Bishop Anthony M Mansfield

Funeral services celebrating the life of Bishop Anthony M. Mansfield will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 24, 2023 at Abundant Life Tabernacle (1921 Highway 19 North, Meridian, Mississippi 39307). A private family interment will be held at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Newton. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.

Bishop Mansfield, age 85, of Meridian went to Heaven to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, August 21, 2023 at his home surrounded by his loving family.

Rev. Anthony M. Mansfield was born in a log cabin in Folsom, LA on February 24, 1938 to John and Lela Mansfield. He was delivered by a midwife that told his Mother he would not survive because of his jaundice and his irregular breathing. However, God had big plans for him, and he lived.

In a tragic store robbery on March 26, 1956, he watched his 13-year-old best friend die by gunshot. Bro. Mansfield’s life was spared and this devastating event led him to finally surrender his life to God. In a revival preached by a seventeen year old Rev. G. R. Travis, Bro. Mansfield was filled with the Holy Ghost at the age of eighteen.

He graduated from Loranger High School and attended Pentecostal Bible Institute in Tupelo, MS.  In 1957, he joined the Navy and served from 1957-1961 as a medical corpsman.  He met and married Harriett Clifford while stationed in San Diego, CA. While in the navy, he was assigned to the U. S. S. Jason (a repair ship) and toured the Western Pacific.

After he left the Navy, Bro. & Sis. Mansfield lived in Louisiana briefly, then moved to Indianapolis, IN, and began attending Calvary Tabernacle. Bro. Mansfield’s ministry started during this time under the leadership of Bro. Nathaniel A. Urshan.

During his tenure as Pastor in Cole Lake, Mississippi, he received his local license with the United Pentecostal Church International in 1963.

In March of 1964, he was recommended by Rev. Urshan for a church in Stewartsville, IN.  He was elected and pastored there until 1971.  While there, he built a parsonage, and helped remodel and add on to the church to include an educational wing.  He was ordained in 1967. Their daughter, Lynette, was born while they were here.

They were briefly in Ovette, MS until Bro. Mansfield felt the call to Pine Bluff, AR in the Fall of 1971.  While at Pine Bluff, AR, he added an educational wing. He also worked with his friend, Rev. James McCoskey doing residential construction to supplement his and the church’s income. Additionally, he built and sold 5 homes during this time.  Because of his love for aviation, he obtained his private pilot license in 1975 and purchased a Piper Cherokee in 1976.  His passion for Prison Ministry began in Arkansas and he traveled to Cummins Prison every Saturday at 8 AM from 1974 until 1982. He baptized many in Jesus’ name and saw many receive the Holy Ghost. Until his passing, he still maintained correspondence with the men whose lives were forever changed by his powerful ministry.

While in Arkansas, Bro. Mansfield served as Sunday School Secretary from 1972-1975 and Section 2 Presbyter from 1975-1982.  He also worked closely with then AR District Superintendent, Rev. James Lumpkin, to oversee the AR District Campgrounds.  While he served as Sunday School Secretary he planned and served at the Junior Camps. He spoke and taught at the Senior Camps, was Camp Meeting Choir Director during this time, and preached youth revivals across the state.

In 1982, following the call of God, the Mansfield’s moved to Meridian, MS to pastor Abundant Life Tabernacle (then named First United Pentecostal Church) under the direction of then District Superintendent, Rev. G. R. Travis. Bro. Mansfield helped the congregation finish the building they were working on and the first service in the new building was Easter 1982. He also assisted the church in building a Youth Facility.

After a call from a local assembly in 1987, he went to help Free Gospel Temple as a daughter work and pastored there for eleven years. This great opportunity began Pastor Mansfield’s work with multicultural ministry. In 1991, God gave him the vision to begin a Multicultural Conference in Meridian, MS. This conference became the forerunner of the Building the Bridge Conference that is now hosted by the MS District UPCI.

In 1996, the UPCI MS District mailed Bro. Mansfield the keys to a church in York, AL and another daughter work was adopted by Abundant Life Tabernacle. Bro. Mansfield served on the UPCI National Committee for Building the Bridge from 1993-1994.

He had the opportunity to participate in missions’ trip with Rev. Melvin Clifford to South Korea as liaisons of the Apostolic faith and he traveled with Rev. Stanley Wachsetter to Russia to pass out Bibles before Russia was open to missionaries (pre-coup).

In 1996, Bro. Mansfield traveled to Washington D. C. Where he was awarded a Washington Times Foundation National Service Award. Also, he was awarded an Honorary Theology Degree from Jackson College of Ministries in 2001. In 2017, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Mississippi District Conference and was awarded a Building the Bridge Ministry Leadership award at the National Bridge Builders Conference in 2018.

Bro. Mansfield served as Section Seven Presbyter from 1989-2007 and served as Section Seven Honorary Presbyter from 2007-present.

During his 60 years of full-time ministry, he preached revivals, spoke at Minister’s retreats, and banquets.  He was a singer, songwriter, guitar player, poet, bard, and speaker. His greatest joy was being a shepherd to all the churches he was privileged to serve.

He leaves behind to cherish his memory his loving wife of 64 years, Harriett Ruth Mansfield; daughter, Lynette Mansfield Cooksey (Buddy); grandsons, Chase Anthony Cooksey, Colton Wayne Cooksey (Alexa), and Cade Mansfield Cooksey; brothers, Earl Mansfield (Marcia) and Shelby Mansfield (Maggie); and numerous other family members, church members, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John Mansfield and Lela Mansfield; brother, Russell Mansfield; and his sister, Marie Reagan

Because the interment will be held at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery, please do not send floral stands. In addition to potted plants and floral arrangements, please make charitable contributions in memory of Brother Mansfield to Abundant Life Tabernacle’s building fund (P.O. Box 3206 Meridian, Mississippi 39303).

Honorary pallbearers will be Chase Cooksey, Colton Cooksey, Cade Cooksey, Buddy Cooksey, Donald Cooksey, and the men of Abundant Life Tabernacle.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.robertbarhamffh.com.

The family will receive guests from 2:00 until 5:30 p.m. on Thursday at Abundant Life Tabernacle prior to the funeral services.