VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 7/18/14)—The Rev. Doris Joe (Caudle) Blacker, 79, a missionary for American Baptist Home Mission Societies when it was known as National Ministries, died July 8 at her home in York, Ariz. Her husband and children were at her bedside.

In the 1980s, she and husband, Robert, were National Ministries’ missionaries to the Hopi-Navajo congregation at Keams Canyon (Ariz.) Community Church. In 1992, Doris and Robert relocated to Morenci, Ariz., to pastor Shepherd of the Hills Church. They retired in 2001.

Both Doris and Robert received Master of Divinity degrees from Theological Seminary of the West, Berkley, Calif. Doris was ordained in 1984.

Born in 1934 in Fort Smith, Ark., Doris was the daughter of Ruby (Phipps) and Herbert Caudle. Doris grew up in southern California, relocating with her family to Huntington Park as a child. She graduated from Excelsior High School, Norwalk, Calif.

She married Robert, her high school friend, in 1953. They were married for 61 years.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by daughters, Carrie, wife of Billy Prather of Waco, Texas, and Cindy, wife of William McFarland of Tracy, Calif.; son, Craig Blacker, husband of Barbara of Morenci; brother, Jerry Lewis of Buena Park, Calif.; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. tomorrow at First United Methodist Church, Safford, Ariz. Arrangements are by Vining Funeral Home.

American Baptist Home Mission Societies—the domestic mission arm of American Baptist Churches USA—ministers as the caring heart and serving hands of Jesus Christ across the United States and Puerto Rico through a multitude of initiatives that focus on discipleship, community and justice.

American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with over 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.