Obituaries

Carol Adams

Carol Adams, the widow of the Rev. Eugene H. Adams died on Monday, December 4, 2017 in Damariscotta, Maine. She was 89 years old, having been born Martha Caroline Brown on January 8, 1928, in Lakewood, OH, to Edna (Toudy) and Clarence Brown.

Carol graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1950 with a BA in philosophy. During college she studied abroad at the Folk School in Denmark, and later took time to hitchhike through Europe before returning home.

While working as assistant to the Regional Director of the Foreign Policy Association in Cleveland, she met Rev. Eugene H. Adams. Gene shared her passion for social justice issues, and they wed in 1956. Over the years he served Unitarian Universalist congregations in Orange and Worcester, MA; Jamestown, NY; and finally Medford, MA. They raised two sons, Richard and John.

Even in the role of housewife, mother, and minister’s wife, Carol held a deep commitment to social justice and activism. Throughout her life she openly tackled important issues of the day, including civil rights and race relations, opposition to the Vietnam and Iraq Wars, women’s rights, access to birth control, abortion rights, nuclear arms control, Native American affairs, workers’ rights, elder issues, LGBTQ rights, and marriage equality. To make her voice heard she participated in numerous demonstrations and marches, not only in her own town, but in Washington D.C., New York, and Seabrook, NH.

In mid-life she returned to the workforce, first as an administrative assistant at the Unitarian Universalist Association in Boston, and later for Tufts University’s Experimental College program.

Her commitment to racial justice led her to become, at age 50, the first, full-time Affirmative Action Officer for the City of Medford, MA. For her work she was awarded the Martin Luther King citation by the Medford Branch of the NAACP, and received special commendation by Medford City Council. She then went on to become Affirmative Action Officer for the neighboring town of Arlington. Her affirmative action career continued at the State level, working for the Massachusetts Bureau of Public Information and Recruitment as an Employment Specialist responsible for minority employment, counseling, and training. She was promoted to Assistant Supervisor for the Massachusetts Office of Equal Employment Practices, supporting and increasing representation of women, minorities, and the disadvantaged in State employment.

She remained active following her retirement, working as secretary for the Community Church of Boston, tutoring adult ESL students, and volunteering as an “AIDS Buddy” for an AIDS service organization. In 1995 she was a fact-finding observer in Haiti, which remained a highlight for her.

Carol loved music, art, nature, and social activism, and filled her free time with all of these. She attended operas and concerts, explored the Middlesex Fells Reservation, canoed the Concord River, swam in Wrights Pond and the Atlantic ocean, and puttered in her garden. She had a special interest in Native American affairs and culture, researching local Native American history and seeking out local and national organizations devoted to Native American issues. She remained active in many social justice organizations including the League of Women Voters, NAACP, and ACLU, Medford Council of Churches, Mystic Valley Eldercare, Association of Affirmative Action Professionals, Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

Shortly before her husband’s death in 2004 Carol showed early signs of dementia. Under the care of her son John, she entered assisted living, eventually moving to Maine, first to The Highlands and finally to Chase Point in Damariscotta where she lived for the last 10 years.

She is survived by her son, John and his partner Thomas Fontaine, of Nobleboro, ME; son, Richard and wife Shari of Prince Frederick, MD; grandchildren, Brian and Robyn; nephews, David and wife Trish Fleming, and Ric Brown and wife Cristina; and nieces, Lucia Cooper and Kathy Browne.

No memorial service is planned. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her name to the following: American Civil Liberties Union, 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10004; Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, 689 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139; or the Friends of Middlesex Fells Endowment Fund, 235 West Foster Street, Melrose, MA 02176.

Condolences, and messages for her family, may be expressed by visiting: www.StrongHancock.com.

The Rev. Eugene H. Adams, 87, died August 11, 2004 of cancer. He served congregations in East Boston, Medford, Orange, and Worcester, MA; Binghamton and Jamestown, NY. He was chaplain and secretary at the YMCA in New York City. He was minister emeritus at the UU Church of Medford. In 1965, he followed Dr. King in the march from Selma to Montgomery. To show support for migrant farm workers, he wore denim in the pulpit for three years. As a teenager, he boxed professionally under the name of “Red Adams.” His boxing career ended in 1938 in a knockout at the old Boston Garden. Surviving is his wife, M. Caroline (Brown) Adams, and four sons: Richard of Prince Frederick, MD; John of Nobleboro, ME; Peter of Pittsburgh, PA; and Thomas of Livermore, ME. A memorial service was held August 28 at the UU Church of Medford.

Herbert Adams

The Rev. Herbert R. Adams, 78, died suddenly March 18, 2011. He was a graduate of Colby College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He also studied at Harvard Divinity School. He served Methodist and Congregational churches and UU churches in ME, MA, NY, NM and FL, sometimes simultaneously with other posts in teaching and publishing. He was a Kiwanian and active in various other civic groups. He had a particular interest in lakes and conservation. Herb loved to go to Heald Pond, his summer home of 42 years, in Maine. He also enjoyed golf, fishing, poker, theater and jazz. Most of all, he relished spending time with his extensive extended family. He is survived by Mary Ryan Adams, his wife of 34 years; his sister Anne Adams; his four children: Ashley, Joshua, Lee and Rachel Adams; three stepchildren, 12 grandchildren; and five nieces and nephews.

Deedee Agee

Deedee Agee, 69, wife of Reverend Paul Sprecher, died October 1, 2016, after a four-month struggle with cancer. She passed away at their home in Scituate, Massachusetts, surrounded by her husband and sons.
Deedee was born Julia Teresa Agee on November 7, 1946.  Her grandmother called her “Chickadee” and her rendering – “Deedee” – became the name she used for the rest of her life. She grew up in Greenwich Village and lived much of her life in New York City. She moved with her family to Ridgewood, New Jersey in 1992 and then to the Boston area in 2005. Deedee was an active participant in the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, and Second Parish congregation in Hingham, MA, when Paul was called to serve there. After his retirement she began attending the Old Ship/First Parish in Hingham.
She was the daughter of the writer James Agee and Mia Agee, and was an accomplished artist of both words and images. Deedee had an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University and was a writer of memoir and essays.  She was awarded a Geraldine R. Dodge Fellowship and membership in the Writer’s Room of Boston. Her writing appeared in DoubleTake magazine as well as in several anthologies.  She read some of her stories at the Cornelia Street Café (the street where her father once had a studio), at libraries and other local venues, and on NPR.  At the time of her death she was completing a memoir of growing up in Greenwich Village entitled Momentum.  She was also an accomplished visual artist, remembered especially for her drawings and prints, which were shown at the South Shore Art Center, the Cambridge Art Association, the Danforth Art Museum, and the Duxbury Arts Association, among others.
Her calm, loving manner, her wonderful cooking, and her beautiful art and words will be greatly missed by her family and her many friends.
Deedee is survived by her husband Paul; by her three sons, James Bollinger and David and Sean Sprecher; and by her siblings Joel, Andrea, and John Agee. Her memorial service was held at the Old Ship Church, Hingham, MA on Saturday, October 15, 2016. The family asks that contributions in her memory be sent to the South Shore Art Center, 119 Ripley Road, Cohasset, MA 02025. Notes of condolence may be sent to Paul Sprecher, 27 Grove St., Scituate, MA 02066-3210.

The Rev. John C. Agnew, 84, died of complications of Alzheimer’s disease July 10, 2004 in Milford, MA. He received a bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University and a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology from Harvard. He served congregations in Auburn, ME; Newport; and Brookfield, Mendon, and Rockland, MA. After retiring, he was named minister emeritus by the Brookfield Unitarian Universalist Church. He served in the US Army during World War II, attaining the ranks of sergeant and chief clerk of the Judge Advocate General’s Office at the Central Pacific Base Command in Honolulu. He then worked as a staff reporter for the Burlington Free Press in Vermont, the Plattsburgh Press-Republican and the Watertown Daily Times, both in NY, the Providence Journal, and the Patriot Ledger in Quincy, MA and the Telegram & Gazette in Worcester, MA as a religion writer and suburban staff reporter. In the late 1950’s he was elected to the RI House of Representatives, serving two terms. His wife, two daughters, two stepsons, and three grandchildren survive him. At a graveside service July 14 at Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, MA his wife, Rosemary K. Agnew, was presented with a flag in recognition of his military service.

The Reverend Bill Alberts—parish minister, civil rights activist, and prolific political journalist, who moved to UU affiliation after expulsion from United Methodist ministry—died on 22 March 2021 in Canton, Massachusetts, aged 941⁄2.

Mr. Alberts served United Methodist churches in MA and PA from 1949–73, but was always attracted to UU justice commitments and regularly attended meetings of a nearby UUMA chapter.

In 1973, two months after conducting a marriage ceremony for two male members of the Old West Church in Boston, the Rev’d Mr. Alberts was forcibly retired from United Methodist ministry. His ensuing landmark lawsuit, detailed in his booklet, The Minister Who Could Not Be “Preyed” Away (1987), was financially supported by the UUA’s Ministry Department, under the direction of the Rev’d David Pohl, who recalls Bill as “a warm, energetic, and devoted voice of compassion and courage.”

William Edward Alberts was born on 26 October 1926 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, to Ralph Stanford Alberts and Nellie (Marks) Alberts. After US Navy service (1944–46), he was graduated with a B.A. in sociology from Lycoming College PA in 1951, earned his M.Div. from Westminster (now Wesley) Theological Seminary in Washington DC in 1954, and received his Ph.D. in psychology and pastoral counseling from Boston University in 1961.

After the abrupt termination of his Methodist ministry and several years of work in journalism and teaching, the Rev’d Mr. Alberts was lured back to parish ministry with a 1978 call to Boston’s Community Church, founded in 1920 as a “peace and justice” congregation by Universalist minister and academic Clarence Skinner. Bill’s sermons there are remembered as “gems of lovingly radical rebellious thought translated into action.” He received preliminary and final ministerial fellowship with the UUA in 1981 and 1984, respectively.

Leaving his parish call after 13 years, Bill moved to full-time chaplaincy at Boston Medical Center in 1992. His nearly 20-year tenure there inspired his book, A Hospital Chaplain at the Crossroads of Humanity (2012).

Bill is survived by his spouse of 45 years, Eva Young Alberts and their daughter, Amy Warren; three daughters, Susan Cook, Jeanne Paz, and LouAnn Meli, and a son, Jeffrey Alberts from his first marriage to Doris Schmaus.

A memorial service was scheduled at Boston’s Arlington St. Church for 23 October 2021. Donations are encouraged to the Asian American Civic Assoc. or to CounterPunch (an on-line political journal, to which Bill was a regular contributor). Notes of condolence may be sent to Eva Young Alberts, 25 Algonquin Road, Canton MA 02021.

Dorris Alcott

The Rev. Doris Dow Alcott died of heart failure on April 3, 2012. She was 91 years old. Rev. Alcott was born and raised in Winthrop, ME. She was the daughter of a factory worker and a homemaker.

In 1938, she married Ernest F. Alcott, a descendant of Amos Bronson Alcott, the American Transcendentalist, and his daughter, famous author Louisa May Alcott.

Alcott began her college education in 1976 and graduated from Goddard College in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in religious education. Additionally, she took courses at Harvard University and earned her MRE through the UUA’s Independent Study Program in 1982. Rev. Alcott was ordained in 1982 at Towson Unitarian Universalist Church in Lutherville, MD. She was called to serve the Towson Unitarian Universalist Church and served as Director of Religious Education there from 1983-1985. She was also the Joseph Priestley District’s first RE Consultant from 1986-1995. Rev. Alcott served on the curriculum team that developed “World Religions for Junior Youth,” the last curriculum kit published by the UUA. She was a member of the Towson Unitarian Universalist Church and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Harford County in Churchville, MD.

Later in life, she became an active member of numerous ecumenical groups and was active in religious education. Rev. Alcott retired in 2008 but continue to serve as a guest pastor, and officiated at weddings, funerals and memorial services. An experienced traveller, Rev. Alcott visited all seven continents and, in 1993, joined an expedition that travelled to Antarctica. She enjoyed talking to colleagues in chat rooms and once said, “I retired from ministry but not from life!”

Rev. Alcott was predeceased by her husband, Ernest F. Alcott. She is survived by her sons Colin C. Alcott and his wife Janet, of Albuquerque, NM and Bronson E. Alcott of Columbia, MD; by two granddaughters; and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial service for Rev. Alcott was held at the Towson Unitarian Universalist Church, 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd., Lutherville-Timonium, MD 21093, on May 11, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.. Notes of condolence may go to Bronson Alcott, 10654 Faulkner Ridge Cir., Columbia, MD 21044.

Jane C. Alen, 93, formerly of Hopedale, MA, died February 11, 2014 at Beaumont Nursing Home in Westborough, MA. She was the widow of the Rev. Joseph Alen, minister of Hopedale Unitarian Church from 1962 until his death in 1976.

A graduate of Cambridge High and Latin School and Hickox Business College, Jane worked as a secretary in various law offices in Gardner, MA, for the Mass Dept. of Fish and Game, and the Mass Dept. of Public Welfare. After retirement, she was a volunteer with Elder Services Corps of Massachusetts and an outreach worker at the Bellingham Senior Center.

