO’s in the country: Dr. Bill Pierce. I’ve only known Bill for three years, but he has integrated a culture of innovation and care that seamlessly fits in the middle of a Tulsa suburb. Plus, I love his mom Terry, but that’s a whole other story. Baptist Village is an iconic community, just ask Mary Brinkley, ED of LeadingAge Oklahoma. Mary was supposed to join us for the cruise and croon but got stuck in other work. In her honor, Leslie drew an excellent cardboard caricature of Mary that traveled with us for one of the journeys.
Baptist Village took cruising and crooning seriously. They had people signed up, lined up and ready to roll. It was an eclectic mix of independent residents with a lot of stories to share, including several married couples professing how faith was such a huge part of their marital journey. Through all the fun and frolic with the residents, Terry (Dr. Pierce’s mother) stood out. She even knitted me a sweater from getting to know her last year! I tried my best to have Terry give me some dirt on Dr. Pierce. She was politically correct, but was willing to get into the weeds a bit with her other son!
It was a magical day. Francis blessings from Cameroon reverberated through the community and we honored both Dr. Pierce and Terry. Some communities have a spiritual glow that shines brightly, and Baptist Village fits that model handsomely. Though it was our only Oklahoma stop, it was a powerful one. Thank you, Dr. Pierce, for your humility and your passion. Your spirit shines through the community.
