Category: Obituary: R

The Rev. Dr. Dale W. Robison died on October 31, 2021, at the age of 88.

Dale is survived by his brother, Daniel Robison, and his sister, Marjorie Fiorina. He is also survived by his daughters Heather Roon of Denver, Colorado and Laura Ammann of Charlotte, North Carolina. Laura has two children who are Dale’s grandsons, Quinton and Kellen. Dale is fortunate to be survived in marriage by three women: Karen Robison, Lynn DeAngeles Robison, and Tara Gray. He was a stepparent to Lynn’s daughter, Angie Kurzynas, and was like a father to her.

Dale was preceded in death by his brothers, Harold Robison and Bill Robison.

The memorial service was planned for the weekend of April 9th, 2022, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Roundtable at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Las Cruces, 2000 S. Solano, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001. Please make out your check to the church and specify Roundtable in the memo line. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be written here.

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

The Rev. Carol Rosine died on August 12, 2021 at the age of 77.

Carol is survived by her two children, Kathleen Kassay (David Kassay) of Norfolk, MA; and Rev. Dave Egan (Karina Lund) of Quincy, MA; three granddaughters, Lexi Kassay, Lyla Egan, and Maya Egan; nephew Dwight Kalvig (Sandy Kalvig) of Blackduck MN, and nieces Dawn Kalvig of Winsted, MN and Beth Carol of Virginia, MN.

A Celebration of Life Service will take place on Saturday, October 9th at 2:00 p.m. at the First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin, MA 02038. The service will also be streamed online for anyone who is not able to be there in-person.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Ferry Beach Retreat and Conference Center or to First Universalist Society of Franklin. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the  UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences can be sent to the Rev. Dave Egan, 119 Beach St. Quincy, MA 02170 and/or Kathleen Kassay, 114 Union St. Norfolk, MA 02056.

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

The Rev. Charles A. Reinhardt died on August 9, 2021 at the age of 94.

Charles is survived by his wife Eunice — with whom he shared the last four wonderful years, his six children, thirteen grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

A memorial service with reception to follow will be held at 10 am on Saturday, September 4, 2021 at Cascade Manor 65 W. 30th Ave, Eugene, OR 97405, with a family burial at the Eugene Masonic Cemetery at a later date.

Memorial donations are encouraged to: Food for Lane County, Cascade Manor Foundation 65 West 30th Ave, Eugene, OR 97405, or the Native American Rights Fund. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences can be sent to his daughter: Sigrid Jones, 63 W. 22nd Avenue Eugene, OR 97405 or to his wife: Eunice Kjaer, 76 W. 29th Ave. #2209, Eugene OR 97405.

A more complete obituary will follow.

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.

Dr. Reeves focused on process thought in his early career, but through contact with Japan’s progressive Buddhist movement, Risshō Kōsei-kai, he became increasingly drawn to broader interfaith activity, and especially to study of the chief Nichiren Buddhist text, the Lotus Sutra. He lived most of his last thirty years in Tokyo, studying, teaching, and lecturing on Buddhist topics in Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, and the US. In 2008, as a capstone to his long devotion to Buddhist thought, Dr. Reeves published The Lotus Sutra: A Contemporary Translation of a Buddhist Classic.

Gene Arthur Reeves was born on 2 April 1933 in Franklin, New Hampshire, to Eugene V. Reeves and Parmelie Twombly Reeves. He earned a B.A. in psychology at the University of New Hampshire (1956), an S.T.B. at Boston University (1959), and a Ph.D. in philosophy of religion at Emory University (1963). Mr. Reeves was ordained in 1961 by the United Liberal Church (now UU) of Atlanta. He served on the faculties of Crane Theological School (Medford MA) and Wilberforce University (near Dayton OH) before moving to Meadville Lombard as Dean and CEO (1979–1988). The seminary later named him Professor Emeritus and awarded him a D.D. honoris causa in 2014.

At his death, Gene was survived by his wife Yayoi Reeves, daughters Anna Kerr and the Rev’d Eva Cameron (UU), step-son Takuro Sato, sister Joyce Reeves, and five grandchildren. A celebration of Gene’s life was held on 13 June 2019 at the First Unitarian Church of Chicago. Memorial donations are encouraged to Meadville Lombard Theological School, 180 N. Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60601.

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.

