PICTURED RIGHT: Rev. Clarence Devereaux, 1955 Texas College Alumnus
At 91 years old, Texas College Alumnus Rev. Clarence Devereaux recently published his second book, "What Do You Think?" The literary work has been officially accepted into the Library of Congress and explores a variety of topics, as evidenced by a chapter titled “Regarding Anything and Everything.” While the book ranges from subjects such as politics and government to marriage, the work is grounded in a spiritual and biblical basis. Each section notably includes the question “What do you think?” in reference to the respective topic, and even provides lined pages for the reader’s own thoughtful reflection.
“A little bit about this and that and other things that we do or say without giving any thought to it,” Rev. Devereaux explains. “Some of what I include in this book is from my own experiences and my own views on what I have seen, heard, and done.” With over nine decades of experiences, his storied life is undoubtedly notable.
Rev. Devereaux, the thirteenth of 14 children, was born in Rusk County, Texas, in 1933, and around age 13 moved to Tyler, where he attended St. Louis Junior High School and Emmett Scott High School. Rev. Clarence Devereaux then immediately enrolled at Texas College. During his tenure as a student, he served as Senior Class President and even met his future wife, Norma Joyce Allen. And, in 1955, Rev. Devereaux proudly graduated Magna Cum Laude.
PICTURED ABOVE: Rev. Clarence Deveraux’s 1955 Texas College Commencement Exercise program
Following graduation from Texas College, Rev. Devereaux served in the U.S. Navy, which brought him to California, where he earned his Master’s degree from the University of Southern California and served in the Los Angeles County Probation Department until his call to ministry at Solid Rock Baptist Church, near Los Angeles, in 1988. Rev. Deveraux served as Pastor at Solid Rock Baptist Church for nearly three decades. Under Rev. Devereaux’s leadership, the church experienced tremendous advancement with with facility enhancements and renovations, as well as the reorganization of multiple auxiliaries, which yielded the feeding and clothing of countless individuals through expanded mission outreach, and the ordination of 15 deacons. Also during this time, “Pastor Devereaux’s Good News Radio Broadcast” was launched on KTYM 1460 AM, which serves the Los Angeles area, as well as an international internet audience. Rev. Devereaux retired as pastor at the end of 2015, but maintains service to the congregation as Pastor Emeritus for Missions and Evangelism Outreach. Upon his retirement, the Los Angeles City Council named an area adjacent to the church “Clarence Devereaux Square” for his work within the community for the homeless and hungry. Alongside Rev. Devereaux’s careers in ministry and the criminal justice system, he is also an avid musician, dating back to his tenure at Texas College and extending to his life in California, where he recorded with The Melody Kings for over 20 years, and was also featured on Grammy nominated artist Doc Powell’s “I Know the Lord Will Make a Way”
As aforementioned, “What Do You Think?” is Rev. Devereaux’s second book; his first literary work was “A Solid Rock, a Rolling Stone and 14 Pebbles," which details his 16-person family and illustrates his “mother’s rock hard love, his father’s stone strength and protection, and the 14 children who knew they could not fall or fail.” Both books “What Do You Think?” and “A Solid Rock, a Rolling Stone and 14 Pebbles" are available for purchase at www.amazon.com
