Jimmie Lee Treat
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Rev. Jimmie Treat passed away Thursday, October 12, 2023, at his home in Lawrence, Kansas.
Born in Bloomfield, Illinois, to Coy and Ruby Treat in 1934, Jimmie dreamed of one day being a cowboy. He also found a love for the oboe and played for his high school band. He was planning to play as a professional oboist. He had committed his life to Christ in his early teens and realized later that the Lord was calling him to preach, so the oboe became his avocation, and he played in many community orchestras throughout his career as well as teaching oboe students. His desire was to share the gospel with as many people as he could. After high school Jimmie attended Wheaton College for two years. He took one year off to work as a BYF youth intern for the American Baptist Convention, traveling throughout the midwestern states working with youth groups in many churches. He transferred to Ottawa University, in Ottawa, Kansas, and spent his summers working with the youth at First Baptist Church in Russell, Kansas. There he met his future wife, Marcia, and they were married a year later after he graduated from Ottawa University. They moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he attended Eastern Baptist Seminary. After seminary they moved to Anadarko, Oklahoma, where they served Native American churches for four years. They then moved to Kansas where he pastored First Baptist Church in Horton and Hays, Kansas, then moving to First Baptist Church, Rapid City, South Dakota. He later pastored First Baptist Church, Murphysboro, Illinois. He retired from that church, and they moved to Baldwin City, Kansas. He served as interim pastor in ten churches in Kansas and Missouri for as long as he was physically able. Even in his last weeks of life he was praying with and for those who were caring for him.
Jimmie is preceded in death by his parents and youngest son, Jeremy. He is survived by his wife of sixty-seven years, Marcia, as well as two sons, James and John, and his daughter, Julia, as well as four grandsons, Coy and Cooper Treat, and Nick and Jake Reber. He is also survived by his younger sister, Nancy Forbes, two nieces and two nephews. His passion was sharing the gospel, and the family suggests memorials be sent to the American Bible Society or Wycliffe Translators.
The immediate burial will be 10:00 a.m., Monday, October 16, at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas. Pastor David Killingsworth will lead a brief committal service.
My prayers are with you. My husband Dean Stuart and Jimmie were roommates at Ottawa. He was the officiant at Dean’s sister Patricia’s wedding in Wichita. I remember the steps leading up to the church. I may be wrong but I thought Jimmie preached in Garden City at Dean’s mom’s church. I only met Jimmie at the wedding. Dean passed away in 1998x
Marcia and family,
I’m so sad to learn of Jimmie’s death. The last few years were not kind to him from a health standpoint, but his faith and your loving care sustained him through difficult times. I was honored to know him for over 25 years. Even after moving away for a few years, you sought me out on your return, and I’m sincerely grateful that we could renew our relationship. My sincere condolences to you and your family.
Jimmie was a really god man and I enjoyed my time with him. He is missed. Marcia and family, I’ve also enjoyed our conversations and will keep you in my prayers.
Pastor Treat was my favorite pastor when i was growing up! He set the bar high for expository preaching. Love that man with high regards! My love to the Treat family. 🌻
To Jimmie Treat’s family. I remember him well. He baptized me while I was in college at Fort Hays State in Hays, Kansas. I send my condolences.
I’m so sorry to see that pastor has passed away. I tried to locate him a couple of years ago. He married my husband and I in Rapid City. I wanted him to know that we had been married 50 years. It will be 52 years in September. We met in April of 1972 and married in September 1972. His blessing on us was hear by our Lord.
I hope someone in his family will see this.