She founded and led the Polish Conversation Group for Seniors that met weekly at the Bellingham (MA) Public Library. The group began with ten members, and over the 15 years of her leadership, grew to have more than 60 regular participants.

Jane leaves a son, Joseph, and a grandson, Samuel, both of Lexington, MA. A memorial service was held February 15, 2014 at the Hopedale Unitarian Church, 65 Hopedale Street, Hopedale, MA 01747.

Elizabeth Hummer Allen

Elizabeth Hummer Allen, 99, widow of the Rev. James K. Allen of Peterborough, NH, died August 4, 2009. She was the mother of seven children and was a past Massachusetts Mother of the Year. She was a volunteer music teacher at the Mather School, Dorchester, MA, and inspired her children’s interest in music as well as countless members of the community where she lived. For her 41 years of dedicated service to her community, she was named Dorchester Citizen of the Year in 1995. She retired at age 90 as organist and music director of the First Parish Church in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Music remained her joy until the very end of her life. She is survived by her daughters Ilo Allen Schmid (New Plymouth, ID), Marie Allen Heft (Kent, WA), and sons Frank H. Allen, M.D. (Seattle, WA), John R. Allen (Naugatuck, CT), Herbert B. Allen, MD (Cherry Hill, NJ), and Jefferson K. Allen, JD (Peterborough, NH). She was survived by 24 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Rev. James K. Allen of Dorchester, Massachusetts and her son Robert L. Allen, MD, of Sayre, PA. A celebration of her life was held on August 22, 2009 at the Cathedral of the Pines, Rindge, NH.

The Reverend Dr. Richard Allen—whose inquiring spirit was manifested in thoughtful preaching and activity in several UU study groups and conferences—died on 22 October 2017, at the age of 93.

Throughout his ministry, the Rev’d Mr. Allen showed an appreciation for life’s deep questions that resist easy or black-and-white answers. He once mused, “On my tombstone, there could be my name, my dates, and the sentence, ‘It is more complicated than that.’”

Richard Lovett Allen was born on 14 July 1924 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Marion Ream Allen and Clifford W. Allen, and grew up in Columbus. In 1946, after three years in the U.S. Army, he began study at Ohio State University, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ceramic engineering in 1948 and 1949. After 15 years in that field, he discerned a call to ministry and in 1964 entered Harvard Divinity School (HDS). Dick married his beloved Lois in 1967 and the same year received his S.T.B. from HDS.

Mr. Allen was ordained on 2 May 1968 by the Palo Alto (CA) Unitarian (now UU) Church but put off ministerial service to pursue further study at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, completing his Ph.D. in 1971. He was settled at the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu (1972– 80), followed by a call to the First Unitarian Church of Oklahoma City where he served for 14 years. On retiring in 1994, he was named Minister Emeritus, his spouse Lois was named Choir Director Emeritus, and the church named its new courtyard in their joint honor.

At the time of Richard’s death, survivors included his spouse of 50 years, Lois, siblings Margaret, John, and Joseph, children Bruce Klickstein, Laura Crowder, Robin Klickstein, and Joe Allen, seven grandchildren, and six great grandchildren

M. Elizabeth Anastos

The Rev. M. Elizabeth Anastos, 77, died peacefully October 14, 2004, after having suffered a massive stroke. A prominent Minister of Religious Education, she was UUA Education Consultant; UUA Co-Coordinator of Curriculum Development; and Interim Settlement Director, Department of Ministry. She is survived by her children Philip and Lori Anastos of Yarmouth, ME; Kathryn Anastos and John Wallen of Yonkers, NY; Ellen Anastos of Portland, ME; Revs. George and Andrea Anastos of Greenfield, MA; and six grandchildren. A memorial service was held October 21 at the First Parish in Cambridge, MA.

Mitzi Anderson, 69, widow of Rev. Kenneth L. Patton, died Sept. 29, 2007 in Las Vegas. She worked for the government in contract relations. She and Ken were married around 1960, while Ken was minister at the Charles St. Meetinghouse in Boston, then they went to Ridgewood, NJ. Ken died on Christmas Day, 1994. Mitzi is survived by their sons, Channing and Dag Patton. Services were private.

The Rev. Dr. Khoren Arisian died on January 14, 2021 at the age of 88.

Khoren is survived by his wife Leigh McKay; his sons Christopher Arisian and Derek Arisian (Silvia Arisian); his stepdaughters, Megan Elliott (Eddie Elliot) and Amy McDaid (Richie McDaid); his grandchildren Sofia, Serena, Veronica, GianLuca Arisian, Natasha and Aiden Arisian, Levi Elliott, and Finn McDaid; and his brother Rodney Arisian.

A memorial service is being planned to be held via Zoom sometime in March.

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.

Notes of condolence may be written here.

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

The Rev. Dr. Dale E. Arnink died on November 3, 2021, at the age of 83.

Dale is survived by his sons, Brian, Craig, and Scott; his grandchildren, Isaiah, Kyla, Kellen, Leland, Cade, Ethan, and Sidney; his sister, Donna; and his brother, Jack. He was preceded in death by his son, Joel.

A memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos, NM (date has not yet been decided).

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, 689 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be written here or can be sent to the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos, 1738 North Sage Street, Los Alamos, NM 87544.

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

The Reverend Stan Aronson, who was active in a broad array of service to the UUA, UUMA, and local community organizations, died on January 12, 2015, aged 81.

Stanley Aronson was born on June 5, 1933 to Abraham and Tillie Aronson. He attended Temple University, earning a Doctor of Podiatry in 1958, then worked as a podiatrist and a disc jockey before heeding a call to ministry. He took mid-year graduation from Starr King (M.Div., January 1982); in November, 1982, he was ordained by the First Unitarian (now UU) Church of Berkeley.

After a series of time-limited parish appointments in Texas; Detroit MI; Albany, NY; and State College, PA, he was called to settled ministry in 1990 to the UU Society of Stamford, CT, where he served until retirement in 1999, when he was named Minister Emeritus.

Mr. Aronson co-chaired the UUA’s Urban Church Coalition and the board of the UUA’s Michigan District. He also served in a variety of volunteer positions for the District and the Michigan UUMA chapter, and for such community organizations as the Michigan Coalition for Human Rights, the Interfaith Conference on Liberal Religion, the Interfaith AIDS Advisory Committee, the Pacific House Shelter for the Homeless, the Council on Churches/Synagogues, and the Interfaith Dialogue Task Force.

He had a wide range of interests, including writing, music, exercising, film, and Harley Davidsons. He was also very social, and according to his son Brad, “died having had more friends than most could only dream of having.”

Stanley Aronson is survived by three sons, Brad, Greg and Kevin; two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Notes of condolence may be sent to Brad Aronson, 1262 Truchard Lane, Lincoln, CA 95648.

Elinor Artman

The Rev. Elinor Artman, parish minister, passionate advocate for gender equality, ardent reader, skilled pianist, cat lover, adept cruciverbalist, fearless world traveler, beloved religious leader, and “a minister’s minister,” died at age 87 on 16 March 2014 after brief illness and a stroke.

Elinor was ever in pursuit of knowledge, learning to read at age three and remaining a voracious reader her whole life. Her apartments always had countless bookshelves, and when they overflowed she parted with older books to make room for new ones. From early in her ministerial career, Elinor embodied honesty in sermons on controversial matters. One of her ministerial colleagues recalls hearing Elinor preach in 1982 on the still much-closeted topic of sexual abuse: “I was a very young adult, and her courage freed me from my own isolation and shame and gave me back my life. She took some grief for [that sermon] back then, but I’ve been grateful for many years that she took her stand and ministered to the rest of us.”

As a pianist Elinor loved playing duets. She was an inveterate knitter, touting her productivity as a good rationale for all of the television she watched. She had a cat, ravens were her spirit animal, and she read the New York Times daily—her hometown paper. Not caring much for cooking, if pressed she would bring deviled eggs to a potluck meal. In her last home, she kept a bowl filled with paper cranes on a table by the entry. She had been inspired by the story of the Japanese girl who made cranes, and it was her practice to send all her visitors home with at least one.

Elinor McHale was born on 30 January 1927, the only child of Walter and Hildegarde McHale. She grew up in White Plains, New York and earned the distinction of high school valedictorian. She was graduated summa cum laude from St. Lawrence University in 1948 with a B.S. in chemistry and elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In the spirit of adventure, Elinor moved to Colorado for graduate study in chemistry, where she met and married fellow chemist Neil Artman, meanwhile learning to ski and to climb mountains. Neil’s work and PhD study took them to Delaware, then Texas, and finally to Ohio in 1955 for long-term employment with Proctor & Gamble. By 1961 the couple had five children and was living in the conservative Cincinnati suburbs.

Elinor Artman

In an atmosphere of heavy-handed corporate pressure to conform to patriarchal conventionality as “a P&G wife,” Elinor rebelled. She organized a group of wives who read Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. When her oldest child was asked by his public schoolteacher where his family worshipped on Sundays, her search for a very “un-P&G” religious alternative led her to the First Unitarian Church, where her children grew up in the church school and she became an increasingly active lay leader. When First Church seeded a new congregation in the Cincinnati suburbs, she helped launch the Northern Hills Fellowship.

With her mind continuing to stretch and yearn for knowledge, her UU activity led her toward deeper religious study. In the mid-1970s, with the death of her son Chris, a marriage strained to the point of divorce, and her youngest daughters still in high school, she began taking courses at United Theological Seminary in nearby Dayton. Though later denying to colleagues that she had ever experienced “a call,” Elinor eventually realized she was close to having enough credits for an M.Div. She lamented to her daughter Sarah that if she did that, she would be 52 when she finished. Sarah wisely said, “You’re going to be 52 anyway, so you might as well do it.” And so she did, earning her degree and in 1980 receiving ordination by her home church in Cincinnati.

The newly Rev. Ms. Artman first served as Extension Minister for the UUA’s Ohio Valley District from 1980 to 1983. She moved to parish ministry at the UU Fellowship of Kokomo, Indiana (1985-87) and then to her primary settlement at the Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church of Cincinnati (1989-2001), including a once-a month pulpit supply for the briefly existing UUs of Northern Kentucky (1994-95). The Heritage congregation named her Minister Emerita in 2001. She was known for her skills in conflict resolution and often facilitated groups in need of guidance. She became a certified instructor in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and often used this tool with church boards and congregations.

Elinor Artman lived out her professional commitment and service to the wider UU movement in manifold ways. She contributed importantly to the courses Cakes for the Queen of Heaven and Rise Up and Call Her Name, curricula for exploring feminist theology. She served twice as board member of the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation (1971-73 and 1991-93), facilitator of Unitarian Universalists for Right Relations (1991-93), member of the UUA Task Force on Congregational Responses to Clergy Misconduct (1992-94), member of the UUMA Executive Committee (1996-99), liaison to the UUMA’s CENTER Committee (1998), consultant to the Mountain Retreat and Learning Center Staff (2000-05), board member of the Women’s Heritage Society (2006-09), and chaplain of the Unitarian Universalist Musicians’ Network for eight years. In 2010, she was honored with membership in the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation Clara Barton Sisterhood, and in 2013 she received the Distinguished Service Award for the UUA’s Southeast District. In retirement she lived in Highlands and then in Asheville, North Carolina, a member of the UU church there.

Her daughter, Martha, remembers how passionately Elinor “wanted to see women equally represented” and described her habit of scanning through magazines to count the relative numbers of female and male contributors. In her 80s, Ms. Artman began working on a book about women in Unitarian Universalism. In the introduction she wrote:

It has been a half century of great change. The Women and Religion Committee in the 70’s and 80’s was very active in helping us understand that women were not yet equal—both in the culture and UU circles. Decades of active consciousness-raising has helped remedy that. Women ministers were but a handful in 1975, but by 1999, over half of our ordained ministers were women.

Completion of the book by friends and co-workers is planned.

Elinor Artman is survived by her son, Linus Artman, daughters Martha Griffin, Sarah Artman, and Vanessa Fox, and three grandchildren.

Celebration of life services were held on 6 April 2014 at the Heritage UU Church of Cincinnati and on 26 April 2014 at the UU Congregation of Asheville, North Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville, NC 28801, or to the Religious Institute, 21 Charles Street, Suite 140, Westport, Conn. 06880. In addition, her Heritage congregation has established the Elinor Artman Memorial Fund (c/o Heritage UU Church, 2710 Newtown Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244), to which contributions are welcomed.

Notes of condolence may be sent in care of Sarah Artman, 1495 Teeway Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43220.

Evangeline Bachelder, 87, widow of the Rev. Horace Bachelder, died Nov. 12, 2007, in Melrose, MA. They served the Atkinson Church, Oregon City, OR, from 1946-1971, where Evangeline directed a 30-voice junior choir and often composed music. She composed a hymn, “I Held the Planets in my Hand” which was pasted into the hymnal and sung often by the (then) 600-member church. Under their leadership, the church went from Congregational to Unitarian in 1959. They moved to Plymouth, MA, in 1971, where Horace ministered until his death in 1981. Evangeline again directed the Jr. Choir.

The Rev. Dr. Andrew “Andy” C. Backus died on January 22, 2020, at the age of 75.

