Author: Duane Fickeisen
The Rev. Robert “Bob” Reed
The Reverend Bob Reed—parish and pastoral minister, civil rights activist, lover of music and theater, and artisan of bread baking—died on 15 March 2017 at the age of 88.
George Robert Reed was born on 15 August 1928 to Beulah May Reed and William Harold Reed. In 1950 he received a B.A. in History from Lafayette College (Easton PA) and began a job with the federal government in Washington D.C. While there he discovered the Unitarian (now UU) Church of Arlington VA, eventually felt called to ministry, and in 1959 earned a B.D. from Meadville Lombard Theological School. While a student, he served part time as Director of RE to the First Universalist Church of Chicago (now All Souls Free Religious Fellowship).
Mr. Reed was ordained by his Arlington UU church on 27 September 1959 and stayed for another year. He then moved on to 35 years in parish ministry with service to the Unitarian (now UU) Church of Bloomington IL (1960-68), the First Unitarian Church of Louisville KY (1968-85), and finally pastoral ministry at what is now the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock NY (1985-94), after which time the Louisville congregation named him Minister Emeritus.
Outside the parish, the Rev’d Mr. Reed served multiple local and national roles in the UUMA. With his wife Jeanne he also led UUA Couples Enrichment weekend workshops for the Ohio Valley District (1978-81).
Bob Reed is survived by four sons Robert, Douglas, Jeffrey, and David, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. A memorial service was scheduled for Saturday, 13 May 2017 at Louisville’s First Unitarian Church.
Barbara Wagner
Barbara Wagner
Barbara Wagner, 80, the widow of the Reverend William G. Wagner, died February 17, 2017, in Getzville, NY. Born Barbara McCarthy in Lockport, she earned a BFA from University of Buffalo, then went on to graduate studies at Westminster Choir College, and advanced organ study at the Munich Conservatory in Germany. She was noted for having both a wit and an ability to personally connect with people, and she employed those attributes as she pursued her passion – music, particularly choral music.
She was in her 50th year directing the choir of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo when she retired as the church’s music director in 2012. During her tenure, the church became known for the high quality of its music. The church choir made two European tours, recorded for American Public Radio, and performed locally with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Barbara also taught vocal music at Nichols School for 25 years and served for 12 years as music director at Temple Beth Am. She had shorter term positions directing other community choirs, but is especially noted as the founding director of the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus, which she led for 10 years. Her vision for that chorus was that they would not be known for “camp and schlock,” as many gay singing groups are, but would have a repertoire which included many challenging classics.
She was a founding member of the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network, served on the Hymnbook Commission which produced “Singing the Living Tradition,” and chaired the Task Force which compiled the hymnbook supplement “Singing the Journey.” In 2002 she was awarded the Erie County Music Educator/BPO Award for Excellence in Choral Education. In recent years, as Wagner’s health declined, she was able to hold onto music. As long as she could, she played the piano at her care center residence.
Barbara is survived by a sister, Jeanne Gunby; two daughters, Carrie Martin of Hamburg, and Molly Wagner of Sydney, Australia; and six grandchildren.
Karin Van Strien
Karin Van Strien died February 10, 2017 in Peterborough, NH at the age of 92. She was born in Thuringia, Germany, but economic difficulties caused her family to relocate in Berlin after WWI. Karin graduated from a girls’ Lyceum in 1943, and entered the obligatory work service, followed by the war service on the Berlin trolley cars. In spring of 1944 she left Berlin for Bavaria. She graduated from the School for Infants and Children in 1948, and from the School of Social Work in 1954.
In 1959 she immigrated to the United States to marry the Rev. David Van Strien, pastor in Newburyport, MA, and later at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Peterborough, NH. In 1970 Karin received an MA from Boston University School of Social Work. She worked for the Matthew Thornton Health Plan in Nashua from 1977 until her retirement in 1991.
She was a peace activist and worked many years with her husband on Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East. Karin was a member of the Goethe Society and of the Garden Club, including the Ikenobo Ikebana Society. She loved the Monadnock Region with its many nature walks, theatre, opera, and Kaffeeklatsches. She was also a longtime member of the Monadnock Chorus. Karin enjoyed traveling, especially to Germany to visit families and friends.
Survivors include: Egmont Fortun, brother; nephews, Steffen and Martin and their families, all in Germany; a niece Vickie Chamberlain and family in Greensboro, NC; a nephew David Ammerman and family in Maine.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made in Karin’s name to the Peterborough Unitarian Universalist Church, 25 Main Street, Peterborough, NH 03458, or the Monadnock Chorus, PO Box 218, Peterborough, NH.
Jan 3, 2017
The Rev. Charles Wesley Grady
The Reverend Charles Grady—parish minister, interfaith activist, historian, and scholar—died at his home in Bloomington, Minnesota, on 19 January 2017 at the age of 91.
The Rev’d Mr. Grady was a biographer of the Transcendentalist Unitarian Minister Frederic Henry Hedge. He served on many UU bodies, including the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, the Council on Church and Staff Finances, and the James Luther Adams Foundation.
