Category: Obituary: B

The Reverend George Brooks—who combined activism in social justice and mental health with expertise in physics and astronomy and wove it all together into a career of 40 years in parish ministry—died peacefully on 18 June 2018, aged 95.

George Gordon Brooks was born on 14 December 1922 in Pleasantville, New York. to Leonard and Irene Huggins Brooks. He earned a B.A. in physics from Amherst College, MA, in 1944, an M.S. in astronomy from Mass. Inst. of Technology, MA, in 1947, and an S.T.B. from Harvard Divinity School in 1951.

After serving a student ministry at the UU Church of Danvers, MA, Mr. Brooks was ordained there on 24 June 1951. He was then settled successively at the Second Parish Unitarian Church in Saco, ME (1954–57), the Adams Memorial Unitarian Church in Dunkirk, NY (1957–61), the Lexington (KY) Unitarian Church, and in a half-time position at the UU Fellowship of Burlington, IA (1963–68).

An academic opportunity then lured him away to teach physics and astronomy at Lorain County Community College in Elyria, OH, while serving weekend ministries at two nearby congregations. He closed out his parish career with interim ministries in Chattanooga, TN, and Columbia, MO, and finally a two-year settlement at the UU Fellowship in Port Charlotte, FL, which later honored him as their minister emeritus.

Beyond the parish, Mr. Brooks took active leadership roles in a variety of district UU chapters and local community organizations, especially in the American Civil Liberties Union and in local support of human rights and mental health services.

At the time of his death, George Brooks was survived by nieces Miriam E. Coe, Katherine L. Randall, Julie Fix Graves, and Karen Fix Graves, nephews Edmund A. Jones, Carlton Parker Jones, and Leonard Brooks III, and several grand nieces, a grandnephew and a great nephew.

A memorial service was held on 2 December 2018 at the UU Fellowship of Charlotte County, FL.

The Reverend Sarah Barber-Braun was above all a scholar of women’s history. And wherever she lived, she surrounded herself with women’s art, including her own fabric art. Her stoles are worn by many colleagues.

Sarah especially devoted decades of scholarship to the life and work of early Universalist minister Phebe Ann Coffin Hanaford. Her long-time friend and colleague, the Rev’d Carol Hepokoski, said that Sarah’s “heart seemed to live in the 19th century.”

In August 2017, colleagues and area ministers gathered, with Sarah in attendance, to celebrate her life. Four months later, 17 December 2017, she died, aged 92.

Sarah Elizabeth McGrew was born in Tokyo, Japan, to Dallas Dayton Lore McGrew and Elizabeth Barber McGrew on 23 October 1925. She earned her B.A. in political theory and government from Radcliffe College, MA, in 1947.

Sarah settled with husband Harold Braun in Missoula, MT, where they eventually raised three adopted children. She worked as a religious educator at a local United Church of Christ church (1956–60), and then turned to the crafting of jewelry as an entrepreneurial artist and served also as an art consultant to the local Head Start program.

After divorce in 1976, Sarah reclaimed her mother’s birth name as part of a new surname. In 1978 she discovered the Humboldt UU Fellowship, and in 1981 she was on her way to Starr King School, where she completed her M.Div. in 1984. She was ordained on 17 February 1985 by the First Unitarian Church of Oakland, CA.

The Rev’d Ms. Barber-Braun began her parish career as an extension minister at the UU Congregation of Erie, PA (1986–89), followed by a mix of contract and interim ministries at the Saltwater UU Church (Des Moines, WA, 1989–90), the First Universalist Society in New Haven, CT (1994–96), the Mattatuck UU Society in Woodbury, CT (1996–97), and finally at the First Universalist Church of Southold, NY (1997–2002).

Sarah is survived by her children, Paula Braun, Julia Roth, and Daniel Braun, grandchildren Tegan Spangrude, Carl Spangrude, David Braun, and Andrea Braun, and brother John McGrew.

The Reverend Becky Blodgett—who lived a life of service to others, within and outside the parish, as layperson and then minister—died on 12 August 2017, at the age of 84.

