Jesse W. "Bill" Addison (January 26, 1945-present) has, until recently, served as a hospital chaplain ordained and commissioned by the Southern Baptist Convention and the North American Mission Board respectively.
After living in multiple broken early childhood homes and a church-sponsored children's home during high school, Bill attended Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, in the fall of 1962. Prior to graduating from Texas State University in 1969 with a degree in business management, Bill taught high school math in San Antonio as a means of working through the remainder of college. Following graduation, he volunteered for service as a U.S. Marine. Bill completed officer candidate school in January of 1969 and went on to perform duties as a logistics and data systems officer. He retired from active duty in October 1991 as a lieutenant colonel, distinguishing himself by his individual professional service in the Marines with one U.S. Navy Commendation Medal and two U.S. Meritorious Service medals.
Bill later served the state of Texas for a total of thirteen years in Austin, conducting multiple audits of agency-wide programs and performing managerial duties within state agencies. Along the way he also completed an accounting degree from Park University, a master's in business management and accounting from National University, and five professional managerial, accounting, and auditing certifications before answering God's long-standing call to ministry.
Following the loss of his first wife, Judy, to breast cancer in 2003, Bill attended seminary at Memphis Theological Seminary, where he graduated in 2007 with a Master of Divinity degree (magna cum laude). He has served as a chaplain intern in two VA hospitals and has served as a part-time volunteer hospital chaplain in the Houston area for ten years. Additionally, Bill fulfills pulpit supply opportunities for churches in the greater Houston area and he teaches Bible study in a Harris-Montgomery County neighborhood community as the need arises. Bill has two married daughters and three grandchildren. His second wife, Christi, has two children and seven grandchildren.
