Author: Duane Fickeisen

Creative Sageing Award for 2010 — Peter and Eleanor Richardson

Eleanor and Peter Richardson

Eleanor and Peter Richardson

The Rev. Peter and Eleanor Richardson retired young in 2002  — he was 62 and she was 55. He had been given an old family house on the coast of Maine, where he built a library that doubled its size, while Eleanor, a retired organ builder, removed and restored all the windows in the 18th century barn. They later replaced the barn roof and installed solar panels.

By 2010, Peter published his fourth book, Sunday Meditations: for Liberal Religious Worship, and Eleanor published her third, Mechanic Street: Uncovering the History of a Maine Neighborhood. They used the UU Sage-ing honorarium for a research trip to Portland, ME.

Eleanor served on the UURMaPA Board as Elderberries editor for 4 years, on the local church Board, and on the Board of the Rockland Historical Society. She ran for UUA Trustee in 2005. In 2008 she purchased and ran a small rental house in Rockland.

Peter presented the Minns Lectures in 2005. He was secretary of the US IARF Chapter and President of Maine Association for Psychological Type. IARF took him to India twice, South Korea and China. Together Peter and Eleanor attended a partner church conference in the Czech Republic in 2001 (Eleanor learned some Czech for the occasion). They chaired the UURMaPA Pan South conference in Fort Myers, FL, for about 5 years. Eleanor played the piano for chapel services at many UURMAPA conferences.

Meanwhile, they were blessed with 13 grandchildren, which kept them busy mailing off birthday presents and hosting family gatherings in the old barn. Peter observes, “Also, my face is wrinkled and misshapen enough to maybe look sage-like.”

Written by Eleanor and Peter Richardson, August 2019.

The Rev. Fred A. Rutledge

The Rev. Fred A. Rutledge died on October 3, 2019, at the age of 88.

Fred is survived by his daughters, Cynthia Lee Rutledge, Anita (Tita) Lynn Rutledge, and Nina Amaya Rutledge. He was predeceased by his wife Ann Rutledge and his son Frederich Alvan Rutledge Jr. (Ric).

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the charity of one’s own choosing. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Cards and memories can be sent to Anita (Tita) Lynn Rutledge at 3923 S. Pennsylvania St., Englewood, CO 80113.

A more complete obituary will follow.

Gaynell Bradley Freeman

Gaynell Bradley Freeman

Gaynell Bradley Freeman, a native of Charlotte, died September 30, 2019. She was born October 24, 1922 to Cleo Hutchins Bradley and Mack Charles Bradley Sr. Mrs. Freeman attended Huntersville High School and attended Kings Business College.

She opened Gaynell’s Beauty Salon in 1956 and operated the business for over a decade. In 1967, she married the Rev. Dr. Sidney L. Freeman and together they would enjoy 45 years of marriage until his death in 2012.

Gaynell enjoyed travelling extensively with her husband as well as time at Lake Norman and playing bridge with friends. Above all else, she enjoyed time with her family and will be missed by all those whose lives she touched.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Freeman was preceded in death by her son, Steven Bradley Williams. She is survived by her son, T. Michael Williams and his wife, Mary Shelby Wirt; grandson, Steven Williams Saxon and his wife, Nhora Gomez Saxon; and great-grandchild, Gabriella Gomez Saxon.

The Rev. Dr.  Hugo “Holly” J. Hollerorth

The Rev. Dr.  Hugo “Holly” J. Hollerorth died on September 22, 2019, at the age of 94.

Holly is survived by his daughter Rachel Buerlen and his grandchildren Holly Buerlen, Jason Buerlen, and Nicole Hunter. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ACLU; to Planned Parenthood; and to the Head Start-South Middlesex Opportunity Council. 

UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

A celebration of Holly’s life will take place at 1 pm on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at the First Parish in Framingham, 24 Vernon St, Framingham, MA 01701.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Rachel Buerlen at 33 Thurston Hill Road, Rutland, MA 01543-1626.

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

The Rev. Dr. William “Bill” E. David

The Rev. Dr. William “Bill” E. David died on September 5, 2019, at the age of 94.

William is survived by his wife of thirty years, Kathleen David; his children: Garry David, Drew David, Caroline Carey (Nelson), and Robert David; his stepdaughters: Siobhan O’Brien, Maureen Corneal (Mark), and Erin Jamnoul (Ahmed); his grandchildren: Nicole Bare (Kevin), Crystal Sharon (Chris), Joshua Berryman, Bronson Carey, Matthew David,  and Graciella David; his step grandchildren: Nahed, Radwan, and Amir Jammoul; as well as his great grandchildren: Cody, Emily, Cannon, Nate, Annalise, Lena and Scarlett.

UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

A memorial service was held at 7 pm on Sunday, September 8, 2019 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, 780 Timothy Road, Athens, GA 30606.

Notes of condolences may be posted here.

A more complete obituary will follow.

Gretchen Loomis Manker

Gretchen Manker

Gretchen Loomis Manker, the surviving spouse of the Reverend Dr. Raymond George Manker, died 30 August 2019, at the age of ninety. She was born Margaret Brammer Loomis on 28 March 1929, in Houston, Texas, and attended Rice University before marrying Ray in 1949. Gretchen was very active in social justice issues and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix, Arizona, which her husband served as minister for twenty-seven years. They had five children and served congregations in Toledo, Ohio, Wayland, Massachusetts, and Riverside, California, before settling in Phoenix.

