The Rev. Vernon C. Nichols

The Rev. Vernon C. Nichols died on September 11, 2020, at the age of 88. He died peacefully at home under hospice care.

He is survived by his wife, Sue Nichols. They moved to Portland from New York to be near family. Vern served a number of congregations in our movement. He and Sue were heads of the UU United Nations Office at the end of his career.

A memorial service has been scheduled for October 3, at 1 p.m. PDT, (4 p.m. EDT). Vern’s immediate family will gather in the Eliot Chapel and the service will be live streamed. Please contact the church for the link to the memorial service.

UURMaPA will contribute $50 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.

The Rev. Ellen L. Brandenburg

The Rev. Ellen L. Brandenburg died on September 4, 2020 at the age of 75.

Ellen is survived by her older siblings Peter Boyd, Mary Davis, and stepsister Sue Oates. She also leaves her daughter Anna and granddaughter Ivy Brandenburg, her son Peter Brandenburg, and his wife Krisztina Holly.

A Memorial Service was planned to be held on Nov. 6, 2021, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at First Church Unitarian Universalist, Salem MA. The service will be in person and streamed. An outdoor reception is planned following the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ellen’s name to First Church in Salem Community Relief Fund, 316 Essex Street, Salem MA 01970; to Star Island Corporation, or to Morton-Benedict House, 30 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801, or to Care Dimensions Hospice 75 Sylvan Street, Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Anna Brandenburg, 95 Essex St. #1, Salem MA 01970.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.

Susan Elizabeth Benner

Susan Elizabeth Benner, the surviving spouse of Reverend Richard Benner, died 23 August 2020 in Sarasota Florida. Her medical condition had been improving, but suddenly worsened, leading to a heart attack in hospital.

She was born 17 October 1940 In Wellington, New Zealand, to William E Thurgood and June Brodie. Her formal education culminated with her graduation from The Hewitt School in New York City in 1960.

Susan married Dick Benner on 21 December 1965 in Falmouth, Maine. After he was ordained in 1974, they lived in the places where he served Unitarian Universalist churches – Fort Meyers FL, Garden City NY, Sarasota FL, and Omaha NE. When he retired from parish ministry, they returned to Sarasota. She remained there after Dick died in 2013.

She was, first of all, fully involved in her family, even taking out photo albums to share stories with her caretakers as her health declined. Her family, in turn, remembers her love of animals, her love of music, her days on the tennis courts, and her affinity for crossword puzzles. A minister who knew them after they returned to Sarasota remembers her as being personable and fun.

Susan is survived by her two sons; Andrew, who lives in Sarasota, and can be contacted at googa69@gmail.com; Christopher, who lives in San Diego, California, with his wife Yinghong and their daughter Sophia, can be contacted at cbenner2076@gmail.com. Condolence messages might be directed to either address.

July 15, 2020

The Rev. Dr. Nancy Holden

The Rev. Dr. Nancy Holden died on August 1, 2020, at the age of 85.

Nancy is survived by her children Willie, Reuben, and Lorraine; her grandchildren Emily, Brian, Martha, Henry, Sophia, Dawn, Manny, Ben, and Solomon; and her beloved cats Howie, Teddy, and Penelope. She was preceded in death by her husband Doug, and her son Henry.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one’s own choosing or to Buen Vecino, to the Chalice UU congregation, or to the Southern Poverty Law Center. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund, in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

A memorial service will be held live via Zoom on Saturday, September 12, 2020 at 2 pm Pacific Time by Chalice Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Conejo Valley, CA.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Willie Lubka, 2178 La Granada Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362.

A more complete obituary will follow.

The Rev. Dr. F. Jay Deacon

The Rev. Dr. F. Jay Deacon died on July 23, 2020, at the age of 74.

Jay is survived by his long time and much-loved friend Steve L’Heureux; his brother Tim Deacon; his sister Pat Sherwin and her three sons (Brian, Chris, and Davis) and their families; and his beloved dog Thunder.

A virtual gathering of remembrance was held on Saturday, August 15 by the Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Oak Park, IL. Another virtual memorial service is being planned by Channing Memorial Church, Newport, RI, sometime in September 2020.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one’s own choosing or to Friends of the UUA; the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation; or the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund, in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Steve L’Heureux at 287 Hillside Ave., Holyoke, MA, 01040.

Jay’s body was laid to rest in a green burial on August 11, 2020.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.

June 17, 2020

The Rev. Dr. Oliver “Gene” E. Pickett

The Rev. Dr. Oliver “Gene” E. Pickett died on July 19, 2020, at the age of 94. Gene was president of the UUA from 1979 to 1985.

Gene is survived by his three daughters: Anne, Martha, and Emily; his grandson Alan; and many close friends and loving relationships. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen R. Pickett.