The Rev’d Karen Lewis Foley, a Harvard Divinity School classmate, recalls: “Becky’s ministry was pastoral and she had a strong focus on the elderly, working with aging groups and with pastoral care groups providing care for congregants… She had immense respect for the rich lives and unique wisdom of older people… I’ll never forget her saying, “Old age is almost like another country.”

Rebecca Morton Driscoll was born on 16 April 1933 in St. Paul, Minnesota, to John and Helen Driscoll. After graduation in 1955 from Vassar College (NY) with a B.A. in Geology and Conservation, she settled with her new spouse, Timothy Blodgett, in Concord, MA. As a young mother, Becky was a dedicated volunteer with several organizations. Eventually discerning a call to ministry, she earned her M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School in 1989.

After Ms. Blodgett was ordained 17 March 1991 by her home congregation, she worked as a hospice chaplain at several Boston-area nursing homes and hospitals, including Mass. General Hospital. For a year (1996–97) she served as interim assistant minister to Concord’s First Parish and then resumed her wider chaplaincy work. She remained active in the parish as an affiliate minister, conducting weddings and memorial services, training lay leaders, preaching from time to time, and offering pastoral counseling. She retired in 2002.

At time of death, survivors included her spouse of 61 years Tim Blodgett, brothers Frederick and Andrew, children Sarah, Amy, Jeffrey, and Katherine, and eight grandchildren.

Lucille Richter Bursch, 90, life companion of the Rev. Dayton Yoder died November 22, 2006, in Spokane, WA, just three months after her partner died at age 100 in hospice care. The couple enjoyed traveling in their retirement years. She is survived by her daughter, Joanne Cenis.

Rosemary Morris Burns, 86, wife of the Rev. Carl V. Bretz, died July 6, 2009 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. A native of Oklahoma she earned degrees at University of Oklahoma, Wellesley College and Augusta College (GA). She also served in the Women’s Army Corps. She was married to David Markland (Mark) Morris and the couple had three sons. Mark died in 1975, soon after the death of their eldest son, David. She then married John H. Burns. That marriage ended in divorce. Rosemary was a psychotherapist until her retirement in the mid 1990’s. A devoted UU for 65 years, she served in many capacities in local churches, wherever she lived, and was a leader in the Thomas Jefferson District of the UUA. She represented TJD as a UUA Trustee briefly in the mid-1970’s. In her leisure time she enjoyed swimming and playing tennis and golf. In 1994, Rosemary married Carl Bretz, whom she had met the year before at SUUSI and with whom she lived happily for the rest of her life. Rosemary is survived by Carl and her sons, Bruce and Charlie Morris, by two grandsons, a daughter-in-law and two stepchildren, a brother-in-law, and two nieces and a nephew.

 

The Reverend Terry Mark Burke — beloved parish minister, devoted husband and father, world traveler, and community servant — died on August 15, 2015, aged 61.

Much of Terry’s travels focused on personal spirituality, justice activism, and religious study: he visited Central America in the 1980s, studied Orthodox churches and their icons in St. Petersburg, Istanbul, the Sinai, and Venice, walked the Camino in 2012 with his daughter Amelia, and went twice to Jerusalem to meet with religious peace workers.

Over 31 years in his one and only parish settlement (1983-2014) at the First Church in Jamaica Plain (UU), the Rev. Mr. Burke “revitalized” the church from a mostly elderly membership of twelve people to its recent and significantly younger constituency of 100+ adults and a children’s enrollment of 22.

Terry Mark Burke was born in Flint, Michigan, on November 12, 1953, to Jack and Virginia Burke.  He discovered the UU congregation in Flint, drawn in his teens by a shared opposition to the Vietnam War.  After earning a B.A. and M.Div. at Harvard, Mr. Burke was ordained by Manhattan’s Fourth Universalist Church, where, in an internship, he “fell in love with parish ministry.”

