Greg Abbott praises church victim: ‘Only God knows’ who’s alive because of Rich White
Only five days ago, Rich White got up and dutifully went to church.
On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott called him a hero.
In a few fateful seconds on a holiday-week Sunday, White went from golfing grandfather to martyred first responder, remembered forever along with Tony Wallace as the victims of a violent drifter who should never have been sold or given a shotgun.
When Abbott said, “Only God knows ... who in this church is alive today because of what Rich White did,” a murmured “amen” went through the crowd.
White rose to confront gunman Keith Kinnunen. White was killed before the leader of the church’ s volunteer security team shot Kinnunen, ending the attack in six seconds at West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement.
White’s oldest brother, Steve, told mourners gathered at Western Hills Church of Christ in Fort Worth that both Rich and his wife, Glenda, had trained as security volunteers and accepted the risk.
“In a time of decision,” Steve White said, “they moved forward toward the danger.”
A younger brother, Jay, called it “obscene” that the streaming video of Rich’s death is being viewed worldwide.
“The only good to come of this,” he said, “is that churches will no longer be seen as soft targets.”
One by one, White’s family, friends and a granddaughter told loving stories about a West Texas guy they jokingly called “John Wayne” for his starched jeans and boots.
White’s story sounds like a storybook Texan: He loved football, golf, camping, bird hunting and tale-telling, along with ample amounts of Dairy Queen roadside cuisine and Whataburgers with extra mustard.
In the casket, open at a viewing, White clutched his putter.
In a solemn moment before the service, the casket was reopened for an arriving Abbott to pay respects.
The governor entered the church slowly in his wheelchair, went down the main aisle to the casket and lingered in silent prayer more than a minute as a recording played of the Harding University choir singing, “Lead Me to Calvary”:
“May I be willing, Lord, to bear
“Daily my cross for Thee
“Even Thy cup of grief to share
“Thou hast borne all for me.”
Later, Abbott praised not only White but also the “valor and quick action” of Jack Wilson, the Hood County man who leads the church security team. He killed Kinnunen with one shot.
Abbott promised state mental health counseling for everyone affected by the tragedy.
“We will be there with you every step of the way personally and also religiously,” he said, vowing to protect Texas churches from “anyone trying to interfere with a gun or with a vote, trying to trample your freedom of religion.”
In a passionate speech, Abbott said White’s actions “model what Jesus and what God have taught us.
“Rich lost his life, but that loss was not in vain. He sacrificed his life so that others might live.”
As in every Church of Christ on Sundays, the hymns were announced as “number 601” and “number 881.”
The last hymn was No. 891.
It ends, “There’ll be peace in the valley for me.”
This story was originally published January 2, 2020 at 6:17 PM.