Andy is survived by his wife of 53 years, Christine L. Backus; his sister Leslie Claire Backus, and his brother-in-law Greg Cassidy; his nieces Alisha and Hema Sarang-Sieminski and their children, Thendral, Kavyn and Suriyan Devi.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship.

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

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, February 15, at the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, 1207 Ellsworth St, Bellingham, WA 98225.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Chris Backus at 2746 Broadway St,
Bellingham, WA 98225.

A more complete obituary will follow.

Obituary for Elderberries, written by Chris’s niece, Alisha Lilly Sarang-Sieminski, who took care of Chris in her last years.  Edited for length by Eleanor Richardson.

Christine Lilly Backus, known as Chris or Christy, embarked on her final adventure July 14, 2024, at the age of 77. Born Oct. 15, 1946, in Eugene OR, Chris and her husband of 53 years, the Rev. Andy Backus, lived in Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, California, Vancouver BC, and Bellingham WA. She came back to the Boston area for the past 2 years to live near family. 

Chris attended Moorestown Friends School (NJ). She earned a B.A. from Goucher College (MD), and an M.A. in Education from Harvard. Returning to her alma maters, Christy was an art teacher at the Friends School and Art Librarian at Goucher for a time.

Christy’s life with Andy was the stuff of quirky romantic comedies, deep love, and joint adventures. Their collaboration was a testament to their shared love of laughter and storytelling. They were excellent party hosts, especially on New Year’s Eve, their wedding anniversary. She joined forces with Andy to co-write the play “Older But Not Wiser (Younger But Not Cute),” which, true to form, was a hit at the Bellingham (WA) Theater Guild.

Christy shared a deep involvement in the UU church with Andy, not simply a minister’s wife and church member, but an active participant in the larger community, as a frequent attendee of UUA General Assembly, founding member of the UU minister’s partners group, and an active member of UURMaPA, including editing Elderberries. In recent years, she found a spiritual home at the Unitarian Church of Sharon MA.  Christy knew every song in the UU songbook without looking. 

Chris was always willing to lend a hand. Together, she and Andy boated the waters of the East and West coasts, taking on leadership roles within the Power Squadron at Semiahmoo Yacht Club in Bellingham. As a Commodore, she took pride and joy in teaching others about boating safety. Throughout her life, Christy was active in social justice, and canvassed for local candidates she believed in. 

As her capacity changed due to dementia, her core qualities still shone through and she was beloved by all of those who helped care for her. And one could absolutely imagine her making jokes about how being “demented” her whole life was finally catching up to her. 

Chris leaves behind nieces Alisha Sarang-Sieminski and Hema Sarang-Sieminski and their children (her grand-niblings), her sister Deb Lilly, and countless extended family and friends. 

As we say our goodbyes, let’s not forget to smile and be kind to one another; after all, that’s exactly what Christy would have wanted. Donations in Christy’s memory can be made to organizations that support democracy and reproductive rights – things she worked for throughout her life. Also to the UU Church of Sharon MA. UURMaPA will contribute to the UU Church of Sharon.

Christy’s memorial will be held at the Unitarian Church of Sharon on Saturday, August 24 at 3 PM, with a teatime reception to follow. A remote option will be available and the Zoom Link can be found on the church website: https://www.uusharon.org/calendar/christy-backus-memorial-service/. 

The Rev. Joel D. Baehr died on September 22, 2023, at the age of 82 (1941-2023).

Joel is survived by daughters: Becky Baehr and Amy Baehr; sister Beth Baehr Bullard and brother-in-law Truman Bullard; grandchildren: Sarah Baehr Schrading, Lilah Baehr Schrading, Karl Basile-Baehr, and Vera Basile-Baehr; and sons-in-law Roger Schrading and Joe Basile.

A celebration of Joel’s life will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024 (2:00-5:00pm) at the First Parish of Arlington, 630 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors without Borders. Notes of condolences may be written here.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Cornelis Bakker

The Rev. Cornelis “Neil” Johannes Bakker, parish minister, world traveler, WW II veteran, lover of sports cars and opera, and a talented photographer and stained glass artist, died on August 10, 2014 at the age of 97.

Cornelis Johannes Bakker was born in Amsterdam on May 29, 1917 to Hendrik Bakker and Dina Bakker, but emigrated to the U.S. at age eight with his parents. He served in the US Army as a Tank Commander from 1941 to 1946 and continued with the Army Reserves after the war, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He went on to earn a B.A. from George Washington University in 1949 and a M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School in 1960.

Mr. Bakker was ordained to the ministry in 1963 by the First Unitarian Society of Gardner, MA. He served as a Protestant chaplain to the Gardner State Hospital from 1963 to 1977, and concurrently, minister to the First Unitarian Society of Gardner, MA from 1963 to 1979. He then served as minister to the First Universalist Church of Providence, RI from 1979 to his retirement in 1990. He was named Minister Emeritus of the First Unitarian Society of Gardner in 1984, and Minister Emeritus of the First Unitarian Church of Providence in 1990.

Neil Bakker was committed to both the larger UU movement and the local communities in which he ministered. He served as president and vice president of the Central Massachusetts District of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), and served on the district’s board, evaluation committee, and appraisal committee. He also served as member and president of the North Atlantic Interdistrict Council of the UUA; the nominating committee and board of the Ballou-Channing District of the UUA; and the MA Council of Churches. He held membership with the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association; co-founded the Gardner-Athol Area Mental Health Association, and actively served the American Red Cross, United Way of America, the Doolittle Home, the Human Rights Committee, the CG Jung Center, the Netopian Club, and the Krishnamurti Society.

Neil is survived by his wife of 57 years, Melba Ann Bakker, who describes him as a “wonderful father” and a lover of people and laughter. “It didn’t matter who the person was; Neil treated all people equally and lovingly.” Other survivors are a daughter, Stephanie A. Bakker, a sister, Henrietta Weiting, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held on Sunday, September 14th, at the First Unitarian Church of Providence, RI. Memorial donations are encouraged to the First Unitarian Church of Providence, RI, 1 Benevolent St, Providence, RI 02906, to Hamilton House, 276 Angell St, Providence, RI 02906, or to the VNA Hospice of Rhode Island, 475 Kilvert Street, Warwick, RI, 02886.

The Rev. Jose A. Ballester died on June 7, 2023, at the age of 71 (1951-2023).

Jose is survived by his wife Susan Ballester; son Daniel Ballester; daughters Elizabeth Ballester, and Kathy Noonan; five grandchildren: Olivia, Maeve, Ariana, Ella, and Javi; his sister Nilda Core; as well as seven nieces and eight nephews.

A celebration of Jose’s life will take place at 10 am on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at the Old Ship Church, 14 Main Street, Hingham MA 02043.

Memorial donations may be made to the World Central Kitchen. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence can be sent to Susan Ballester & Family, 95 Parkview St. #108, South Weymouth MA 02190.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

James Marshall Bank

The Rev. James Marshall Bank, 65, died July 23, 2009, after three years of living with cancer. A native of Michigan, he was educated at Baldwin Wallace College, Berea, OH, and Boston University. Ordained at King’s Chapel, he served in the US Navy, as chaplain on Okinawa and then aboard the aircraft carrier Constellation. He next served congregations in MA, MD, and interim ministries in VT, NC, NH and PA. An active voice for social justice — especially for gay rights and AIDS ministry — he advocated strongly for local inter-denominational cooperation. He was in our Minister on Loan Program and a member of the Religious Education Futures Committee, and the AIDS Community Review Panel of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. He saw his ten years as a member — and later as president — of the National Cancer Institute’s Institutional Review Board as one of the most significant lifetime contributions. He was truly a Renaissance man, who loved history, books, films, music, gadgets, animals, telling stories, and being a good Dad. He is survived by his wife, Cathy Miller and their daughters Julia, Sarah, and Sasha Bank.

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 Rev. Charles Otis Barber, 87, died March 5, 2006 in Deland, FL. He was ordained by the Universalist Church of Foxboro, MA and served the First Universalist Church in Dolgeville, NY; First Universalist Society of Salem, Walpole NH Unitarian Church, the First Universalist Church of West Chesterfield and the Unitarian Universalist Church of West Volusia, Deland, FL. He was named minister emeritus at both the Walpole and West Volusia churches. He was survived by his wife Madelyn C. Barber and two children, Susan E. Murphy of Florida and John R. Barber of North Attleboro, MA. Memorial services were held March 26 in Deland, and April 28th at the Walpole, NH Unitarian Church.

Madelyn Barber

The Rev. Madelyn Catherine (Harnish) Barber, 93, widow of the Rev. Charles Otis Barber died Jan. 31, 2015.

Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, on May 13, 1921, she was the daughter of Robert and Leona (Croft) Harnish. She was reared in Boston and educated in the public schools there. She married Charles Barber in 1943. They reared a son and a daughter.

Sheearned her bachelor’s of science in education from the former State College of Boston and earned her master’s degree in educational administration from Syracuse University. While at Syracuse, she was eligible for honors and was elected to the Pi Lambda Theta honor society for her scholastic accomplishments.

She taught social sciences, mathematics, English and general science for more than 20 years. Madelyn was the first woman elected to the Dolgeville (NY) District Board of Education. She also served as the vice president of the Herkimer (NY) County School Board Association.

From 1962 to 1966, she was the executive director of the Doolittle Nursing Home in Foxboro. MA. Both she and her husband studied the needs of the aging by attending institutes and seminars. She earned her achievement certificate for management, advanced administration and medical economics from the American Medical Association and the American Nursing Home Association.

An active UU, she was a member of the Ballou Channing Religious Education Committee and the Ballou Channing Women’s Association. While in the St. Lawrence District, Madelyn served as the president of the District Women’s Federation.

She was involved in all phases of church life wherever her husband and she served. She was religious education director at the Salem (MA) UU church and at the UU Fellowship in Durham (NH). At the Salem church, Madelyn was a board member of the Woman’s Friend Society and chairperson of the Outreach Committee and president of the Salem Church Women United.

Her son, Jack, reports that in the 1980s she was ordained to the UU ministry by the South Parish Unitarian Church of Charlestown, NH. The congregation recognized her service providing her own ministry to several small churches. And they acknowledged her contributions to religious and civic organizations during her long and fruitful career.

She and her husband retired to Deland, FL. Then, after he died there in 2006 she returned to North Attleboro, MA and lived in long-term care from 2009 until her death.

In earlier years Madelyn enjoyed camping, then later she could be found gardening, reading, being outdoors and clipping articles from newspapers. She remained true to her longtime roots in farming and had a deep appreciation for that hard work and the role farmers play in society.

She leaves a daughter, Susan E. Murphy and son-in-law, Robert Murphy of Deland, FL.; a son, John R. Barber and daughter-in-law, Charlotte Barber of Plainville, MA; nine grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Larry Harnish.

A celebration of her life and faith was held Feb. 7 at the Chapel at Madonna Manor, MA, with the Rev. Kelly K. Thibeault, pastor of the First Congregational Church, North Attleboro, officiating. She says that a number of Madelyn’s writings were shared at her service.

Memorial donations in Madelyn’s name may be made to Lenore’s Pantry, 43 South Washington St., North Attleboro, MA 02760.

Notes of remembrance may be sent to: John Barber, 10 Cliff Dr., Plainville, MA, 02762.

 Kristina (Kris) Judith Barker, 58, died May 14, 2022, in Chicago.  She was the wife of The Rev. Dr. Lee Barker.

Kris was born March 5, 1964, in Arcadia, California, the daughter of Judith and Peter Starman, and attended the University of California, Irvine, where she received a B.A. in Theatre Arts in 1986.  Professionally, Kris was a film and stage actor before going back to school to become a landscape architect.  She received her Masters in Landscape Architecture in 1996 from the College of Environmental Design at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

She and Lee Barker were married in 1999 in Pasadena, CA, where he was senior minister at Neighborhood UU Church.  In 2003 he was named president of Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, where he served until 2019 and is now president emeritus.

Upon moving to Chicago, Kris established her own landscape architecture firm. Specializing in residential design, her talents were sought after by clients throughout the midwest, even as she continued to take on projects in California.  Over the years, Kris received numerous design awards from the Illinois American Society of Landscape Architects.  

For many years, Kris was an active member and leader in the First Unitarian Church of Chicago.  She was a member of the Board of Trustees and chaired a ministerial search committee.  

She is survived by her husband; their daughter, Ava; her mother, Judith Edwards; her sister, Kimberly Starman; and brother-in-law John Diklich. A memorial service was held June 8, at the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership in Chicago.

Memorial donations may be made to Neighborhood UU Church, 301 Orange Grove Blvd. Pasadena CA 91103. UURMaPA will contribute to the Church.

The Rev. Dr. John W. Baros-Johnson died on November 10, 2022, at the age of 74.

John Wingood Johnson was born in Jasper AL on April 28, 1948. He grew up in and around Charlestown SC, until the age of 10, where his father was a printer. After his father died, John moved to Jasper AL and lived with his grandparents while his mother attended college to become a music director at the Methodist church and at Walker County High School. He did well in school, wrote poems, joined the library club, and acted in plays.