She pursued her interest in Social/Cultural Anthropology through ASU, and received her BA, MA and a partially-completed PhD. Through the years, Gretchen held true to a passion for women’s rights around the world. She also had a passion for travel. Two of her favorite places were close by: SAWUURA, a UU camp near Young, AZ; and Rocky Point, MX.

Gretchen is survived by four of her children: Kathy Manker (Bruce Gardner); Ray Manker (Patti Atchley); Susan Manker (Curtiss Seale); and David Manker (Larry Purifory); four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. One son, Wendell Manker, died in 1974.

Memorial gifts can be sent to Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix (UUCP), 4027 E. Lincoln Dr., Paradise Valley, AZ, 85253. or to SAWUURA (Sierra Ancha Wilderness UU Religious Association) through UUCP.

Cards and condolences on behalf of the family can be sent to Rev. Susan Manker, 7601 N. Village Ave., Tucson, AZ 85704.

The Rev. Edward “Ed” Searl

The Rev. Edward “Ed” Searl died on July 28, 2019, at the age of 71.

Ed is survived by his wife of 51 years, Ellie Searl; his daughter Katie Bodnar; his brother Clint Searl; and his two grandchildren Brett and Bridget Bodnar. He was predeceased by his parents, Clinton and Mary Walter Searl.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Edward Searl Memorial Fund at the Unitarian Church of Hindsdale, 11 West Maple Avenue St., Hinsdale, IL 60521. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

A memorial service will take place in September at the Unitarian Church of Hinsdale, 11 West Maple Avenue, Hinsdale, IL 60521 (date and time to be decided).

Notes of condolence may be sent to Ellie Searl at 7300 Johnson Farm Lane, Apt. 102, Chadds Ford, PA 19317.

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

George “Scott” Orfald

George Scott Orfald

George “Scott” Orfald was adopted as an infant by George and Dorothy Orfald of Minneapolis in 1933. He died at the age of 86 on July 26 2019, at Extendicare Peterborough (Ontario, Canada).

Family man, social worker (child and family services), community volunteer, cottager, lover of classical music and jazz, avid reader, intellectual and humanist; always a lover of animals, Scott had pets all his life (dogs, cats) without which life was incomplete. With sadness, we have seen him lose connection with so many things that brought him joy in recent years. He sometimes challenged us with his fierce independence and held on to his dignity as long as he could. He cherished his family, he expressed appreciation to his caregivers, and we are all better people for having known him and loved him.

Grieving the loss and also celebrating the love we shared are his wife, Anne Orfald; children, David (Debby Clarke), Catherine (Steev Morgan), Susan (Paul Duchene); grandchildren, Jamie (Marissa), Hannah (Jamie), Terra, Rowan, Devin and Walker; great-grandchildren, Fen, Robin and Ellie; sister, Sally (Jim Burns), and extended family and friends in the US and Canada.

Memorial donations that would honour Scott’s life are: Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough (Ontario), any animal welfare agency, any child and family service, any environmental or peace initiative.

“I have always admired your relationship with animals and your caring for nature and the environment. I hope that you see these traits reflected in your family, because I know that they are there.” [letter from a grandchild]

The Rev. David A. Johnson

David A Johnson
David A Johnson

The Reverend David Johnson—dynamic parish minister, UU historian, lover and scholar of UU hymnody, and passionate advocate for the learned ministry as well as for the marginalized and oppressed—died in an automobile accident while on a road trip on 22 July 2019, aged 83.

Dave Johnson’s brash activism started early, as recalled by a fellow student at Meadville Lombard, John Keohane: “It was David Johnson who convinced me to cut classes for a week and go with him, David Bumbaugh, and Yoshi Fukashima to May Meetings in Boston, that spring of 1961. Dave got all of us free lodging at the homes of Unitarian ministers Joe Barth and John Nichols Booth. We were present at the creation of the UUA.”

One of David Johnson’s deep concerns was for what he saw as the growth of “an illiterate ministry” among too many UU clergy. Speaking of this worry to the study group Collegium as its Distinguished Scholar in 2004, David recounted how some “Universalist questions” he submitted to the MFC ended up being unused because no one on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee knew what an adequate answer might be—this despite one of the questions being simply to “invite them to name three persons they valued from the Universalist pilgrimage.”

David Axel Johnson was born on 16 October 1935 in Buffalo, New York, to Axel H. and Glenna B. Johnson. After graduation from Antioch College (OH) in 1958 with a B.A. in sociology, he earned an M.A. in philosophy at the University of Illinois in 1961 and a B.D. at Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1964.

Mr. Johnson was ordained on 25 October 1964 by the Unitarian Society of Cleveland OH. He enjoyed successive settlements in Bloomington IN (1964–1970), Pittsburgh PA (1970–1973), Tucson AZ (1973–88), and Brookline MA (1988–2003), and was elected emeritus in both Tucson and Brookline. An account of his innovative ministry in Tucson spans 18 pages (pp. 47-64) in the church’s history. After formal retirement, the Rev’d Mr. Johnson served interim ministries in New Bedford, Bridgewater, Hudson, Chatham, Plymouth, Provincetown, and Quincy—all in Massachusetts.

At his death, David was survived by his wife Julie Coulter, sons Kirk, Erik, and Matthew Johnson, stepchildren James, Nancy, and Darren MacDonald, and several grandchildren.

A celebration of David’s life was held on 1 August 2019 at the First Parish of Brookline MA. Memorial donations were encouraged to the Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers and Partners Association (UURMaPA).