A virtual informal remembrance will be held in early August.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Association. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund, in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence can be sent to his daughter Martha at ghpickett2@gmail.com.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after research has been completed.

Robert Eugene “Bob” Wilber

Bob Wilber

Robert E Wilber, spouse of Reverend Linda Whittenberg, died on 12 July 2020, just days after his 87^th birthday. Bob was born in Texas but spent most of his youth in Indiana. Having few other children in the area, he spent a lot of time exploring by himself and learned to love the natural world. He became an avid outdoorsman.

Bob graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Forestry, then was called into the Army. He served in Germany, where he met Inge “Chris” Goerl. In 1959 she emigrated to the U.S. and they were married. Bob went to work for the Bureau of Land Management, and they had two sons as the agency stationed him in Oregon, then Washington DC, and eventually in Wyoming. When the marriage ended in the 70’s, the boys remained with him, and learned to love the outdoors, too.

After his youngest son had finished high school, Bob moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, then retired from his government career. He continued to be involved in environmental work, and to explore natural areas. He enjoyed country dancing at local music venues, where he met Linda. In 1985 she received her theology degree, was ordained, and they married.

When she was called to San Luis Obispo, and later to Spokane, Bob took on the minister’s spouse role. Besides picking up much of the domestic work, he read and critiqued her sermons and offered advice. As her active ministry ended, they returned to Santa Fe, where they soon acquired some acreage and began caring for horses and mules and dogs. They continued to explore trails in the mountains and wilderness, side by side.

Bob was a reader, keeping up with the daily news, and the New Yorker, but also studying poetry. He kept an open mind and would change it if warranted.

He is survived by Linda, his sons Scott and Tom, and their families

Memorial gifts can be directed to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Johanna Margaretha “Greta” Godbey

Johanna Godbey

Johanna Margaretha “Greta” Godbey, widow of the Reverend Dr. John Godbey, died June 30, 2020. She was born Feb 4, 1932, on the island of Java, Indonesia, to Bernard and Elisabeth Gratama. When the Japanese invaded the country in 1942, the family was separated for three years in Japanese concentration camps. At the end of the war, they were reunited and returned to The Netherlands.

Johanna, known as Greta, planned to become an air hostess for KLM. To improve her French language skills, she worked at a laundry near a United States airbase outside of Casablanca, Morocco. It was there that she met John Godbey, and after a whirlwind courtship, they were married on May 26, 1954, in Casablanca. In 1955 they moved to the United States, where Greta took up life as the wife of a graduate student. While John finished his doctorate at the University of Chicago Divinity School, she raised three sons and a daughter. She was a loving and involved mother who was active in her children’s lives, sewing unique Halloween costumes, and serving as a Cub Scout Den Mother and a Camp Fire Girls group leader.

Greta earned a B.S. and completed all course-work for an M.A. in Mathematics from Chicago State University. She taught math in the Chicago public high schools for several years and then became Assistant to the Graduate Dean of Humanities at the University of Chicago. She excelled in guiding students through the required paperwork. She also became a self-taught medievalist focused on Viking sagas and the writings of medieval women.

Greta and John were active members of the First Unitarian Church in Hyde Park for over forty years. Greta regularly opened their home to members of the faculty, staff, and graduate students of Meadville Lombard Theological School, where John served. As a couple, they celebrated forty-five years of marriage and never lacked for stimulating and invigorating conversations. She spoke her mind; he listened, valued, and challenged her opinions.

They enjoyed camping, tennis, and travel throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. Greta was an avid naturalist, a bird-watcher, and a friend to all dogs. Music was an important part of her life. She enjoyed concerts and operas, chamber music and recitals, vocal and orchestral music of all kinds. No matter where she was, Greta sought a choir to join. Over the years she sang with several church choirs, university-affiliated choirs, and Renaissance choirs.

Following John’s death from Parkinson’s in 1999, Greta moved to Ardmore, PA to be near her daughter Margaret. She enjoyed the proximity to musical events in Philadelphia and the fellowship of the Main Line Unitarian Church in Devon, PA, where she served in a variety of capacities including choir-member and book store manager. She again followed Margaret to Hartsville, SC in 2015, making new friends in her remaining years.

Greta is survived by her sister, Mrs. Lucie Alberti of Colombier, Switzerland; son Charles (Helenna) of Chicago, IL; son Nicholas (Alice) of Grapevine, TX; daughter Margaret (David Hellen) of Hartsville, SC; five grandchildren:and seven great-grandchildren. Greta’s ashes will be interred with John’s at the First Unitarian Church in Chicago, IL.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to organizations Greta supported: Best Friends Animal Society, Kanab, Utah, https://bestfriends.org/; Darlington County Humane Society, Darlington, SC, https://darlingtonhumane.org/; or The Nature Conservancy, https://www.nature.org/en-us/.