Ann H. Rutledge, 76, wife of the Rev. Fred A. Rutledge, died September 1, 2008, from colon cancer. A native of Texas, she earned a BA in English at the University of Texas and a masters degree in social psychology from Johns Hopkins University, where she worked as a research assistant. The Rutledges served congregations in Petersham and Danvers, MA, Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN and Baltimore, MD. Ann worked as a church secretary and in RE at Unity Church in St. Paul; she sang in the choir at the Baltimore church. She was a devoted member of the Thomas Wolfe Society, which promotes a scholarly approach to the author’s work. She is survived by her husband of 57 years and their three daughters: Cyndi, Anita and Nina. She was predeceased by their son Rick, Jr.

Jeannette D’Ewart Royce, 83, widow of the Rev. Burchard A. Royce, died Sept. 21, 2003 in a nursing home in Amherst, MA. She was a native of Cleveland who held a bachelor’s degree in biology from the American International College of Springfield, MA. She worked as a speech therapist. The Royces served congregations in Foxboro, MA and New Haven, CT. She is survived by her son, Jonathan Royce.

The Rev. Donald W. Rowley, 83, died March 27, 2006 at his home in the Hunt Community of Nashua, NH. He served at the First Parish Church, United, in Westford, MA, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua, NH, from 1958 until his retirement in 1987. In recognition of his 29 years, he was named minister emeritus of the Nashua church in 1994. He was a tireless advocate for social justice in greater Nashua, especially in hospice and mental health care. He was predeceased by his wife, Norma, and is survived by two sons, Dana and Philip. He requested a private interment.

Catharine Clements Ross, 79, wife of the Rev. Robert Jordan Ross, died July 23, 2015 in Sugar Land, TX. A native of Wrens, GA, she was born to Alma and John Clements. She met Robert at a dance and had to be wooed and won to the idea of marriage, which she planned to avoid, and then to this Yankee, from New York City, studying electronics at Camp Gordon. He planned to enter the Methodist ministry. Despite her family’s reservations, she joined him in Fort Huachuca, AZ, to be married at Trinity Methodist Church in Warren, AZ.

He completed his tour of duty and they moved to New York City. Robert began his theological studies at Drew University. Their first son was born in 1956. Catharine began to take college courses (free to student wives) at Brothers College of the University.

The family moved into the Fisherman’s Methodist Church parsonage in Brooklyn, where Robert was a student pastor. She studied at Brooklyn College, learned to play tennis, and worked at the Dime Savings Bank. After several successful years in Brooklyn they served Methodist churches in Marietta and Smyrna, GA. In the tumult of the civil rights movement, they served UU churches. After working with student groups in Georgia and South Carolina, they moved to Kennebunk, ME, then to Topsfield, MA where Robert worked in Boston.

Their second son was born in 1961. Catharine continued to study at the University of Maine, Orange Coast College and Santa Ana College, pursing her work as a bank manager and a loan officer. Then her avocational focus turned to archeology and anthropology. As her interest grew, she became an officer of the Pacific Coast Archeological Society.  In England, during Robert’s sabbatical, she ran the archeological laboratory at Winchester, working on the old Roman walls of the city.  After two years in El Paso, they moved to Newport Beach, CA, living there for 41 years, while Robert served congregations in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Mission Viejo. In California, she participated in many digs of pre-Columbian settlements.  She studied management with Bank of America and worked as a branch manager, returning to work as a loan officer to be nearer home.

She was a gracious hostess and spirited dinner companion, and a great dancer. She delighted in her family. Her gardens were her pride and joy. She was a kind friend to many, a source of wisdom to her husband.

Catharine was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2008. The disease gradually took away most of the things she enjoyed.  She continued to enjoy reading (C.S. Lewis, English history, archeology, mysteries) up to the last year. Her decreasing capacities dogged her but her love remained strong and clear.  She painstakingly noted birthdays and anniversaries to send greeting cards. Her spirit shone through until the end.  A service was held July 25 at Providence Presbyterian Church in Sugar Land, TX. Her remains were buried at Ways Baptist Church, in Stellaville, GA. In addition to her husband of 59 years, she is survived her two sons, Jordan Clement Ross and Derek Allen Ross and their families, which include three grandchildren and three great granddaughters; and by three brothers and two sisters. She was predeceased by her parents and by another brother.

Notes of remembrance may go to Robert Jordan Ross, 5910 Gentlewood Lane, Sugar Land, TX 77479.