The Rt. Rev. Harold Cornelius Gosnell, fifth Bishop of West Texas, died July 18 at his home in San Antonio, Texas, the day after his 91st birthday. He had served as Bishop of West Texas from 1969 until 1977.

Bishop Gosnell was born in Syracuse, N.Y., and graduated from Syracuse University in 1930. He graduated from the Episcopal Theological School in 1933, and was ordained deacon and priest that year.

Bishop Gosnell was rector of St. John's Church, Marcellus, N.Y.; All Saints', Fulton, N.Y.; Holy Trinity, Lincoln, Neb.; and St. Mark's, San Antonio, a ministry in which he remained for 20 years until his consecration as Bishop Coadjutor of West Texas in 1968. He succeeded the Rt. Rev. Everett Holland Jones as Bishop of West Texas on Dec. 31, 1968, retiring March 1, 1977.

During World War II, Bishop Gosnell served as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy and spent two years in the South Pacific. He remained an active officer in the Naval Reserve, until he retired as captain, July 31, 1968.

Bishop Gosnell had been a clerical deputy to the General Convention for 10 consecutive conventions before his election as bishop. He was chairman of the House of Deputies' Committee on Christian Social Relations during six General Conventions and was a member of several committees. In 1970 he was elected to a six-year term on the Executive Council.

After his retirement, Bishop Gosnell served under Presiding Bishop John Allin as the co-chair of Venture in Mission, a major capital funds campaign throughout the church.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Marjorie, and is survived by two children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren