I was invited to Jim Fleming's 50 birthday party last year and Dr. Oates was present. I was thrilled to be invited to sit next to him and it was such a delightful time listening to some of his stories.

Although I had attended Southern Seminary when he was still associated with the school, I never had the priviledge of being in his class or meeting him personally. I introduced myself and he apparantly thought I said Jennie Wheat instead of Jennie Weeks. He explained that a very dear friend of his had the last name RICE and his own last name is OATES, so he was happy to now be acquainted with a WHEAT. I never had the nerve to tell him he had misunderstood my name.

When I think of Dr. Oates, I will always remember the laughter and the way he saw humor in all of life.