Terry’s friend and former roommate, acclaimed journalist Chris Hedges, eulogized Terry’s shared ministry with his wife Ellen:

“Terry and Ellen — she played the organ and handled the music — have given 31 years of their lives to this church. . . .  The remarkable intertwining of [their lives] to create a thing of beauty, a thing we cannot see or touch but can only feel and sense, is what ministry is about.  If there is a more meaningful way to spend a life I do not know it.”

Terry is survived by his wife Ellen McGuire, his brother Tim, and three daughters, Willow, Amelia, and Lucyanna.

Donations in Terry’s memory may be made to Samaritans (Samaritans) or to Jobs with Justice (Jobs With Justice).

A memorial service was held at his Jamaica Plain church. Notes of condolence may be sent to Ellen McGuire, 16 Rosecliff St, Roslindale, MA 02131-3525.

The Rev. Brigitte Elisabeth Brunhart, 51, died September 28, 2006. She was born in Germany. She served at the Olmsted UU Fellowship in Olmsted, Ohio, and the Westshore UU Church of Cleveland. She introduced members of the First Unitarian Church of Cleveland to Sufism, and aspects of Goddess worship. She was chaplain at hospice for the Western Reserve, Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic Foundation and St. Vincent Charity Hospital. Her partner wrote: “Although she struggled all her adult life against debilitating illness, she pursued a career in ministry with great determination…” She will be mourned by her husband John McBratney and their children Indra and Kumar Brunhart-McBratney.

The Rev. Robert William Brownlie, 88, died March 27, 2010. He was a purple heart veteran of WW II. After a successful early career in business, Rob served congregations in ME, MA and MN before moving to Alberta during the Vietnam years. He served the Unitarian Church of Edmonton for 15 years. He was named their minister emeritus. Upon retirement to Kelowna, Rob became well-known as a passionate supporter of civic and cultural organizations. He collected art, and regularly attended theater, concerts and cultural events. He walked 15 km a day and was a well-known figure in his neighborhood. He was an environmentalist with a big heart. Rob is survived by his daughter Pat; sons Peter, Andrew, Richard and their spouses and two grandsons. He was pre-deceased by his youngest son Chris in 1989 and his wife Dorothy in 1971.

The Rev. Jean Lyman Cook Brown, 73, died August 17, 2010. She earned a BA in economics from CT College and an EdM from the University of Hartford. She taught third grade in Avon, CT, and helped establish the Roaring Brook School. While serving as DRE at the UU Church of West Hartford, she enrolled in an independent study program and graduated, despite many personal challenges. Jean was ordained by the West Hartford church and called to be their first MRE. She was active in the Connecticut Valley District‘s RE Committee and the New England District RE Committee. She served as president of the UUA‘s Sunday School Society. She regularly participated in GAs and confer-ences at Star Island and Ferry Beach. She enjoyed aerobics classes, yearly lobster, painting, reading and hearing the voice of a friend. Jean became Minister of Pastoral Services until she retired and was named minis-ter emerita. She is survived by her husband, James Cashel Brown, two sisters, a sister-in-law and children Christopher, Roger and Bettina Ann Brown.

James Cashel Brown, 90, widower of the Rev. Jean Cook Brown, died June 12, 2011. A native of Staten Island, he was an active youth, running a printing business, playing football and becoming an Eagle Scout. He studied advertising at New York University, then served in the US Army, working in broadcasting. He moved to Hartford, CT to work for Frank Sweet’s advertising agency. He worked on national political campaigns, and later became an independent business consultant. James joined The Universalist Church of West Hartford in 1950, beginning a 60-year affiliation. He served as a deacon, a Sunday school teacher and on the Board of Education, as well as numerous committees. In 1965, James met and married the love of his life, Jean Cook. He supported her increasing involvement with the church, which culminated in her becoming their MRE. He loved spending time with his family. He also loved traveling. He stayed active in the community through the condo association and neighborhood redevelopment meetings. He was predeceased by his wife and survived by his children, Christopher, Roger and Bettina Brown. His grandchild, Nicolas, was born six days after his passing.