Ronald D'Wayne "Buddy" Emmert

Ronald D’Wayne “Buddy” Emmert, 87, of Bridge City, Texas, went to be with Jesus, his Savior, on July 21, 2023, while celebrating his 65th wedding anniversary in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, July 28, 2023, at Orange First Church of the Nazarene in Orange. Burial will follow at Orange Forest Lawn in West Orange.

Visitation will be held 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, July 27, 2023, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.

Born in Grandfield, Oklahoma, on May 13, 1936, Ronald was the son of Lloyd Edward Emmert and Estella (Keesling) Emmert. The family soon moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. In 1941, the war effort brought the family to Orange where his grandfather Rev. J. S. Emmert was pastor of Orange First Church of the Nazarene. He had fond memories of his childhood, riding bikes, playing baseball, and later, working in his father’s bicycle and lawnmower shop. He graduated from Lutcher Stark High School in 1954, and chose to attend Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University) in Bethany, Okla., earning his bachelor’s degree in business in 1958. While in college, he sang with a men’s quartet and traveled with college’s Acappella Choir. Ronald had a wonderful singing voice and he loved to share it. He also served in student government where he met the love of his life in his freshman year. He married Katherine Snowbarger of Sylvia, Kansas, August 3, 1958. After graduation, he served two years in the United States Army, and was stationed in Germany. After he returned to Orange in 1961, he joined Texaco Research and Development in Port Arthur as accountant/comptroller for 35 years before retiring in 1996. A dedicated churchman, Ronald served as volunteer minister of music at Orange First Church of the Nazarene, 1961 through 1996, and provided leadership on the church board for more than 50 years. His leadership led to the creation of the Heritage Veterans Memorial Plaza at the church to honor all Orange County veterans. His attributes of humble integrity, dedication to Christ, dependable wisdom and discernment would lead to his appointment and longterm service on several boards beyond the local church, including service for more than 40 years on the Nazarene church’s district advisory board beginning in 1968, as a board member for Southern Nazarene University for 18 years, and on the General Board of Nazarene International, 2000-2003.

Ronald and his wife loved to travel, visiting family and friends, and have been to 48 states and 10 foreign countries. He was a truly wonderful Christian husband, father, and grandfather and his memory will be deeply cherished.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Estella Emmert.

He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Kathy (Snowbarger) Emmert; daughters, Kay Sattler and husband, Brian of Doss, Texas, and Rhonda Stewart and husband, Brent of Humble, Texas; grandchildren, Dr. Amy Weir and husband, Joshua of Lake Jackson, Texas, Dr. Gregory Sattler and wife, Amanda of Waco, Texas, Jonathan “Jonny” Stewart and Edward “Eddie” Stewart of Humble, Texas; great-grandchildren, Aubrey Elle Weir and Luke Oliver Weir; as well as sister Beverly Walker of Norman, Okla.; brother-in-law Marion Snowbarger of Tulsa, Okla.; uncle Sam Emmert and wife, Kathy, of Oklahoma City, Okla.; and numerous loving cousins, nieces, nephews, and many other relatives and friends who knew him as “Uncle Buddy.”

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Orange First Church of the Nazarene; 3810 Martin Luther King Junior Drive, Orange, Texas 77632.