Celebrating the Legacy of Rev. Dr. Wilbert D. Gough (1918-2022)

The late Baptist minister who spread the love of Jesus in churches across the midwestern and northeastern United States, Rev. Dr. Wilbert D. Gough and his wife, Florence, volunteered with American Bible Society for many years. From the earliest days of their marriage, it was a priority for he and Florence to include American Bible Society as a beneficiary in their estate plan. In mid-2022 at age 104, Rev. Gough inspired a small team from American Bible Society as follows:

"We had American Bible Society in our Will ever since we made a Will!" he said. "The Word of God is everything to me. I live by it. Great is the Lord and his Word and greatly to be praised!"

It was clear why he had included American Bible Society in the earliest draft of his Will. "Oh, I love to share the Word of God!" he exclaimed with the booming voice of a lifelong preacher. "In the Word of God, you learn the love and the grace and the goodness and the purpose of God for your life. You find the joy that there is in Jesus."

He continued, "Every day is precious; as long as I live, I want to advance the Word of God."

In God's perfect timing, Rev. Gough went home to be with the Lord just a few short weeks after the team visited him. Until his very last breath, he did indeed advance the Word of God. And thanks to his legacy gift with American Bible Society, this faithful steward will be handing out Bibles through his estate-even while residing in glory.