While working, a librarian said he sounded like a Unitarian. Thereafter, he took the Greyhound Bus to Birmingham for Sunday services. At least once, the door was locked because of a KKK bomb threat in the integration era. In 1972, he received his Bachelor of Arts in Religion Studies from the University of Alabama. During the Vietnam era, he served in the U.S. Navy for ten months, so when John attended Woodstock, he had a buzz haircut. At Woodstock, John talked people down from bad LSD trips.

After being taught by Murray Bookchin in New York City, he attended Drew Theological School in Madison NJ. He took courses in theology and philosophy and participated in student governance. After serving as youth adviser to the Liberal Religious Youth group at Morristown NJ Unitarian Fellowship, he married Irene Patricia Baros and moved to Syracuse NY. For the next ten years, he worked as Office Manager of the Syracuse Interreligious Council, as the intern minister/custodian of the local May Memorial Unitarian Society, as a psychiatric counselor, and as a computer consultant. 

Throughout these years, he met frequently with area Unitarian ministers. In 1987, he went to Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago. He completed the requirements for a Master of Divinity degree in 1990 and earned his D.Min. in 1991. His dissertation is titled: “Faith’s Body: A Hermeneutic Examination of Recent UU Theology.” Later he wrote a “Philosophical Autobiography.” The poetic “Faith is a Thinking” was revised and became “Meditations II: Liturgical Elements for a Thoughtful Faith (1997).”

Rev. Dr. Baros-Johnson was ordained by the May Memorial Unitarian Society of Syracuse NY on September 16, 1990. As intern minister in Portland OR he traveled to Atlanta GA to deliver the eulogy for his brother Richard Stoneyton-Reed Johnson who died in a motorcycle accident. Richard was press adviser to Coretta Scott King and the eulogy was delivered at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. 

From 1991 to 1992, he served as a part-time minister to the UU Fellowship of Fredericksburg VA, and the Jenkins UU Fellowship, VA. For the Fredericksburg congregation, he conducted Sunday worship services, organized adult education groups on UU History, initiated Long Range Planning Committee, and conducted the congregational goal-setting workshop. He led a workshop on “Raising UU Children” and supported and encouraged a new choir. At the Jenkins Fellowship, he worked to explore improvements in race relations.

Rev. Dr. Baros-Johnson was an interim minister for the UU Church of Augusta GA for two years (1992–1994). During his tenure, he worked to strengthen Adult Education programs on World Religion, Christian Scriptures, Ethics, and Comparative Religion. He produced the “Unitarian Universalist Radio Hour” for local broadcast, encouraged a Long Range Planning Committee, initiated the Children’s Choir, worked with the pledge campaign, performed at pledge campaign dinners, and supported LGBTQ+ organizations. He met with Baptist ministers, encouraging interracial discussions. 

During interim ministry in Yakima WA (1996–1997), he reoriented the Worship committee to try out alternative services and encouraged innovation and experimentation in other church committees. He also revitalized adult education and youth programs. With his encouragement for the expansion of lay leadership and alternative styles of lay leadership, the church showed very healthy dynamics and a good balance of listening and doing.

In 1997, he accepted a call from the UU Church of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where he would serve until 2006. His tenure included introducing the annual Thanksgiving meal, topical programs, and helping start the Afterchoir band, which plays at some church services and memorials.

Rev. Dr. Baros-Johnson encouraged the spiritual growth and sensitivity of each of the members of the congregation that he served. He strongly supported denominational activities both through personal participation and by encouraging church members to attend. He served on the Meadville Lombard Philosofest Committee (1990–1991) and was a member of the St. Lawrence District UUMA and the UU Ministers of Canada. John delivered the 2003 Confluence Lecture at the Canadian Unitarian Council’s Annual Meeting in Winnipeg Manitoba, titled “A Thoughtful Faith; Understanding UUism as a Faith Tradition.”

In community, John served as Chairman of the Parents’ Advisory Committee of Bright Horizons Learning, Center, Williamsburg VA (1991–1992); as an associate chaplain at the Eastern State Hospital, VA (1991); and as a board member and secretary of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Society of Augusta GA (1993–1994). As a Fellow of the Medical College of Georgia, he was one of the authors of a medical ethics book. In Halifax, he was a member of the South End Clergy and gained respect as Coordinator of the Interfaith Council.

In his spare time, he enjoyed chess, Go, table tennis, pool, guitar, electric bass, drumming, and computers. He retired because of early onset dementia.

John is survived by his wife Irene and son Nicholas. A memorial service was held on Saturday, December 10, 2022, at the UU Church of Halifax NS, Canada.

Donations in John’s memory can be sent to the endowment fund of the UU Church of Halifax, 5500 Inglis Street, Halifax NS, Canada, B3H 1J8, or sent by e-transfer to treasurer@uuch.ca. Notes of condolence can be sent to Irene Baros-Johnson, 985-2313 Gottingen Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3K 3B8.

James Madison Barr III

The Rev. Dr. James Madison Barr III, 90, died June 10, 2009 at home. He attended Fork Union Military Academy and University of Virginia, where he earned a law degree. He taught at UVA’s School of Economics and Commerce. He worked as an attorney, accountant, and auditor. Jim served on the Charlottesville, VA city council and as president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce there. An active member of Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church in Charlottesville, he entered Starr King and served churches in MA, NY, and TN. He was instrumental in building the Memphis church —“The Church of the River.” The church named him minister emeritus for his 20 years of service. In his retirement, he was a member of UU Village Church (Hot Springs Village, AK), where he also preached. He served in the Southwest District as Settlement Representative, Good Offices Representative, as member of the SWD Board of Directors, and as Chair of the Summer Institute. His community activities in Memphis included board service for Tenn-Ark-Miss Council of the Girl Scouts, Urban League, and the Heart Association. He was a member of the Memphis Community Relations Commission. He is survived by three daughters, their spouses, four grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his third wife, “Maggie.”

Laile E. Bartlett, Ph.D., 90, wife of the Rev. Josiah R. Bartlett, died May 11, 2006 in Ft. Bragg, CA. Laile received her sociology Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, followed by a social settlement post in the east end of London, a government internship with the National Institute of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C, and a lectureship with the League of Nations in Geneva. For the first half of her career she taught on college campuses and the second half was research and writing: Bright Galaxy, an analysis of the Unitarian fellowship movement (Beacon Press), The Vanishing Parson, on the clergy exodus (Beacon Press), New Work/New Life (Harper and Row), on career change, and Psi Trek, (McGraw-Hill). This book, in which she explores psychics and psychic phenomena, resulted in more than 90 invitations to appear on TV and radio programs. Most distinctive was her long and extensive collaboration with her husband, who was president of Starr King for nearly 20 years. Her radio program, “The Family Reads,” co-hosted with her husband, was nominated for a Peabody Award. The Bartletts created an interim ministry program for the UU denomination. They served in interim ministries in more than 25 churches throughout the US. She is survived by four children: Joel Emerson Bartlett of Phonenixville, PA, Joselyn Kingsley Bartlett Miksak of Caspar, CA, Loel Starr Bartlett Miller of Walnut Creek, CA, and Noel Channing Bartlett, of Lafayette, CA; and three grandchildren.

The Rev. Richard F. Beal died on July 7, 2021 at the age of 76. Richard is survived by his wife, Joan; his son, Barney (Liz) and grandson, Jayden; his sister-in-law, Pamela Beal; as well as his nieces, nephews, and in-laws. He was predeceased by his parents, and his brother, Donald.

A celebration of Richard’s life will be held in September at the First Universalist Church of Norway, 479 Main St, Norway, ME 04268.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Universalist Church of Norway, 479 Main St, Norway, ME 04268 or to the First Universalist Church of West Paris, 208 Main Street, P.O. Box 36, West Paris, ME 04289. 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 follow.

Mary Evelyn Newhall Behee and Welles E. Behee

Mary Evelyn Newhall Behee, 85, wife of the Rev. Wells Behee, died Dec. 13, 2011 in a traffic accident, near New Madison, OH. The crash also took the life of her husband of 62 years. A native of Lynn, MA, Mary graduated from Salem Teachers College, and received a certificate of religious education from St. Lawrence Theological School. She earned her teaching credentials from Miami University. She taught many years at Franklin Monroe Elementary School. She was a doll collector, an avid gardener and a supporter of the New Madison Friends of the Library. She was active in Universalist and UU churches in New Madison and Eldorado. Mary was beloved by an extended family. She was known for her caring nature and her sunny disposition. Their family says Wells and Mary were best friends who enjoyed traveling together.

Mary Evelyn Newhall Behee and Welles E. Behee

The Rev. Wells E. Behee, 86, died Dec. 15, 2011 as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident on Dec. 13 2011, which took the life of his wife. He was a native of Lynn, MA and a fifth generation Universalist. Wells earned his BA from St. Lawrence University and his M.Div. from St. Lawrence Theological School. A veteran of World War II, he saw action at Iwo Jima. He served UU churches in Woodstock, Eldorado and New Madison. He earned his M.Ed. at Miami University in Oxford, OH and went on to teach high school at Arcanum. He served as special education coordinator at Mansfield. He was a scoutmaster and coached his children in Olympic marathon canoeing. He enjoyed classical music, art, literature, genealogy and gardening. The Behees are survived by their five children: Kathy Becker, Karyl Parks, Kris Rantz, Emerson Behee, Karen Fageol, their spouses, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. They were predeceased by their grandson, Aaron Dean Rawlings. The Behees donated their bodies to the Anatomical Gift Program at Wright State University.

The Reverend Holly Bell—passionate religious educator, inspiring preacher, and lover of nature—died on 22 January 2016 at age 85.

With ordination in 1973, Holly stood in the vanguard of women entering UU ministry during the so-called “second wave” of feminism, and she became an important mentor to a generation of women aspiring to ministry. The Rev. Rachel Tedesco recalls seeing Holly sitting formally on the stage back in the early 1980s as the lone clergywoman among four male ministers: “Her very presence made such a big impression on me that my own ministry seemed like a real possibility.”

Throughout her life Holly actively exercised her social conscience by advocating and demonstrating for fair and equitable treatment of all. She found deep and profound connections to the natural and physical world and was comforted by the idea that at death she would ultimately go back to the universe from which she came.

Jeanne Hollyberry Millett was born on 9 December 1930 to Robert N. and Leonora (Mann) Millett. Her middle name was chosen to mark her birthdate during the Advent season, and “Holly” was how she was nearly universally known. After graduation from Keene (NH) High School at age 16, she earned her B.A. from Smith College in 1951. It was in those college years that she found her passion for the UU church. With a passion for religious education, she served All Souls (now UU) Church of Greenfield, Mass, as DRE (1956-70), before returning to school to earn an M.A. in religious studies in 1973.

Ms. Bell was ordained to the ministry in 1973 by her Greenfield church and the next year was called as minister to Unity Church (UU) of North Easton, Mass, where she served for 25 years and was voted minister emerita on retirement in 1999.

Holly was deeply connected to nature, and enjoyed hiking, camping, canoeing, birdwatching, and gardening. She was a dog lover and an avid reader, and spent many summers at Star Island Family Conference and Rowe Camp. In addition to the outdoors, Holly enjoyed cooking, crafting, and baking. Holly Bell outlived her sister, Cheryl, as well as a son, Marc. She is survived by her children Peter M. Bell, Rebecca H. “Becky” Bell, and Elizabeth M. “Libby” Kellard, and grandchildren, Emily Bell Springett, Christopher H. Bell, Meghan E. Kellard, and Alyssa M. Kellard. She was the spouse of the late Hubert W. Bell and the late Gerald C. Bailey.

A memorial service was scheduled for May 21, 2016, at the Congregational Unitarian Society of Bernardston, Mass. Condolences may be sent to Rebecca Bell, 1603 Tina Lane, Castleton, NY 12033. Memorial donations are encouraged to the UUA by check payable to “Friends of the UUA” and mailed to the UUA, Attention: Gift   Processing, 24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210.

Rosella Macomber Bemis, 85, of Athol, MA, died Feb. 2, 2006. Her husband, Eldred Bemis, died in 1994. She was previously married to the Rev. Wilton Cross and Norman Guertin. She was a member of the Margery Morton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and and the Petersham Orthodox Congregational Church. Survivors include her children, James Guertin of Jupiter, FL; Mitchell Guertin of Lake Wales, FL; Norma Guertin of Stuart, FL; Joyce Nelson of Athol; and Peter Guertin of Orange; 10 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; a brother and a sister. The family held a private graveside service in Petersham in the spring.

Richard Benner

The Rev. Richard E. “Dick” Benner, parish minister and passionate advocate for freedom of choice and dignity, died of brain cancer on May 18, 2013, aged 70, at the Tidewell Hospice House in Sarasota, Florida.

A devoted follower of the renowned psychotherapist Carl Gustav Jung, Mr. Benner taught classes based on Jung’s work and attended the C. G. Jung Institute in Switzerland. He was also a founding member of the C.G. Jung Society of Sarasota, Florida.

Richard Elden Benner was born in Bangor, Maine, on May 30, 1942 to Anne and Elden Benner. He received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Education from the University of Maine in 1964 and 1969, respectively, and went on to attain a Master of Divinity from Bangor Theological Seminary in 1974.