Charles Wesley Grady was born in Lima, Ohio, on 9 December 1925 to Wealthy Dedrick and Charles C. Grady. He began working in commercial radio broadcasting at the age of 16, a career which he would pursue for two decades. As a founder and lay leader in the Unitarian fellowship of Lima, he finally answered a call “to the service of values of lasting worth,” earning an M.Div. from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1966.
Mr. Grady was ordained on 6 November 1966 by White Bear UU Church in Mahtomedi MN, where he would serve until 1969. He went on to a long ministry at the First Parish UU of Arlington MA (1969-90), and six years of half-time service to the UU Fellowship of Hendersonville NC (1990-96).
In the last of his annual holiday letters (December 2016), Charles offered a moving testimony to the realities of older age: “I have now passed the 91-year mark and am approaching that old darkening cloister. I now long to walk there, freed of today’s handicaps… Everything I see proclaims that not only is all life holy, but also that all being is holy. From each quark and boson, to the countless distant galaxies, something shouts “I, too, am here.” [Thanks to Rev’d Karen Lewis Foley for passing along these words.]
Charles Grady is survived by children Stephanie Grady and Michael Grady, sister Marjorie Walker, five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Phyllis M. McKeeman
Phyllis McKeeman
Phyllis M. McKeeman, widow of the Reverend Dr. Gordon B. McKeeman passed away peacefully on January 7, 2017 at the age of 93. She was born on August 7, 1923 in Swampscott, MA. to Charles F. and Edith (Pedrick) Bradstreet. Phyllis was a fourth-generation Universalist and met her future husband, Gordon B. McKeeman, at the Universalist Church youth group in Lynn, MA. She and Gordon were married in Lynn on Nov. 5, 1944. He became a Universalist minister, and then a Unitarian-Universalist (UU) minister and together they served four churches in Massachusetts and Ohio. From 1983 to 1988 they lived in California as Gordon served as President of Starr King School for the Ministry.
Phyllis fulfilled a variety of church roles wherever they happened to be living. She served on the merger committee for the Universalist and Unitarian Women’s organizations and on the first Board of the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation. She was office secretary and then coordinator of the Ohio-Meadville District of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) from 1965–1983. Part of that time she was also Chair of Region II for the UUA Annual Program Fund. Phyllis was awarded the UU Unsung Award by Ohio-Meadville District in 1976. She and Gordon were presented the UUA Award for Distinguished Service in 1993.
Although they raised three boys, Phyllis had grown up in Girl Scouting and became an active leader and trainer/consultant in the Girl Scouts and received the Thanks Badge award. She loved the outdoors and spent many years camping with the family. She also enjoyed knitting and playing cribbage.
She and Gordon retired to Charlottesville, VA in 1988 and moved to Rochester, MN in 2010. They were married for 69 years at the time of Gordon’s death in 2013.
Phyllis is survived by her three sons: Bruce, Glenn, and Randall; four grandchildren: Jennifer (Colin) Clark, Neil McKeeman, Alanna McKeeman, and Leland McKeeman; a great-grandchild, Sean Clark; and her sister-in law, Gloria King.
Memorials are suggested to the Unitarian Universalist Association; Girl Scouts of America; or the Alzheimer’s Association. Notes of condolence may be sent to Randall at his email address: rsmckeeman@hotmail.com
Marie A. Zoerheide
Marie A. Zoerheide, 88, wife of the Rev. Jack D. Zoerheide, died June 24, 2010, in Windsor, VT. The couple served congregations in Keene, NH; Braintree, MA; Ft. Myers, FL; and Tarpon Springs, FL. She is survived by her husband.
The Rev. Dayton Theodore Yoder
The Rev. Dayton Theodore Yoder, 100, died August 9, 2006. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Garrett Theological Seminary, and a masters degree at Drew University. In 1933 he received preliminary fellowship, with final fellowship on January 19, 1933. He served at Montpelier, VT, until 1938, then at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane, WA. He worked for the UUA from 1961-1970. His life partner Lucille Bursch died just three months after his death. He is survived by his daughter Nancy Yoder of Ashland, OR and his son Richard Yoder of Boston, MA. A memorial service was held at the Spokane church.
Harriet Ruth Wyman
Harriet Wyman
Harriet Ruth Wyman, 92, widow of the Rev. Gerald K. Wyman, died March 26, 2011 in Torrance, CA. The Wymans had served Universalist congregations in Canton, Waterville and Caribou, ME, and the UU Church of Greater Lansing, MI. Her husband died in 1970. Harriet worked for the Attorney General’s Section of the Michigan Department of Transportation for 24 years, retiring as an office manager. After retiring in 1984, she enjoyed square dancing, swimming, walking and the company of her friends. She was a very loving mother to her son and daughter. Her son died in 1985, after a 20-year battle with multiple sclerosis. In 2003, she moved to California to be near her daughter and family.