O.W. "Dub" Efurd, executive director of the Hawai'i Pacific Baptist Convention for 14 years and church leader here for four decades, died Aug. 9 of complications from pneumonia. He was 68.

Efurd was born in Fort Smith, Ark., and grew up in Roland, Okla. He attended Oklahoma State University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

As a seminary student, he pastored at the Farris Baptist Church in Oklahoma and the Plain View Baptist Church in Krum, Texas. In 1993, Efurd earned a doctorate degree from the Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.

But it was in Hawai'i where Efurd made his mark.

He served as the first pastor of the Kona Baptist Church on the Big Island in 1963 and the Mililani Baptist Church in 1972. He was named associational director of missions in 1986 for O'ahu and served in that position for three years.

In 1989, Efurd was named executive director of the Hawai'i Pacific Baptist Convention, a position he held until 2003.

During his tenure, membership grew from 82 congregations to 117 and from 14,000 Baptists to more than 20,000. Convention churches and missions are in Hawai'i, Guam, Okinawa, American Samoa and Samoa.

After retiring in March 2003, Efurd served as Hawai'i Baptist Foundation president until his death.

Veryl Henderson, who succeeded Efurd as convention executive director, said Efurd was an "excellent leader and caregiver who had a passion for mentoring people."

"He was a lifelong student. He was always attempting to learn something new in whatever endeavor he was at," Henderson said.

He said he and Efurd had known each other for 30 years.

"I learned from him persistence. He said, 'I'm not a sprinter, I'm a plodder. I set the course and stay with it,' " Henderson said. "I learned from him the wisdom of just staying with the challenges of life. Never give up."

Efurd is survived by his wife, Grace; son, Steve; daughter, Laura; brother, Wayne; sister, Mildred Shackelford; and three grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 28 at Olivet Baptist Church, where Efurd gave his first sermon in Hawai'i in 1962. Services will begin at 4 p.m.

Donations may be made to the Dub Efurd Memorial Fund, c/o the Hawai'i Baptist Foundation, 2042 Vancouver Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.