Mr. Benner was ordained at the First Universalist Church of Westbrook, Maine on June 16, 1974, and began his parish ministry with service to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers, Florida, 1974-79. He went on to settlements at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Central Nassau in Garden City, New York (1979-87), the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota, Florida (1987- 98), and finally at the First Unitarian Church of Omaha, Nebraska, from 1998 until his retirement in 2005.

The Rev. Mr. Benner was faithfully devoted to both the larger UU movement and to his local communities. He served two terms as President of the UUA’s Florida District. He also served as President of the Sarasota Council of Concern, was a founding member of the Sarasota Interfaith Education Coalition (SURE), and served on the Board of Directors of the Sarasota Family Counseling Center. With a strong commitment to preserving and promoting freedom of choice and dignity at the end of life, Mr. Benner served as the President of the statewide Hemlock Society of Florida as well as of its first local chapter, Suncoast Hemlock.

Richard Benner enjoyed foreign films, British and Scandinavian television series, and Civil War history. A true dog lover, he would often fondly recall memories of his late, beloved golden retriever, Josh, named after Civil War hero and Maine native, Joshua Chamberlain. Many knew of his poetic gift, and the “humanity, compassion, and wit he was able to convey through his work.” He published several books of poetry based on his experiences in the state of Maine: Maine Moods, Living Double, and Night Songs.

Richard Benner is survived by his wife of 47 years, Susan (Gammon) Benner; sons, Christopher Benner and Andrew Benner; and a granddaughter, Sophia Benner.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Susan Benner at 5459 Beneva Woods Way, Sarasota, FL 34233.

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.

The Rev. Gail A. Berger died on June 28, 2021, at the age of 67.

Gail is survived by her sister, Kathy Ockenfels, and partner, Ernie Arellano; her brother, Don Berger, and his wife, Cynthia Moss; her niece, Natalie; and nephews, Jackson and Peter Berger; as well as a great group of very special friends.

A celebration of her life will be held by her friends and family on Saturday, October 23, 2021, in her recent retirement community in Durham, North Carolina. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Habitat for Humanity International, the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, or the Northeast Animal Shelter of Salem, Massachusetts. 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. 

Berjouhie (Berjie) Andreassian Bergler

The Rev. Berjouhie (Berjie) Andreassian Bergler, 86 died July 10, 2008. Born in Turkey, she fled with family to Lebanon and later moved to New York State. She graduated as class valedictorian from Keuka College, later earning a BD in Ministry from Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, again graduating as valedictorian, and as the only woman in her class. She was Assistant Professor of Religion at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA. She also preached regularly at the UU Society of Amherst, MA. She served as Director of Religious Education at All Souls Unitarian Church in New York, NY and was the first woman to preach there in its 142 year history. She was ordained in 1962 at Community Church of New York City jointly by five New York churches as Minister to College Students. In 1965, she married Robert Bergler. She joined the faculty of Douglass College of Rutgers University as Assistant Professor of Religion and continued teaching there until her retirement in 1984. Even though her work was primarily academic, she often conducted weddings, dedications, and memorial services. She and her husband were also active members in the Unitarian Society of New Brunswick, NJ. In a letter of reference for Rev. Bergler’s application for Fellowship, Rev. Sophia Lyon Fahs said “Her personal integrity is of the finest. Her philosophy of life is wholehearted and all-encompassing; and she is forthwright [sic] in expressions of her thoughts, as well as unusually capable intellectually in expressing them.” Rev. Bergler is survived by her sister, and thre Alice Rabah of Chapel Hill, NC.

Samuel “Sam” Berliner III, the partner of the Reverend Lilia Cuervo, died 29 Dec 2020 at age 86. Sam was born 15 February 1934 in Manhattan, where his father was well known as a funeral director. He was educated at Champlain College in Plattsburg, New York, which he says, “no longer exists,” and studied engineering at MIT. He worked 15 years for Pall Corporation on Long Island, which made ultra fine fluid filters. He left that to pursue his interest in ultrasonics, which comprised the biggest part of his life’s work. Working independently and with companies in that industry, Sam developed patented processes and devices to apply ultrasonic solutions in a variety of situations. In 2011 he was given an honorary membership by The Ultrasonic Industry Association Board of Directors. 

Sam maintained a website that held a great deal of his other interests — language, theology, railroads (and model railroads), and more. He describes himself as “Technical and Historical Writer, Oral Historian, Popularizer of Science and Technology, Rail, Auto, Air, Ordnance, and Model Enthusiast, Light-weight Linguist, Lay Minister, and Putative Philosopher.”  His website confirms and endorses that description.

A great number of people posted tributes on the sites that are established for those purposes. They come from people he encountered working on a group that studies the Long Island Motor Parkway, and from the Boston Chapter National Railway Historical Society. And several from people whose lives he had touched in UU Congregations. Sam was fully involved in anything that interested him, and as a minister’s partner.

Sam is survived by his daughters Nancy Cordes and Elisabeth McKinnon, and grandchildren Natalie and Eric Cordes; and by Lilia, his wife of over 14 years, her son Xavier Hernandez, and two daughters, Nilza Wise, and Shani Hernandez, and her granddaughter Javale Wise.

The family plans to hold an in-person Memorial when it is safe to gather.

Lilia can be reached at 6 Apache TRL, Medford, MA 02155-1471 and at cuervouu@comcast.net.

John Berquist, the spouse of the Rev. Dr. Carol Hepokoski, died May 12, 2016 of pancreatic cancer, surrounded by his family, at home in Eveleth MN. John was widely known as a folklorist, musician, and storyteller.

John had studied cultural geography, and wherever he lived he connected with the local immigrant communities, learning their stories and songs, and incorporating those into presentations. He delivered historical and musical programs in libraries and community centers throughout Minnesota, State Parks, and celebrations. His passion was the Iron Range of northern Minnesota, where he was born, and to which he often returned. He studied the cultural heritage of the Range, especially the oral history and music from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. John was a field worker for the Smithsonian, and the host of a traveling live radio program nominated for an award by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. His hand crafted maple syrup won blue ribbons at the St. Louis County Fair for several years.

He and Carol were married in 1983. They lived for two years in St Paul, where John served as the Folk Arts Coordinator for the Minnesota State Arts Board, but returned to the Range when children became part of their lives. Later, Carol’s work moved them to the Hyde Park neighborhood in Chicago, and John worked as a story teller and musician in after school programs and in senior centers throughout Chicago.

John had a lifelong interest in music, and was involved with bands wherever he was. He also participated as an active layperson in Unitarian Universalist congregations, bringing music and stories to worship services, leading and participating in choirs, and joining in district activities.

He is survived by his wife, the Rev. Dr. Carol Hepokoski; his sons, Andy Rosequist, Boston, and Jonah Berquist, San Francisco; and a widespread extended family.

Notes of condolence may be sent to the Rev. Dr. Carol A. Hepokoski, 8164 N. Long Lake Ct., Eveleth, MN 55734.

Memorials can be sent to the Mesabi UU Church, 230 South Seventh St, Virginia, MN 55792 or Faithful Fools Street Ministry, 234 Hyde St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

The Rev. Paul H. Bicknell, 84, died May 31, 2008 in Medina, OH, from complications of a heart attack. He served the UU Church of Elgin, IL from 1957 until 1972. The church and its members were active leaders of social change. Rev. Bicknell also held several Community Ministry positions, working with older adults and he served a number of congregations as interim minister in Hobart, IN, White Plains, NY, Kansas City, MO, New Haven, CT, Rocky River, OH, Golden, CO, West Hartford, CT, and London, Ontario. Rev. Bicknell is survived by his long-time friend Mary Anne Kehoe Ford, his sons, Richard (Carmen) and Brian, by his daughter, Deborah Leader, and by seven devoted nieces and nephews.

Virginia Bicknell, 78, widow of the Rev. Kelsey Bicknell, died in July, 2007, and David Pohl conducted her memorial service at the Unitarian Memorial Church, Fairhaven, MA. David writes, “Ginny was a teacher as well as mother, grandmother and friend. Her children spoke of her as a great cook, one who loved puzzles, and had a boundless love for her family. She was also ‘a second mother’ to many college students. I shall always remember her as a smart and kind person who lived with courage and grace throughout her 78 years.” She leaves a son, Michael, and three daughters, Rebecca Bicknell, Leigh Hemingway and Anita Langley.

Carl Bierman

The Rev. Carl Bierman, 79, died January 6, 2010. A native of Germany, he emigrated to the US in 1935. He was educated at Columbia, City College of New York and Harvard Divinity School. He served congregations in Woodstock, VT; Springfield, MO; Washington Crossing, NJ; Kennebunk, ME, overseeing construction of churches in Washington Crossing and Springfield. He taught religion at Missouri State U and was active in the civil rights movement and in the Torch Club in Trenton, NJ; he had a passion for history and also enjoyed astronomy and playing chess. He is survived by his wife Dolores Hart Bierman, three daughters, Natalie, Daphne and Sally, a son, Andrew, and their spouses and twelve grandchildren.

Dolores Marie Bierman died on November 3, 2021 at the age of 90. Her husband, the Rev. Carl Bierman, died in 2010.

According to a notice in the Albany (New York) Times Union, she was born on April 28, 1931, in Albany, the child of John and Josephine Hart. Dolores was a devoted and loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She lived and worked in many places during her life, including New York City, Kennebunk, Maine, Yardley, Pa., Trenton, N.J., Lambertville, N.J., Springfield, Mo., Woodstock, Vt., Albany and Yucaipa, Calif. 

Dolores was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Reverend Carl Bierman; son-in-law, Charlie Opitz; grandson-in-law, Jon Bintz; and her beloved dog Woody. She is survived by her daughter, Natalie Opitz; grandson, Marcus Opitz; granddaughter, Tara Opitz Taylor (Juan Pablo); great-granddaughters, Olivia and Francine Taylor; grandson, Nicholas Opitz; grandson, Mathew Opitz (Ashley); daughter, Daphne McKinney; grandson, Malcolm McKinney (Jessica); grandson, Alec McKinney; grandson, David McKinney; daughter, Sally Diggins (Patrick); grandson, Patrick Diggins IV (Katie); grandson, Zachary Diggins (Kirsten); grandson, Henry Diggins (Maddy); great-grandsons, Odin and Bodhi Diggins; son, Andrew C. Bierman (Jill); granddaughter, Kt Bierman; grandson, Nathan Bierman as well as extended family members in the Albany area. 

A graveside service was held on November 19 in the Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands.

UURMaPA will contribute $50 to an appropriate charity in her memory.

Notes of condolence to the family may be sent to her son, Andrew Bierman, 9 Mercer Street, Albany, NY 12203.

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

The Rev. Penelope (Penny) Anderson Binger, 82, died following a brief illness on June 1, 2008 at in Hiawatha, IA. Rev. Binger was ordained by the First Unitarian Church of San Jose, California on November 10, 1985.  She served the First Unitarian Church of Sioux City, Iowa from 1986 until 1996.  Upon her retirement, the congregation honored her as Minister Emerita.  In addition to her large and loving family, the main passions in Rev. Binger’s life were the fight for Civil Liberties /ACLU, support for the drive to increase diversity and inclusiveness in our society, and working to improve the status of women.  Rev. Binger is survived by her six children: Penny Brisson of Santa Clara CA; Ginna Himschoot (Robert) of Cedar Rapids; James Binger of Oakland CA; Elizabeth Binger (George Dowker) of Niantic CT; Paula Binger of Waterloo IA; and Julia Daugherty (Darren) of Cedar Rapids; her brother Frank Anderson (Dorothy) of Eugene OR; a niece Patricia Allard (Robert) of Marion; a nephew Keith Binger of Irving TX; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Elissa Beryl Bishop-Becker, beloved partner of the Reverend Dr. Randy Becker, died 27 April 2021, after a brief battle with cancer. She was born in New York on 20 July 1947 and grew up on Long Island. A journey through several universities (American, New School, Hofstra, Adelphi) brought her a bachelor’s degree in English from Hunter College.  Her early work was in editing and writing, especially poetry. 

By her own admission and delight, her greatest achievement was the birth of her daughter, Ericka Brindl Bishop in 1975.  A single mother for many years, she supported and encouraged Ericka’s growth and education.

In 1992, Elissa married Randy Becker, a longtime friend to both herself and Ericka. In their married life, Elissa and Randy lived on Long Island; Williamsburg, Virginia; Park Forest, Illinois; eventually settling in Key West, Florida.

Ericka’s tragic death in 1995 by a drunk driver, at age 20 was a turning point in Elissa’s life. She entered the community counseling program of the College of William and Mary in 1997, and in 1999 graduated with highest honors, became a licensed professional counselor, and a nationally certified counselor.  Her specialization was grief and loss. Her professional work has touched the lives of many and her book Loss and Growth: The Grief Spiral has received wide acceptance and use. 

Her personal life, as a spiritual person and medium, opened her to spirit communication. Nearly 26 years of those afterlife communications form the foundation of a spiritual approach known as Spiritual Persistence which emphasizes the unity of all existence, the holistic nature of spirit, and the promise of essential good amid infinite potential. 

