The Rev. Elizabeth “Betsy” Boyd Stevens died on March 14, 2024, at the age of 91 (1932-2024).
Elizabeth Boyd Stevens
Betsy is survived by her husband Frederick A. Stevens, Jr., and her two children: Wyatt Stevens (Giselle) and Elizabeth (Lisa) Giannechini (Tony). She also leaves her two granddaughters, Alice Stevens and Libby Giannechini; her sister, Alexandra (Sandy) B. Earle, and one great-grandson.
A memorial service was held on Friday, April 5, 2024, at the First Parish Church UU, 842 Tremont St.(Rte. 3A), Duxbury MA 02331.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Duxbury Bay Maritime School, 457 Washington St, Duxbury MA 02332. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com.
Barry William Strejcek, 90, “The Mayor of Oakmont,” died peacefully at home on Apr. 29, 2023, from heart disease and dementia. He was born Oct. 28, 1932, to Doris and William Strejcek and grew up in the Cleveland area. He attended Miami University of Ohio, then served in the Army in Germany during the Korean conflict. He returned to earn a BA in political science and a master’s in labor economics, both from Ohio State.
Barry married his first wife, Mary Jo McPherson, in 1959. They lived in Ohio, Missouri, New Jersey, and Washington DC. Children Kier (1960), Nathan (1962), and Mardi (1969) were born to Barry and Jody. Their marriage ended in divorce. Barry’s working life centered on civil rights and the common good. He was active in the Democratic Socialists of America, founded by Michael Harrington. His career was with the National Urban League, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Barry appreciated that the federal government gave him the opportunity to work towards justice and equality.
In 1976, Barry met Yvonne Schumacher at EEOC; they married in 1980. Their son Brendan was born in 1981. When Barry retired in 1989, they moved to Nevada City, CA, where they were leaders of Sierra Foothills Unitarian Universalists in Auburn. They were among the founders and charter members of the UU Community of the Mountains in Grass Valley CA. Barry and Yvonne moved to Berkeley in 2004 for her completion of an M.Div. degree at Starr King, and then to Harrisburg PA; Boston MA; and Brighton MI, following the arc of her parish ministry.
They retired to Rossmoor senior community in Walnut Creek CA in 2015. There Barry’s friendliness earned him the moniker, “Mayor of Oakmont,” during COVID in 2020, as he would wave to every car driving by while walking his dog Sammy daily, often wearing his dog mask. His passing is deeply grieved, by his wife of 43 years, Yvonne; his children Kier (Cathleen) of Naperville IL, Nathan (Stacey Moye) of Washington DC; Mardi (Alberto Muciño) of Arlington VA, and Brendan (Chenbo Zhong) of Toronto ONT, Canada; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by great-granddaughter Violet Joan.
A memorial celebration was held Aug. 15 at the Dollar Clubhouse at Rossmoor.
The Rev. Marjorie “Midge” Skwire died on March 21, 2023, at the age of 86 (1936-2023).
Midge is survived by her husband, David Skwire, son, Daniel Skwire (Denise M. Fogg), daughters: Sarah Skwire and Jessica Routhier (Ray Routhier), brothers Richard (Rosemary) and David and grandchildren Teddy, Abigail, Luke, Dinah, and Penelope.
A memorial service is planned for 2 pm on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church, 20401 Hilliard Blvd, Rocky River, OH 44116.
UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry. Other memorial gifts may be made to:
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com.
The Rev. Dr. Robert “Bob” E. Senghas died on June 26, 2022, at the age of 94.
Bob is survived by his three sons: in Florida, Frederick Christian Senghas; in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, Edward Caiger Senghas and his wife Maureen Cotter; and in Vermont, Stuart Bailey Senghas and his wife Alicia Wein Senghas. He is also survived by Frederick’s children Matthew Senghas and Sarah Hall and Sarah’s husband Brian Hall and their daughter Emma; by Stuart’s children Nathan, Lydia, and Isaiah; and by many nieces and nephews and their children. In addition, he is survived by an identical twin brother, the Rev. Richard E. Senghas of Scarborough, Maine.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to one’s favorite charity. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
Notes of condolences can be sent to Stuart Senghas, PO Box 36, Wolcott, VT 05680.
The Rev. Kenneth “Ken” W. Sawyer died on April 24, 2022, at the age of 77.
Ken is survived by his wife, Carol Sawyer, and by daughters, Amy Washek and Rebecca Howard.
A memorial service centered on Ken’s family, friends, and the First Parish in Wayland congregation will be held on May 21. A celebration of Ken’s ministry and service to Unitarian Universalism will be held later this fall.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the First Parish in Wayland, Ken Sawyer Unrestricted Endowment, P.O. Box 397, Wayland, MA 01778 or to the UU Urban Ministry, Attn. Annie Stubbs, 10 Putnam Street, Roxbury, MA 10019. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
Notes of condolences can be sent to Carol Sawyer, 16 Orchard Lane, Wayland, MA 01778.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.
The Rev. Dr. Judith “Judy” M. Smith-Valley died on November 16, 2021, at the age of 78.
Judy is survived by her children: son, Glenn Valley and his wife Heidi, of Bahama, NC; daughter, Libby Valley Cirillo and her husband Tony, of North Kingstown, RI; daughter, Susan Woodilla and her husband, Tad of Hermon, ME; son, Richard Smith and his wife, Barbara Dill of Norwood, NJ; grandchildren – Laura (Jon) Conway, Alison Valley, Amanda, Connor, Matthew, and Trevor Cirillo, Katie and Emily Woodilla, Dillon, Chelsea, and Aiden Smith; and great granddaughter Jackie; sister, Charlea Coterel of O’Fallon, Missouri; plus many nieces, nephews, friends and family who filled her heart with joy. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husbands, Terry Valley (1978) and Paul Smith-Valley (2017).
