by Carole Chance Ezernack
In the fall of 1956, Baptist Bible College student Gay Chance was looking out her college dormitory window one day when she saw two fellows from Miami ride up in a convertible. When they got out of the car behind the men’s dormitory, she noticed they were both wearing shorts. She remembers thinking, “Uh oh! They’re going to be in big trouble because it’s a no-no to wear shorts on the campus of Baptist Bible College.”
Gay later learned the identity of the two guys. One of them was Robert Alvin (Buddy) Mullis. The other young man was Bruce Foss, the person responsible for inviting Buddy to New Testament Baptist Church in Miami, where Al Janney was pastor. Buddy accepted Christ there in 1957.
Buddy and Gay dated a couple of times but did not become “an item.” Buddy later began to date Norma West, another Baptist Bible College student, and Gay in turn fell for Robert Allan (Bob) Woosley, whose parents were Fellowship missionaries to the Philippines. The friends became couples: Buddy and Norma Mullis, and Bob and Gay Woosley married in 1960. Buddy soon founded Calvary Baptist Church in Fruitland Park, FL, where he continues to serve as pastor. Bob pastored several churches in the States before he and Gay went to the Philippines in 2000 to begin their service as Baptist Bible Fellowship missionaries there.
The couples continued their friendship, and Calvary Baptist was one of the Woosley’s supporting churches. In 2010, Bob began to have serious health problems, and in January 2011, Bob lost his battle with a liver-related disease. Gay was devastated. She had lost her husband of more than 50 years. But even though her days were filled with sadness and loneliness, she decided to continue to serve in the Philippines as long as it seemed to be God’s will for her to do so.
As Gay was going through some papers one day, she came across Norma Mullis’s email address. Gay decided to reach out to her friend. However, it was Buddy, and not Norma, who responded. Norma was very ill with cancer and was unable to answer the email. Gay wrote a supportive note to Buddy, and then after Norma’s subsequent death, the pair continued to communicate by email, not thinking that any feelings might develop between the two of them. Neither had plans beyond friendship.
In the fall of 2011, Buddy learned that Gay was planning a trip to the States for a family visit. She had not seen her grandchildren since 2008 and was badly in need of time with her family. Buddy asked Gay to make a visit to Florida while in the States.
Gay made a trip to Fruitland Park, FL, in January of 2012 to visit Calvary Baptist Church and, of course, to see Buddy. During the few days she was there, Gay spoke to the church about her ministry, and she and Buddy caught up. They spent many hours talking about their lives and their work … and more.
When Gay came to the Shreveport area to visit me, her sister, and other family in this area, I noticed a happy difference in her. She didn’t say much about her visit to Florida except to say that she and Buddy had a wonderful time.
Shortly after Gay arrived here, Buddy called. When the phone call ended, Gay came to me with a stunned expression on her face. She said, “That was Buddy. He said that he misses me and loves me, that he’s tired of beating around the bush, and that he wants to marry me!”
Of course I had already figured out that Gay returned his affection, so it was no surprise when she soon accepted his proposal. Within a few days, Buddy flew to Shreveport to give Gay an engagement ring before she returned to the Philippines.
In February Gay returned to the Philippines to wrap up her ministry there. She also began the daunting task of going through all her worldly possessions as she decided what to throw away, give away, or sell. She knew she could keep very little because of shipping costs.
She and Buddy had originally chosen a later wedding date, but they decided May 4 would be a better time because both of their families would be able to attend on that date. Buddy wanted very much for Gay to return to the States in April so that she could be at his side when his church celebrated its 50th anniversary.
With the help of Del and Lora Hooge (Bob’s sister), Perry (Bob’s nephew), Mindy Hooge, and some loving Filipino people, Gay was able to arrive in Florida a couple of days before the anniversary celebration.
On May 4, 2012, Robert Mullis and Gay Chance Woosley were united in marriage at Calvary Baptist Church in Fruitland Park, FL, surrounded by family and friends. God truly orchestrated their love story — the joining of two ministries and two families. They are thankful for the joy they are now experiencing and anticipate many more years of dedicated service to their Lord.
NOTE: Gay Chance Woosley Mullis and Carole Chance Ezernack are granddaughters of the late Henry Chance, one of the founders of the Baptist Bible Fellowship.