Elissa is survived by her mother Hazel and a brother Richard, both of Long Island; her husband Randy; three bonus daughters: Elizabeth McCann Mackay (David); Lee Lehman-Becker (James Larsson); Suki Lucier (John), and four grandchildren.

Suzanne Black

The Rev. Suzanne Black, parish minister, educator of the disadvantaged, lifelong musician, and devoted dog lover, died on 10 February 2014 at the age of 71 after a brief illness.

Suzanne is remembered as one who “helped the underdog,” and even prior to ministry, she was steadily engaged in education and pastoral care, first teaching high school French in Chicago and then moving to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, to become the head houseparent at a home for emotionally disturbed teenagers.

As a college student, she was bedfast for many months due to a serious spinal injury suffered during a rock-climbing outing. Despite several surgeries and physical therapy, she was dependent on leg braces and crutches for most of her working life. Nevertheless, Suzanne spent several summers traveling across Europe, “not letting this impairment of function interfere with living life fully,” recalls her sister, Judy. A seminary colleague remembers walking up “Holy Hill” with her: “I never quite made it up the hill without stopping. But . . . even on crutches and in her Birkenstocks [Suzanne] could beat me. She was still an athlete at the age of 45.” In retirement, knee surgeries failed to improve her mobility, and she became more dependent on what she called, with characteristic optimism and determination, her “power chair,” and repeatedly insisted that it was not an “electric chair!”

Suzanne had a lifelong love of music, beginning with piano lessons in her childhood, continuing with high-school choir and musical theater, then guitar and folk singing in her “hippie” period, and ending with karaoke in her retirement. She always had several dogs as pets, and considered the dogs to be family. At her wedding to Gary Murphy on 12 August 2000, Suzanne’s two dogs were “attendants,” coming down the aisle wearing bows in procession with their human companions.

Susan (Susie, Suzanne, Suze) Trappe Black was born 28 August 1942 in Alexandria, West Virginia, to Winston Edward Black and Virginia Trappe (Price) Black and grew up in Urbana, Illinois. She attended Mt. Holyoke College from 1960 to 1963 before transferring to the University of Illinois, where she earned a B.A. in 1965 and a M.A. in 1967. Around 1975, after several years of conventional life and work in the familiarity of the Midwest, Suzanne headed out to the open skies of Montana in a purple van with a companion, Sam Farmer, to live communally with another couple and their children. She earned a bit of income there sewing and embroidering peasant blouses and other clothing. With the ending of that communal life, she soon returned to the helping professions, working as a special education teacher and education department supervisor at the Boulder River School and Hospital in Boulder, Montana, where she met and married co-worker, Dean Dougherty. Suzanne became active in nearby Helena’s Big Sky UU Fellowship, and eventually went off to Starr King School for the Ministry, earning her M.Div. there in 1990. Her marriage to Dean ended in divorce.

Returning to Montana, Ms. Black was ordained to Unitarian Universalist ministry on 24 May 1992 by joint action of the UU congregations of Helena, Billings, Bozeman, Idaho Falls, and Missoula in the tiny and evocatively-named town of Pray, Montana. She served interim ministries at the UU Congregation of York, Penn (1992-93) and the UU Fellowship of Fayetteville, Ark (1993-94), and an extension ministry at the UU Congregation of Las Vegas, Nevada (1994-97). In 1997 she was called as parish minister to the UU Church of South County (now “Tapestry”) in Mission Viejo, Calif, serving there until 2000, when she moved to a final interim ministry at St. Paul’s Universalist Church of Little Falls, NY (2000-01). In retirement, she and her new husband Gary returned to the desert they loved in southwest Arizona. They called themselves “snowbirds” and enjoyed traveling.

Committed strongly to the Unitarian Universalist Association’s work in anti-racism, the Rev. Ms. Black served as co-leader of the UUA’s Beyond Categorical Thinking Workshop in 1993 and as co-organizer of the UUA’s Building a Jubilee World Workshop in 1996. In the Pacific Southwest District chapter of the UUMA, she was a co-planner of three collegial retreats (1997-2000) and served as the chapter’s vice president (1999-2000).

Family and friends gathered for a meal of remembrance on 22 February 2014 in Bloomington, Illinois — the area of Suzanne’s childhood. Another informal memorial gathering was held in the Tyson RV Park clubhouse of her Quarzite, Arizona, housing community on February 28. Her sister recalled Suzanne as “passionate about people, her connections with people, and maintaining those connections.” She “knew how to put a good spin on things and look at [life] in a positive way.”

Suzanne’s second husband Gary died in 2010. She is survived by her sister, Judith May; brother, Theodore Black; nephews, Andrew May and Brian May; and niece, Ginny Black.

Memorial donations may be made to Starr King School for the Ministry, 2441 Le Conte Ave, Berkeley, Calif. 94709, to your area companion pet rescue shelter, or to a charity of your choice.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Judy May, Box 2100 RR 1, Corner Brook, Newfoundland, A2H 2N2 Canada.

David M. Blanchard

The Rev. David M. Blanchard, 75, died August 18, 2008. He was honored this year by the UUMA on the 50th anniversary of his ordination. He served UU congregations in Swampscott and Palmer, MA. In 1965, he became the minister of the North Parish UU Church of North Andover, MA, where he served until his retirement in 1997, when he was named minister emeritus. He was an advocate for civil rights and social justice in his community. He is survived by his wife, Joan DesJardins Blanchard of Andover, MA, with whom he would have celebrated 51 years of marriage in September. He is also survived by two sons, two grandchildren, a sister, and several nieces and nephews.

Jeanne Tobin Bletzer

Jeanne Tobin Bletzer, 91, widow of the Rev. Russell Bletzer, died November 8, 2009 in hospice care in Surprise, AZ. A native of Chicago, she was first married to the Rev. G. Richard Kuch. The Kuchs served the Ft. Worth TX congregation. The couple divorced in the early 1960’s. Jeanne did a great deal of work in RE over the years and served as DRE at the Evanston IL congregation, prior to marrying Russell R. Bletzer in 1967. The Bletzers also served in Woodstock VT. Jeanne was an avid golfer and an active community volunteer in Woodstock. She had been in assisted living for several years following a stroke. She lived out her later years with dignity, despite the limitations of arthritis and macular degeneration. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Ken and Sheila Kuch and her daughter, Cameron Kuch.

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.

The Rev. Michael Edward Boardman, 68, died Dec. 9, 2006, of progressive supranuclear palsy. He had dreams of becoming a dairy farmer, but he soon realized one must have money to buy a farm. Instead, he entered Starr King School for the Ministry. He served churches in Whittier, CA, and later in Sudbury, Brookline and South Natick, MA and several interim ministries. Shortly after an incorrect diagnosis of Parkinson’s, Michael retired in 2002 and moved with his wife, Barbara Prairie, to Berea, KY. Despite declining health, he participated in various organizations, converted to Catholicism and regularly attended mass at St. Clare. He is survived by Barbara; daughters Katherine Edwards and Sheila Boardman; stepdaughters Adrienne Cruise and Karen Ransom; and five grandchildren.

John Nicholls Booth

The Rev. John Nicholls Booth, 97, died Nov. 11, 2009. As a young man he worked as a professional nightclub magician. His enrollment in Meadville Lombard in 1940 made Newsweek. He served churches in Detroit, MI; Long Beach, CA; Belmont, MA; and Evanston, IL. He was a world traveler and an adventurer who climbed the Himalayas. He enjoyed giving talks about his travels. Throughout his long life he retained his connections to other magicians; his monthly column for Linking Ring Magazine ran from 1963-2000. He is survived by a daughter, Barbara Christie, two grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Dorothy Boroush

The Rev. Dorothy S. Boroush, parish minister and passionate activist for women’s rights, died on June 14, 2014 at the age of 88 in Englewood, Colorado, at the home of her daughter Gretchen, surrounded by flowers, family, and friends.

Dorothy was born on October 3, 1925, in Tiffin, Ohio, to George Alfred Stinchcomb and Ruth Elise Brand Stinchcomb. She was graduated with a B.A. in Theater from the State University of Ohio in 1977 and went on to attain an M. Div. from Chicago Theological Seminary in 1980.

After graduation, Dorothy was ordained to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry by the First Unitarian Church of Shaker Heights, Ohio, in 1980. Shortly thereafter, she was called to serve as minister to the Emerson Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (now Emerson Church Unitarian Universalist) of Troy, Michigan, from 1980 to 1984. She then served as interim minister to the First Parish Church of Groton, Mass, from 1984 to 1985; the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson, of Hudson, Mass, from 1985 to 1986; and the Unitarian Society of New Haven, CT, from 1986 to 1987. In 1987, she accepted the position of District Executive to the Ballou Channing District, serving 49 parishes in southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island until 1994.

She formally retired from ministry in 1995, but eventually regretted the “premature decision” and went on to serve as interim minister of the Foxborough Universalist Church in 1999. Dorothy also served as “minister-on-call” for a number of New England congregations, stepping in for other ministers who were ill or called away. She loved preaching at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House of Provincetown, MA, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard, the Bell Street Chapel in Providence, RI and many others. She led Sunday worship services at the First Parish Church of Taunton, MA, from July 2009 to April 2012, while the congregation was without a settled minister.

Throughout her ministry, The Rev. Ms. Boroush dedicated time and service to numerous denominational organizations. She served on the Ohio-Meadville District’s Commissioned Lay Leaders Committee and the Holmes-Weatherly Award Panel. She served as Chair of the Michigan Extension Committee for two years, President of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association’s Michigan Chapter for two years, and Co-Chair of the Central Massachusetts’ Youth Adult Committee (YAC) for one year. She volunteered at the Doolittle Home of Foxboro, MA, and served on its board for a number of years.

Dorothy was a resolute advocate for women’s rights. Prior to entering the ministry, she worked as Director of Education and Public Relations for Pre-Term, a women’s health clinic in Cleveland, OH. She was a charter member of the National Organization for Women’s Cleveland Chapter, and served on the organization’s board and public relations committee. She served as member of the Cleveland Abortion Rights Action League; and member of the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (now the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice).

Dorothy was very involved with the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Heritage Society (UUWHS). She served on the Society’s Board of Directors from June 1995 to June 2001. She was a contributor and editor to a series of short biographic descriptions of UU women, titled “Notable Universalist and Unitarian Women,” and was the editor of the last edition in 2000. She was actively involved with programs put on by the UUWHS and was involved with the development of UUWHS calendars. She sponsored, wrote, and edited the 2002 edition of this calendar that included Antoinette Brown Blackwell, the first woman to be ordained in our liberal religious tradition.

The arts and creativity were powerful forces in Dorothy’s life. More than 15 years of her youth were dedicated to the formal study of piano and acting. She was a well-known actor and director in community theater throughout her life, much of it to critical acclaim. Her classical piano training was sufficient to consider a professional position per her instructors. She wrote poetry and in the 1970/80’s served as artistic director for the published poetry performance troupe, “Big Mama”. She also wrote, directed, and performed a one-act play about the life of the Rev. Antoinette Brown Blackwell, which was staged in a number of Unitarian Universalist churches, also to great acclaim for its historic educational and creative aspects pertinent to the UU tradition.

Until nearly the end of her life, at age 86, Dorothy was still acting minister at First Parish Church in Taunton, Mass., where congregants there remember her as “a woman of deep faith,” “dedicated,” “generous,” and “committed to the long-term health of the congregation.”

Dorothy’s family remembers her as a gardener, a collector of ‘spiritual rocks’, a lover of the color purple, a feminist, poetess, political activist, a bird and tomato lover. She was a singer of silly songs and crocheted works of art during meetings. Her mission was to leave this world in a better place.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Gretchen E. Boroush; her sons, Eric D. Boroush and Kurt A. Boroush; and granddaughter Janice E. Boroush as well as her brother Dr. Thomas G. Stinchcomb, and nephews James, William, David, and Dan Stinchcomb and their wonderful families.

A memorial service was held on September 13, 2014, at First Parish Bridgewater Unitarian Universalist Church.

Memorial donations are encouraged to the Unitarian Universalist History and Heritage Society, 27 Grove St., Scituate MA 02066.

Condolences may be sent to the family via Eric Boroush, #2 Gore St., Boston, MA 02120.

The Rev. Robert D. Botley, 84, died March 28, 2008. He served in the US Army Air Corps in World War II, then served Congregational Churches in Sedgwick, CO; Pinedale, WY; and Rapid City, SD. In 1961, he joined the UUA and served the church in San Mateo, CA. He marched with Dr. King in Selma. After a long bout with cancer, Rev. Botley retired early from formal ministry. As his health improved, he started a business, Specialized Yachting Services, then an accounting business. In 1999, the Botleys moved to McKinleyville, CA, joining the UU Fellowship. He loved wilderness, and won awards for his landscape photography. He built a boat and sailed to Mexico and back. He is survived by his wife of 59 years Anna Mae Botley; two children, Steve Botley of Cave Junction, OR, and Becky Blackshaw of New Zealand; and two grandchildren. A service will be held May 31 at Humboldt UU Fellowship in Bayside, CA.

