Roger Lynn Gill's Obituary
Roger Lynn Gill, 78, entered into the presence of the Lord on April 28, 2026, peacefully surrounded by his family in Bentonville, Arkansas. He was born on November 13, 1947, to the late Ovie Gill, Sr. and Elaine (Bailey) Gill in DeRidder, Louisiana.
Roger was married to Linda, whom he jokingly called “my first wife,” for 55 years and 11 months. She was the light of his life. He also was the proud and devoted father to three children and beloved “Papa” to four grandchildren. Roger had a gift for making life feel magical for those he loved. From camping and fishing trips to road trips in which he pointed out every wild animal he could see, Roger found joy in both the grand and the simple moments of life. Perhaps the grandest was having the unique privilege to baptize and perform the weddings of all three of his children.
When it came to serving others, Roger loved to feed people. He was the go-to beignet maker for his grandchildren and the master rib smoker for his family and friends near and far. Rarely pausing to enjoy his own meal, he would quickly ask others if the food tasted good. His joy was found in serving others and making everyone feel welcomed and cared for in his presence.
At the age of 37, Roger left his successful job as an industrial salesman to answer the still, small voice calling him to surrender his life to full-time Christian ministry. At that time, with three young children in tow, the Gill family packed up and moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where Roger pursued his Master of Divinity degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Over the next 40 years, he faithfully pastored four churches in Texas and Louisiana, as well as serving more than two years in southern Missouri. His servant’s heart and unwavering faith in Jesus impacted countless lives.
Roger also spent 20 years officiating high school football in Louisiana. He rose to the role of referee, known in the officiating world as the “white hat,” and was honored when he was chosen to call high school championship games at the Superdome in New Orleans. He earned the respect of fellow officials, coaches, and players alike for his steady, fair, and quietly confident leadership.
At the age of 19, shortly after meeting his future wife at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, Roger was drafted into military service. Following basic training, he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, where he served as a military police officer and dog handler. There, he was paired with a loyal 90-pound German Shepherd named Fritz. The two worked side by side for a year, forming a deep bond. Roger later shared that one of the hardest things he ever had to do was leave Fritz behind at the end of his active duty assignment.
Roger was a friend to many and a stranger to few. To sum up his jovial and endearing personality, a blind friend, affectionately known as “Mama Jean,” told him many years ago she could “HEAR his smile.” He made friends wherever he went. He loved a good joke, though he was known to occasionally fumble the punchline, which, of course, only added to his charm.
Roger is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Linda (Coile) Gill of Bella Vista; children: Brock Gill (Auny) of Nashville, Tennessee; Russ Gill (Renetta) of Dallas, Texas; Haley Frederick (Ryan) of Bentonville; four grandchildren: Eva, Eli, and Isaac Frederick, and Maxton Gill; his mother by love, Marie Gill; his six siblings: Neal Gill (Patsy), Sammie Gill (Dona), Bruce Gill, Ovie Gill, Jr. (Mechelle), Debby Massey (Paul), Clifton Taylor (Paula); and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 3:00 p.m., May 4, 2026, at Bella Vista Baptist Church in Bella Vista, Arkansas. Roger’s body will be laid to rest at Fayetteville National Cemetery in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in a private ceremony with military honors.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Roger's memory to https://www.brockgillcreative.com, a 501 (c)(3) international ministry of his son, Brock. The ministry focuses on creating artistic and strategic ways to communicate and advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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