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Were the Southside church to have a Homecoming King and Queen,
Gene and Janet Kile would be the likely pair. They both attended
Southside during the World War 2 years as youngsters. In fact, Janet
was taught in grade school at Southside by our last surviving charter
member from 1892, Miss Purcell. In the fifties they were attracted by
the vibrant singles program at Southside; they met in the singles
ministry, dated, and then married 61 years ago. They attended the Trail
Lake church then the old Highland congregation where he was the
regular song leader for a decade.


The Kiles raised three boys—Bruce, Terry, and Kevin. The boys loved
camping and Scouting of which Gene was an avid participant. Gene and Janet
now have 8 grandchildren and one great grandchild, little Amelia.
There is not a ministry at Southside that the Kiles have not been
engaged in through the decades. Gene served as an elder for 18 years.
They started our Bible Hour ministry. They were patriarchs of our
neighborhood bus ministry. In fact they grew so close to one of our
riders, Sharon Smith Howard, that they helped secure financing for her
college education at ACU, Gene hooded her at graduation and then
later was asked to walk her down the aisle! Sharon is now an educator
at Brentwood Christian School in Austin.

Our pantry ministry bears the KILE DNA of care and compassion for the
less fortunate. These two have been engaged in this community care
ministry since its inception in the eighties.

Gene and Janet have sung at countless weddings and funerals through
the years. Gene says that he earnestly prays each Sunday morning at
breakfast that he will have strength enough that day to sing praise.
Do you know anyone else that has an old song book collection dating
back to the 30’s? His favorite hymn that still brings a lump to his throat
is “HOW SWEET HOW HEAVENLY IS THE SIGHT”. Brother Kile quotes
Ephesians 5:20 when asked about his favorite verse of scripture. That
one verse pays tribute to the importance and beauty of both Christian
marriage and of the Lord’s church. This one verse vividly illustrates
Gene’s priorities of faith and family.

Janet’s favorite song is the classic “PURER IN HEART O GOD”. Her
favorite verse is the admonition from Christ to live with a pure heart in
Matthew chapter 6 and the promise that the pure of heart will “see
God”.

After Gene’s a near fatal heart attack 17 years ago Gene and Janet both
devote themselves to the “CARING HEART” outreach at Baylor All Saints
Hospital. Each Wednesday they visit and encourage cardiac patients.
The Kile family have blessed countless folks on the Southside of our city
through the decades. A generation of youngsters who are now parents
and grandparents have indeed seen God through their purity of heart
and passionate service to their church and to their community.
Inspired by their selfless example of Christian living, we rise up to give
them honor.

John Scott

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