Catherine M. Sterling died on October 25, 2021 at the age of 92. She was the widow of the Rev. Robert W. Sterling.
Catherine is survived by her sister, Margaret Mays of Chapel Hill, NC; son, David Sterling, and his wife, Karen, of Agawam, MA; son, Craig Sterling, of Wilder, VT; daughter, Barbara Sterling, of Wilder, VT; grandson, Alexander Sterling, of Leominster, MA; and nephew, David Le Shane, of Colorado Springs, CO.
No services are planned. Her family will hold a private ceremony in Danville, VT.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Catherine’s name to the charity of your choice. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to an appropriate charity in her memory.
Notes of condolence may be sent to her daughter, Barbara, in care of Catherine’s email.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.
Robert Taliaferro Sorrells, spouse of the Reverend Dillman Baker Sorrells, died 2 May 2021 at age 88, after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for several years. Born in New York City in 1932, Bob attended Staunton Military Academy in Virginia and then Vanderbilt University, which was interrupted for service in the U.S. Army. He returned to earn a degree in History and a Masters in English Literature from Vanderbilt. He subsequently earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the Writer’s Workshop at the University of Iowa.
Bob was a faculty member at Murray State University, Clemson University, and the University of Arkansas before leaving academia to focus on his writing. He published several books, including a book of short stories, The Blacktop Champion of Icky Honey, and a book of essays called On Breaking One’s Pencil. He was awarded a PEN/NEA Syndicated Fiction Award, and his work was often anthologized, including in The Best American Short Stories. Though he was primarily a fiction writer, Bob often said that a history he wrote of the Clemson University Experimental Forest was among the works of which he was most proud.
A long-time fan of the Atlanta Braves, he enjoyed listening to baseball on the radio, and wrote a short story about missing Hank Aaron’s 715th home run. He was also a great fan of the Clemson soccer team. He loved to walk for exercise and could often be seen striding briskly along the roads of Clemson.
Bob Sorrells
Bob was a Unitarian Universalist for most of his adult life, and an early member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson. A great enthusiast of music, he sang for many years in the UU choir and created Gifts of Music, a series that aired on South Carolina Public Radio.
Bob is survived by his children Walter Arl Sorrells and Ruth Lindsey Sorrells, both of Atlanta; his grandson Jake Alfred Robert Sorrells of New Orleans; and by his loving wife of 59 years, the Rev. Dillman Baker Sorrells of Clemson.
The Reverend Dr. Elizabeth Strong—impassioned religious educator, pastoral counselor, parish minister, and lifelong disciple and scholar of Universalism—died on 20 March 2021, aged 80-3⁄4.
In UU circles Liz Strong was widely known for her work in curriculum development, her personal presence with irrepressible energy, and her many awards. Ministerial colleagues Carol Taylor and Carol Haag wrote that with Liz’s death “Unitarian Universalism and liberal religious education lost a shining star.”
Elizabeth May Strong was born a third generation Universalist to Ashley Walter Strong and Marie Elizabeth Miller Strong on 17 June 1940 in Cooperstown, New York. Their church was central to family life. When Liz was asked—at age eight—what she believed, her answer was quick: “I believe God is love. Jesus is a teacher and friend. People are inherently good. There is truth I know and more that I will know. Service is required of me to live my faith, and in the end all will be well.” At age 13 she began teaching church school at the Old Stone Universalist Church in Schuyler Lake NY.
Liz Strong
Liz earned a B.A. in liberal arts from Syracuse University (NY) in 1962. In the 1970s both her parents died, her marriage failed, and she underwent extensive back surgery, with a neck-to-hips body cast. Amid these losses and challenges, the indomitable Ms. Strong, now a single working mother of four children, completed her M.S. degree in elementary education and was named Director of Religious Education at Rochester’s First Unitarian Church. She was centrally active with others in developing the ordination track by which the UUA acknowledged a Ministry of Religious Education. In October 1983 she was ordained by her Rochester congregation and forthwith called as Minister of Religious Education.
Liz Strong
In 1988, the Rev’d Ms. Strong accepted a call to the May Memorial UU Society in Syracuse (NY) as Minister of Religious Education. She completed a D.Min. program at Meadville Lombard in 2000. In 2001 she left May Memorial for a seven-year stint as RE Program Consultant for the Massachusetts Bay District. Liz took formal retirement from full-time work in 2008 but went on to her first and only service in parish ministry (2008–2013) as a part-time consulting minister to the First Parish Church of Ashby UU (MA), where she was named minister emerita in 2013 and continued to preach frequently as a pulpit guest into the final years of her life.
At her death Liz was survived by brother John Strong, sister Barbara Strong Vertucci, sons David and Douglas Taylor, daughters Shari Taylor–Lascano and Kathleen Taylor-Wallen, ten grandchildren, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
An online memorial service was held on 8 May 2021. Memorial donations are encouraged to Planned Parenthood, or to the UUA. Notes of condolence may be sent to: Rev. Douglas Taylor, 19 Hodge Ave, Binghamton NY 13901.
The Rev. Shermie L. Schafer died on February 23, 2021 at the age of 78.
Shermie is survived by her sisters, Sue Medley and June Schafer, and their children; her stepson, Kai McLaughlin; her German Shepherd, Rika; and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, infant sister, and brother William L. Schafer.
