Northwest Texas Elects Hulsey
Episcopal News Service. August 28, 1980 [80292]
LUBBOCK, Tex. -- The Rev. Sam Byron Hulsey, 48, of Midland, Texas, was elected Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas here at St. Paul's Church on August 23. His election came on the sixth ballot when he received a majority of the votes in both the clerical and lay orders.
For the past two years Iulsey has been rector of Midland's Holy Trinity Church which has more than 1,100 members.
The Rev. Don Hungerford, rector of St. John's Church and St. Barnabas' Chapel in Odessa, ran a close second in the balloting. The diocesan search committee presented seven nominees to the special convention and two priests were nominated from the floor.
Vacancy in the office of bishop was created by the April 26 resignation of Bishop Willis R. Henton, who was elected bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Western Louisiana. Bishop Henton had been head of the Diocese of Northwest Texas since 1972.
Hulsey has indicated his acceptance of his election pending the receipt of the required consents from a majority of the bishops and standing committees of the dioceses of the Episcopal Church.
Hulsey will become the fifth bishop in the 70-year-old diocese. There are about 50 clergy in the diocese and more than 12, 000 members and 34 congregations. The see city is Lubbock.
Hulsey was born in Fort Worth, Tex., and graduated from Washington and Lee University and Virginia Theological Seminary. His previous parish ministry was in Corsicana, Dallas, Pampas -- all in Texas -- and Nashville, Tenn.
In 1959 he married Linda Louise Johnson and they have two children.