The Rev. Patricia McClellan Bowen, 73, died Sept. 14, 2007. She served congregations in West Paris, ME, South Bend, IN; Framingham, Sharon and Sherborn, MA; Virginia, Portsmouth, NH; and Las Vegas, NV; and was Assistant to the Director of Education and Social Concerns at the UUA, where she created and developed REACH, the Religious Education Clearing House. Surviving are her children Barbara Bowen of Newton and Jonathon Bowen of Spencer, MA. At her request no services were held.

Janet Bowering

The Reverend Dr. Janet “Jan” Bowering, parish minister, religious educator, UU historian, peace and justice activist, devoted minister’s wife, loving mother and grandmother, doll collector, and world traveler, died peacefully on July 17, 2014, surrounded by her family, at the Merrimack Valley Hospice House, in Haverhill, MA; she was 83 years old.

The Rev. Ms. Bowering served congregations in the roles of part-time and full-time minister, and religious education director. For more than a decade, she set aside her own calling and offered her professional skills as a volunteer in her husband’s congregations and within groups serving the larger UU movement. She was passionate about religious education and actively ministered to young people in her own congregations and in the larger UU movement. With her husband and children, she spent many summers at UU camps and institutes, directing work projects and leading youth programs. Equally committed to her community, she worked to establish both a temporary shelter for the homeless and a program to provide a food kitchen for the hungry. Another of her passions was to see new places, and she made use of her vacation and sabbatical time to travel the world.

Janet found particular inspiration in the life and pioneering work of the Rev. Olympia Brown. She was known far and wide for her dramatic portrayal of Olympia Brown’s life and ideas, a presentation that she offered more than forty times. (At the time of this writing, a video record of one such performance was available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1guc91OFx8w).

Ms. Bowering was also a mentor to seminarians. The Rev. Holly Baylies, who served an internship at the Haverhill UU Church in 1990, recalls that Jan “taught me the truth about ministry, which was not to be found in the books I had read or the courses taken, but within the mere joy and optimism she expressed in the living of her life, in her service to others. No matter whom she encountered and how grumpy, annoying or difficult the person or circumstance may have been, she always found the right words and somehow, the beauty inherent in each and every individual she encountered. Her sense of the worth and dignity of every person was at the core of her teachings and her living.” Janet summarized this attitude in her conviction that “The church is people. It is not a body of belief, a set of principles, or an impressive structure of stone, wood, and glass.”

Janet Hartzell was born on December 7, 1930, the only child of Allen Reiff Hartzell and Catharine May Weiser. She was a shy, artistic youngster who loved pets and other animals. With her father, she enjoyed gardening, growing food for the family, and composting. Influenced perhaps by her father, a chemistry professor at St. Lawrence University, Janet developed an interest in science. She created her own experiments, including one which nearly led to the accidental burning of her house. In her late teen years, she came under the mentoring influence of the Rev. Edna Bruner, who served the First Universalist Church, Canton, NY, from 1945 to 1950.

The summer after her high school graduation, Janet’s mother died suddenly; her father died nine months later.

While attending college, Janet felt a call to ministry. She earned a B.A. from St. Lawrence University in 1952 and continued on to seminary, where her future husband, Vinton Bowering, was a year ahead of her. Another classmate, David Pohl, recalls, “While the University had about 1,800 students, the theological school was a small community of about forty. It was inevitable then that Vin and Janet would meet there, [forming a relationship] that [eventually] became a marriage.” In 1953 Vinton completed his B.D from St. Lawrence Theological School and Janet, having studied with Angus MacLean, received the School’s certification as a religious educator. Jan and Vin were married at the First Universalist Church, Canton, New York, on September 5, 1953. After a short honeymoon, they moved to Abington, Mass, where Vinton had been called to the local Universalist congregation (now defunct). Janet continued her studies at Boston University, because, in her words, “Harvard Divinity School had not yet grasped the idea of educating women for the ministry!” The next year Vinton was called to the Outlaw’s Bridge Universalist Church, Seven Springs, North Carolina, where he and Janet were both ordained to the Universalist ministry on January 30, 1955, by the North Carolina Universalist Convention. Shortly thereafter, Janet began serving as part-time minister of the smaller, nearby Universalist Church of Kinston, NC.

The Bowerings’ time in the South, during some of the first steps toward racial desegregation, presented challenges that they readily accepted. In her ministerial odyssey, recalled:

“. . . one time we [Janet and Vinton] took the Seven Springs LRY group [Liberal Religious Youth] to hear [journalist and integration activist] Harry Golden speak in Kinston. We didn’t know, or we would have prepared the kids for non-segregated seating. Fortunately we arrived late, were ushered in to a lecture in progress and sat hastily wherever we could. Afterward we stopped for ice cream, two cars full of young people, and tried to sort out feelings. It was interesting that they mainly didn’t want their parents to know what happened lest they jeopardize their chances to “go places and do things with Mr. and Mrs. Bowrin’.”

The Rev. Ms. Bowering left the Kinston church in 1959, when Vinton was called to First Parish in Milford, Massachusetts. During this ministry and Vinton’s subsequent call to the First UU Society of Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1967, Janet turned her attention to an active, though unpaid, role assisting her husband in church growth, working in the church school, and preaching when Vinton was away. In this “sabbatical” from her own career, she and Vinton began raising their own children, and Janet worked as a substitute teacher in area schools. Shortly after her husband’s call to the Universalist Unitarian Church of Haverhill, Mass, in 1974, Janet was hired to serve alongside him as the Director of Religious Education; she continued in that position, while also serving as part-time minister at First Parish of Tyngsborough, Mass (1977-79).

In 1979, when the Rev. Vinton Bowering suffered a fatal heart attack, the Haverhill congregation received special permission to bypass a search process and call Janet as their minister. She entered upon that role while caring for her three children as a single parent, serving for seventeen years until her retirement in 1996, when she was named Minister Emerita. In 1997, the Rev. Ms. Bowering served briefly as a visiting minister at Adelaide’s Unitarian Church of South Australia. Her lifelong commitments to the UU movement were honored by Meadville Lombard Theological School with a D.D. in 1998.

Janet Bowering’s ministering reached far beyond the congregations she served, both locally and globally. In 1977 she offered use of the church to the Calvary Baptist Church of Haverhill, MA, after that church had suffered a devastating fire. She later offered her church basement as a shelter for the homeless, a service remaining in place for three years. One Christmas Eve, Janet hand made the candles for the service from wax she had scraped off the pavement during a trip to Warsaw during the Polish uprisings, at great risk to her own safety. In the year following her retirement, she joined a Justice Works team helping to rebuild burned out churches in the southern United States and was credited with single-handedly digging a sewer line for a project in Summerton, South Carolina.

The Rev. Holly Baylies recalls that Jan’s “sense of social justice was strong, unflappable, and at times even comical, as this diminutive, white haired, little old lady, once packed a suitcase full of condoms to take to Romania to protest the lack of birth control practices. Detained by Romanian customs, she somehow managed to keep out of jail by convincing the authorities that she was a harmless minister, and was just following her conscience. Surprisingly, they let her go, condoms and all.”

Ms. Bowering was active in many UU organizations and activities. Prior to Unitarian and Universalist consolidation, she chaired the Camps Study and Evaluation Committee, a joint effort of Universalist and Unitarian women’s groups. She served the Mass Bay Chapter of the UUMA as senior Good Offices team member, Nominating Committee member, and Fall Conference planning committee member; the UU Historical Society as board member and president; the UU Society for Ministerial Relief as First Vice President; the Church of the Larger Fellowship as board member and executive committee member; the UU Women’s Heritage Society as President; and the Continental Board of the UU Women’s Federation. She was the first female member of the ministerial study group, The Fraters of the Wayside Inn, and also held membership with the Cedar Hill Study Group, the Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers and Partners Association, and the UUA Professional Support Services Committee. She enthusiastically supported and promoted the Clara Barton Camp for over fifty years and served as chair of the Clara Barton Birthplace Committee.

Janet valued her Universalist roots, and found it important to preserve the Universalist legacy. She served the Board of the Universalist Heritage Foundation, the Massachusetts Association of Universalist Women, and the Massachusetts Universalist Convention.

An avid traveler, Janet loved to explore new places and meet new people. She collected foreign dolls, purchased during her travels and given to her by friends and family; Jan could tell the story of each of the more than 100 dolls in the collection, explaining the doll’s origin, its unique meaning, and the reason it had been selected. Jan was also an amateur potter, painter, and naturalist; and she relished time spent with her family at their summer house in rural Maine.

Jan’s family remembers her as “extremely inquisitive,” and “very practical.” One of her daughters, Diana Bowering, describes how her mother was quick to take action upon hearing of a problem, and lived with a mentality of “let’s not talk about it, let’s get down there and do something about it.” Jan was known as extremely hard working and “wasn’t one to sit around.” Diana reports that even after her mother had been hospitalized and was suffering from a wandering mind, Jan said of the hospital stay, “In theory, I don’t think this is the best use of my time.”

Holly Baylies offered these words at Janet’s memorial service: “I could never get over Jan’s bubbly and joyful outlook as she faced each new day, with that indomitable smile that never faded, looking for the good to be found, no matter what she might be facing. I was always in awe of her ability to rush into each day as if was a treat to be alive, and her ability to hold onto all that was good, always truly seeking out the best in people.”

Jan’s surviving family members include children, Dawn Jordan, Diana Bowering, and Alan Bowering, granddaughter, Laura Morley, and great-grandson, William Morley.

A memorial gathering was held on 26 July 2014 in Haverhill. A Celebration of Life took place on 20 September 2014 at the UU Church of Haverhill. A marvelous collection of photos of Janet may be seen at http://driscollfuneralhome.tributes.com/obituary/photos/Rev.-Janet-H.-Bowering-101528418.

Memorial donations are encouraged to The Clara Barton Camp, P.O. Box 356 North Oxford, MA 01537 (www.bartoncenter.org); Ferry Beach Park Association, 5 Morris Avenue, Saco, ME 04072 (www.ferrybeach.org); or Merrimack Valley Hospice of Home Health Foundation, Attn: Tammy Stott, 360 Merrimack Street, Building 9, Lawrence, MA 01843 (www.homehealthfoundation.org).

The Rev. Howard Box died on April 15, 2021 at the age of 94.

Howard is survived by his wife of 68 years, Jean Newton Box; daughters: Ruth Westfall, and Carol Box and her husband, Alessandro Nicita; son Gordon Box and his partner, Betsy Williams; as well as his grandchildren: Robert Westfall, and Sofia and Mateo Nicita.

A memorial service will be held later with interment in the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church Memorial Garden.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations honoring Rev. Box can be made to the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church <http://www.oruuc.org/>, 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be written here <https://www.jacksonfuneralservices.com/obituary/HOWARD-BOX>.

A more complete obituary will follow.

The Rev. Walter Braman died on August 24, 2021 at the age of 79.

Walter is survived by his wife of almost 38 years, the Rev. Cathie Fisher Braman, daughter Amie Catherine O’Donoghue (Erik), sons: Benjamin J. W. Braman and Frank M. Braman, four grandchildren: Tynan Robert and Shauna Catherine O’Donoghue, and Ezekiel and Kiki Jubilee Braman, brother Howard (Rose), sister Kathie, brother-in-law Robert Rivers, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, son Matthew Royce Braman, and sister Anne Braman Rivers.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a future time in Fredericksburg, VA and Concord, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to CUREIBM or to the Michael J. Fox Parkinson Foundation (Donations Processing) PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences can be written here.

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

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.

George Brandenburg

George W. Brandenburg, Ph.D., 69, husband of the Rev. Ellen L. Brandenburg, died unexpectedly on Sept. 14, 2013, at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA. His wife, their children, a cousin, and his minister were with him.
He earned B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in physics from Harvard and held appointments researching and teaching particle physics at the Max Planck Institute in Munich, Germany; Stanford Linear Accelerator Center; and MIT. He directed the High-Energy Physics Laboratory at Harvard until his retirement in 2008. Just prior to his retirement he worked on the Atlas Experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland.

George was an avid sailor, pilot, musician, skier and maritime historian. He was a devoted member of First Church in Salem, Unitarian.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, by their daughter, Anna Brandenburg, of Concord, NH and their son, Peter Brandenburg, and their daughter-in-law, Krisztina Holly, of Los Angeles, and his brother, John Brandenburg, of Maple Grove, MN.

His memorial service was planned for October 12 at First Congregational Society in Salem Unitarian. Donations in his name may be made to the Star Island Family Retreat and Conference Center, 30 Middle St., Portsmouth, NH 03801. Condolences may go to Ellen Brandenburg, 91 Essex St., Salem, MA 01970.

The Rev. Carl Victor Bretz died on October 4, 2020 at the age of 94.

Carl is survived by his daughter Stephanie Cox and husband, Craig; by son Jonathan Bretz and wife, Linda; by daughter Rima Michaud and husband, Eric; and by grandchildren Molly Panos McDonald, Philip Panos Jr., Jamieson Bretz, and Barbara Michaud Bowers. He leaves 11 great-grandchildren: Ayden and Mackenzie McDonald, Kennedy Panos, Jackson and Oliver Bretz, Allison, Evan and Lyla Bowers, Erin Michaud, Kaiden Hayes and Desmond Hayes.

Carl was predeceased by his first wife and the mother of his children, Janice Miller Bretz-Howe; his last wife Rosemary Burns; and his granddaughter Rita Michaud.

