Minette Williams Drumwright Pratt—a remarkable, accomplished, beloved woman—died on June 15, 2024, at the age of 93. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandparent, denominational servant, speaker, author, and Baylor University Regent. Minette was a woman of boundless energy. Minette deeply believed and lived out the Girls’ Auxiliary hymn, “We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations.” Throughout her life, Minette had a passion for missions and was an active member and leader of Southern Baptist missions organizations including Sunbeams, Girls’ Auxiliary, Invincibles, and the Woman’s Missionary Union. Later, she worked at the Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board) as the inaugural Director of International Prayer Strategies.
Minette was born on Nov. 3, 1930, in Nixon, Texas, to Tallie Williams and Minnie Musgrave Williams. Shortly thereafter, they moved to San Antonio where Tallie was pastor of Northside Baptist Church until he retired.
Minette earned a B.A. in English from Baylor University in 1951. At Baylor, she met and fell in love with Huber L. Drumwright, Jr., a dynamic young pastor and doctoral student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. They married shortly after her graduation. While Huber went on to pastor churches in Texas and Oklahoma, Minette led numerous missions action projects, Bible studies, Bible schools, and WMUs.
Minette and Huber moved to Fort Worth in 1960 for Huber to become a professor of Greek and New Testament at Southwestern Seminary. He later became dean of the School of Theology, and she took on the duties of a dean’s spouse while continuing many of her own pursuits. Minette’s passion for “mission action” flourished through a cutting-edge initiative, the Baptist Center at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth. Minette designed and led programs for low-income women, battered women, orphans, unwed mothers, and women prisoners. Minette was a speaker in great demand and served on boards of the Woman’s Missionary Union, Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board), Baptist General Convention of Texas, Seminary Woman’s Club, Woman’s Club of Fort Worth, Friends of the Fort Worth Library, Lena Pope Children’s Home, Edna Gladney Home, and Dorcas House. Minette attended Southwestern Seminary and later served as president of the Southwestern Seminary Alumni. In 1978, she wrote a seminary extension study guide, Women in the Church. Minette received the Mrs. J.M. Dawson Award for outstanding contributions to the denomination from the Southern Baptist Convention Ministers’ Wives Conference in 1984.
In 1980, Minette and Huber moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, where Huber served as Executive Secretary of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. After 18 months, Huber died of a sudden heart attack when Minette was 50 years old. Minette established the Huber L. Drumwright, Jr. Lecture at Southwestern Seminary. She also established the Huber L. Drumwright, Jr. Chair of New Testament. These funds were converted to support the construction of the J.W. MacGorman Chapel and Performing Arts Center. Minette referred to the time that she and Huber spent in Arkansas as their “Camelot” period.
Shortly after Huber’s death, Minette was asked to join the leadership team of Keith Parks and Bill O’Brien at the Foreign Mission Board in Richmond, Virginia. She worked there for 13 years and was the inaugural Director of International Prayer Strategies through which she designed programs to engage churches and individuals in prayer for foreign missions. She launched a prayer line relaying the latest prayer requests of missionaries, and she traveled the world to speak, teach, preach, and lead programs on prayer in far-flung places such as Moldova, China, and Africa. As Minette stated, “Although some governments won’t let missionaries in, they can’t keep the effects of prayer out.”
Former FMB President Keith Parks said, “Minette’s ministry was at the heart of what we were trying to do at the Foreign Mission Board – evangelization that results in churches. Minette’s move to the Foreign Mission Board was providential because of her previous mission exposure in WMU, the Home Mission Board, and as a seminary professor’s wife. But the key to her filling her position was her own personal prayer life and commitment to her own spiritual development.”
After retiring, Minette returned to Fort Worth. She served on the Baylor University Board of Regents from 1999 to 2008. Minette fell in love with Dr. William (Bill) Pratt, a retired Baptist pastor and psychologist, and they married in 2002. They did many important and fun things together. Bill was a devoted, loving partner to Minette through her long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease until his death in April of 2024.
Minette wrote two books—The Life That Prays: Reflections on Prayer as a Strategy and When My Faith Feels Shallow: Pursuing the Depths of God—and a seminary extension study guide, Women in the Church.
Minette is survived by two daughters—Minette (Meme) Drumwright and husband H.W. Perry, Jr., Debra Underwood and husband Max—three grandchildren, Bradley Underwood and wife Laura, Emily Prizer and husband Blake, Lauren Perry;ive great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and great nephews and nieces. She is survived by two stepchildren; Martha Pratt Wainwright and husband Larry, James Pratt and wife Dana; six step-grandchildren, and many step-great- grandchildren.
The family requests that donations be made to Baylor University—Drumwright Family Lecture Fund (Honors College), William and Minette Pratt Scholarship Fund (Dianna R. Garland School of Social Work), Louise Herrington School of Nursing—or Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth.
More information regarding Minette’s life and a video of her message to students at Baylor University where she served as a Regent can be viewed at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/colleyville-tx/minette-drumwright-pratt-11860645
Editor’s note: The above obituary was submitted by Max Underwood, son-in-law of Minette Drumwright.