Allison Arrowood

Allison Brock Selway was born January 20, 1917 on the family homestead sheep ranch near Missoula, MT. Two years later a brother, Robert, was added to the family. Her family moved to the Los Angeles area when she was six.

Early in life, Allison realized her need of salvation, and in Sunday School she accepted Christ as her Savior. God gave her a desire to serve Him with her life. She graduated from the Bible Institute of Los Angeles and prepared to go to India for missionary work. However, her health was not strong enough for that climate and her doctor recommended that she stay in the USA.

She became engaged to Virgil Arrowood and they were married September 14, 1943 in Denver, CO where Virgil was stationed in the Army. After Virgil returned from deployment in the Philippines, they built a home on Indian Lake in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. However, Virgil soon surrendered to God’s call for ministry and moved the family to Denver, CO so he could attend Rockmont Bible College.

Their first ministry was in the tiny First Baptist Church of Westminster, CO. Then they both taught in Baptist Bible College of Denver when it began. In the fall of 1957, they accepted the pastorate of the new Calvary Baptist Church in Lamar, CO. During the years there, Allison used the musical and teaching abilities God had given her to help build the ministry. She also was a social worker several years, taught English and Psychology in Lamar Community College, and was a substitute teacher in Lamar High School.

Allison also received a Master’s Degree from the University of CO, and completed the course work for a Doctorate.

In 1966, the Arrowoods moved to Owatonna, MN to teach one year at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College. Then they went further north to pastor the First Baptist Church in Hibbing, MN. Allison taught at Hibbing Community College several years.

After their retirement in Gassville, AR, the Arrowoods continued to have a ministry of encouraging and strengthening small churches throughout the U.S.A. They did this for fifteen years while Virgil served as the National Missionary of the New Testament Association of Independent Baptist Churches.

Allison was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, her husband, and their son, Carl.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Marilyn and Jerry Williams: Bloomington, IL; and six grandchildren and their families: Rachel and Philip Bramblet, Matthew, Daniel and Thomas: Rocky Mount, VA; Tim and Audrey Williams: Belgrade MT; James and Katy Williams, Jackson and Connor: Ft. Lupton, CO; Beth Williams: Barrigada, GUAM; James Arrowood: Scottsdale, AZ; Brian and Charise Arrowood, Alexandra Arrowood and Dylan Lawsin: Scottsdale, AZ.