by David Roach and Marilyn Stewart RIDGELAND, Miss. (BP) -- Grady Cothen -- the former chief executive of a state convention, a Southern Baptist university and two Southern Baptist Convention entities -- died May 19 at The Orchard retirement home in Ridgeland, Miss. He was 96. Among his service to Southern Baptists, Cothen was executive secretary of the Southern Baptist General Convention of California (1961-66), president of Oklahoma Baptist University (1966-70), president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (1970-74) and president of the Baptist Sunday School Board (1974-1984). The California convention has since been renamed the California Southern Baptist Convention, and the Sunday School Board has become LifeWay Christian Resources. LEFT A DEEP MARK "Few Southern Baptist leaders have made so deep a mark in so many different places as did Grady Cothen," New Orleans Seminary President Chuck Kelley said in a news release. "He came to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary when it was in a crisis. He brought stability and a foundation upon which our future was built. We thank God for giving our convention such an excellent leader." When Cothen arrived at New Orleans Seminary, it was experiencing "depleted … [Read more...]