A memorial service will be held at a later date at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church in Oak Ridge, TN. Interment will be in the ORUUC Memorial Garden.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Rosemary M. Burns Memorial Endowment fund at ORUUC (809 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN). UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Condolences may be sent to Rima Michaud, 1711 Hillcrest Drive, Eustis, FL 32736; to Stephanie Cox, H.C. 61 Box 4058, Ramah, NM 87321, or to Jonathan Bretz.

A more complete obituary will follow.

Betty Tschappat Brewer, 74, widow of the Rev. James Brewer, died at home in Tucson, AZ, December 4, 2009. She earned a BA in Business Administration from Lake Forest College, and an RN from Elgin Community College, Elgin, IL. A devoted career nurse in Elgin and Big Rapids, MI, she moved to Tucson, AZ after retirement. Betty enjoyed reading and music. She was an avid traveler and nature lover and a volunteer at Tohono Chul Park. Preceded in death by her first husband, Henry Tschappat, in 2001 and her second husband, Jim Brewer in 2009, she is survived by her daughters, Melanie Coleman and Kathryn Tschappat and her brother, Raymond Vellinga.

James C. Brewer

The Rev. James C. Brewer, 82, died April 28, 2009. A native of Illinois, he served in the US Navy Air Corp, then earned degrees at University of Toledo and Harvard Divinity School. Ordained in Melrose (MA), he was an intern minister with Dr. Howard Thurman at the Church of the Fellowship of All People. He served churches in MA and VA.. At the 1959 GA, Jim received the Holmes-Weatherly Award for his social justice work. He was an outspoken advocate for fair housing and integration. He ‘walked his talk’ to end racial injustice and the hardships of poverty at home and overseas. After working abroad, Jim returned to parish ministry in serving interims in Chicago, IL; Toronto, ON; Portsmouth, NH; and Westport, CT. He served the Asheville (NC) church until his retirement in 1990, when he was named their minister emeritus. He leaves his wife, and children Montie and Amy Brewer and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Barbara; his children Jimmy and Betsy. His second wife, Betty, died December 4, 2009.

The Rev. Gene Bridges, 78, died Jan. 3, 2008, at his home in Honolulu, HI. A 1959 graduate of Starr King, he was ordained by the UU Association of Tacoma, WA, in 1960, serving there three years. He served the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, HI from 1962-1970. He then returned to the practice of law, creating The Divorce Clinic to provide low cost legal assistance to persons of limited income. He also owned and operated Bed & Breakfast Honolulu (Statewide), the largest Bed and Breakfast association in Hawaii. According to Mike Young, Gene was a stalwart supporter of civil rights, racial justice, and peace. The Hawaii ACLU’s first phone was on his desk and he had marched in Selma. Surviving Mr. Bridges are his daughter, Beth Eileen Bridges; two sons, Adam and Channing Bridges; and four grandchildren. His wife, Mary Lee Tsuffis, predeceased him in 2003. A memorial service was held Jan.13 at the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu.

Edith Elise Briggs, 89, wife of the Rev. George Briggs, died April 12, 2015, in hospice care in Winston-Salem, NC. She was born June 7, 1925 in Portland, Oregon to Alfred Holman and Edith Wilcox Holman. Elise graduated from Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. Her professional career included working with migrant workers in Oregon, working for the USF&G Insurance Company in Portland, and as a librarian in Beaumont, Texas, after she was married.

She married the Rev. George Briggs in 1957 and became a devoted minister’s wife in Methodist churches and then in Unitarian Universalist congregations for the remainder of her life. As her daughter, Irma, was growing up Elise served as a Brownie leader and a Girl Scout Leader. She also led a junior nature club during their time in Pittsfield, Maine.

Elise became interested in genealogy in her 60s and over a 20-year period researched several lines of her family tree and those of her husband’s. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting and sewing until she lost much of her vision in later life. Never one to sit by, she started to study Braille when she was 86.

She was predeceased by her parents; her stepfather, Frank Winner, who married her mother when Elise was 10 years old; her sister Marian Strandberg; and her stepsister Carolyn Winner. She is survived by her husband, the Rev. George Briggs; her daughter, Irma Briggs Polster; her son-in-law, Mark Polster; three grandsons; and her extended family.

The family wishes to thank the volunteers and employees at the Danby House, Kate B. Reynolds Hospice, and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Winston-Salem for their kind and loving care. Memorial gifts may be sent to Crisis Control Ministry, 200 East Tenth Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101; Kate B. Reynolds Hospice, 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103, or the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Winston-Salem, 4055 Robinhood Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27106.

A memorial service was planned for Sunday, June 7 (which would have been her 90th birthday) at the UU Fellowship of Winston-Salem. Notes of remembrance may be sent to George Briggs, 2945 Reynolda Rd., Apt. 226, Winston-Salem, NC 27106.

The Rev. George Briggs died on November 21, 2019, at the age of 89.

George is survived by his daughter Irma Polster and her husband Mark Polster; and his three grandsons, Aaron Polster, Julius Polster, and Elliott Polster.

In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) or to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).   UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

A memorial service was held on November 25, 2019 at Congregation Beth Am in Tampa, FL.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Irma and Mark Polster at 12716 Carte Dr., Tampa, FL, 33618.

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

Anna Louise and John W Brigham

Anna Louise Brigham, 91, widow of the Rev. John W. Brigham, died May 14, 2007 in Quincy, MA. She received her BS. in German and in counseling from University of Rochester, where she was secretary in the German Department. During the ministries of her husband, they lived in Castine, ME; Billerica, Arlington, and Quincy, MA; Sioux City and Burlington, IA; and Rochester, NY. An avid stamp collector, Anna Louise prepared “Unitarians and Universalists on Stamps,” accessible on the Quincy Unitarian Church Website. She was a member of the Quincy Church, the Women’s Alliance and the Quinsippi Stamp Club. Survivors include three sons, Lawrence Brigham of Morrow, OH; the Rev. Jeremy Brigham of Cedar Rapids, IA; and Daniel Brigham of Canandaigua, NY; six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. A memorial service was held in Quincy Aug. 18.

Anna Louise and John W Brigham

The Rev. Dr. John W. Brigham, 89, died January 23, 2004, of complications from congestive heart failure. A native of Concord, MA, he was a graduate of Tufts University, Crane School of Theology and Meadville Lombard. Ordained at First Parish in Concord, MA, he served congregations in Castine, ME; Billerica, MA; Sioux City and Burlington, IA; Rochester, NY; and Quincy, IL. He was field representative for the Stevens Fellowship Committee for the American Unitarian Association and was associate director of the UUA’s Department of Ministry. Upon his retirement, the Unitarian Church of Quincy, and the UU Fellowship at Burlington named him minister emeritus. His concerns centered on social justice. He was president of the Sioux City chapter of the NAACP, and in Quincy he actively supported the Walter Hammond Day Care Center. He also served on the steering committee for the POLIS study program of Quincy University, a program offering educational opportunities to retirees. He was survived by his wife, Anna Louise Dege Brigham, by three sons, Larry, Jeremy, and Daniel, their spouses, six grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

Harry Brobst

The Rev. Dr. Harry Brobst, 100, died January 13, 2010. He was the last of the founding members of the UU Church of Stillwater, OK, which was organized in 1947. He was a registered psychiatric nurse, and received his BA from Brown University, his MA and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. Following his retirement, after 28 years of service as a faculty member in the Psychology Department at OSU, Harry obtained his MDiv at Phillips Seminary, 1977. He was ordained in 1977 by the UU Church of Stillwater and served the congregation for three years. He was an animal lover and enjoyed working with young people. He was married to Judith Sylvia Heideman, who died 15 years ago. He is survived by his cousins Penni Lee, Amy and William Fallow.

The Reverend Carol Brody—dedicated religious educator, lover of nature, gardening, and the arts—died on 17 November 2016 at the age of 88. She is remembered by friends and colleagues for her powerful personal presence, her “take charge” attitude, and “a twinkle in her eye that could brighten up a dull meeting.”

Caroline Irene Yagello was born in Euclid, Ohio, on 20 April 1928 to Louise and John Yagello (Polish: Jagiełło). She grew up in Cleveland, and briefly attended Otterbein University, near Columbus (1946-47). She disliked her first name and from a young age shortened it to “Carol.”

After marriage to Paul Brody in 1950, moving to Columbus (Ohio) in 1958, and joining the Unitarian church there, Carol quickly found a passion for religious education. By 1965 she had become Director of RE and in 1975, while still raising four children, began classes at Methodist Theological School in Ohio, earning an M.Div. in 1984. Meanwhile, the Columbus congregation had ordained her as their Minister of Religious Education in 1981. After over three decades of service at that church, Carol retired in 1994 and was named Minister Emerita in 1999.

In the wider UU network, the Rev’d Ms. Brody served as inaugural chair of the UUA’s Women and Religion Committee as well as field service consultant (equivalent to a later era’s “district executive”) in the UUA’s Ohio- Meadville District (1985-94).

Carol’s spouse died in January 2016. She is survived by children Jill, John, Jim, and Jane, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations are encouraged to Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and to Clintonville Beechwold Community Resources Center. A memorial service was held on 3 December 2016 at the Columbus, OH, UU Church.

Paul B. Brody, 90, husband of the Rev. Carol Yagello Brody, died January 19, 2016. They had been married for 65 years.

Paul was born August 1, 1925. He was a 1943 graduate of South High School, Cleveland, OH, Paul attended Denison University. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943-1946. On his return from service, he graduated from Western Reserve University in Cleveland. A high point in recent years was participating in an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in 2010.

He was Sales Manager for A.P. Green Refractories for 35 years and was a long-time member of the American Foundrymen’s Society. He served as Chairman of its Central Ohio Chapter from 1970-72. He was a member of the American Ceramic Society where he held numerous positions throughout the years.

After retirement, Paul spent many happy hours ‘schmoozing’ with all his friends at The McConnell Center, Kroger in Clintonville, favorite Columbus restaurants, Champ Henson’s at the Clintonville Market and visits to past customers. He was a fan of The Ohio State Buckeyes, the Cleveland Indians and UA Golden Bear Baseball. Paul was a proud and devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was a great fellow with a sharp wit, grand sense of humor, friend to many and a man who never, ever, forgot a name or a face. He will be missed.

He is survived by his wife, Carol; children, Jill (Douglas Bryant), John (Kate), Jim (Kim Katz Brody), and Jane (Chris Jay); grandchildren, Maggie Brody Moskal (Brandon), Sam Brody, David Bryant, Matthew Bryant, Lindsie Katz and Jeremy Katz; great-granddaughter, Lucy Moskal; and cousins, Yvonne Lewandowski and Lawrence Kruszewski.

A memorial service was planned for Paul in the early spring. Memorial donations may be made to Honor Flight Columbus (honorflightcolumbus.org) or Columbus Jazz Arts Group. (jazzartsgroup.org). Arrangements by Rutherford-Corbin Funeral Home. To send condolences to the family, please visit www.rutherfordfuneralhomes.com.

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.

Priscilla Alden Jones Brooks

Priscilla Alden Jones Brooks, 84, wife of the Rev. George Gordon Brooks died January 21, 2014, in Port Charlotte, FL. Priscilla was native of Amherst, MA. Early on she was secretary to the Amherst Town Manager, then secretary to the Admissions Officer at Deerfield Academy, and to the Communications Officer at the Massachusetts Council of Churches in Boston. Later she became a teacher’s assistant in the Elyria, OH school system. The work she loved most was as owner of the Wool and Needle Studio in Burlington, IA. She taught knitting at all levels for the night school at Burlington High.

George says Priscilla’s most significant contribution to his ministry was to be his eyes and ears on the congregation. He says “She was the perfect minister’s wife! And she loved it!” She enjoyed retreats at Attleboro, MA and UU in the Pines at Brooksville, FL as well as weeks on Star Island.

She was predeceased by two brothers, Carleton Parker Jones II and the Reverend Robert Edward Jones. She leaves two nephews, Carleton Parker Jones III and Edmund Adams Jones and a niece, Catherine Leete Jones Randall, two grandnieces and a grandnephew, two great-grandnephews, three great-grandnieces, and one on the way. At the time of her death, she was a member of the UU Fellowship of Charlotte County, the Rounders at Maple Leaf Golf and Country Club and the Peace River Harvard Club.

A memorial service took place at the UU Fellowship of Charlotte County. Condolences may go to George Brooks at 2100 Kings Hwy. # 347, Port Charlotte, FL 33980.

The Rev. Dr. Dwight Brown, 84, died on October 14, 2012. Rev. Brown was born in Zanesville, OH on November 4, 1927 to Mae and the Rev. O. Dwight Brown. He attained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Oberlin College in 1950. In 1958, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry. He received an honorary Doctor of Sacred Theology from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1971.

Rev. Brown was called to the First Unitarian Church of Trenton, NJ in 1948 (where he was also ordained on October 5, 1958) and served as the minister there until 1961. He was then called to the Unitarian Church of Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 1961-1964. Switching gears, he then became the District Executive of the UUA New York Metropolitan District from 1964-1968. He returned to parish ministry with a long run as minister of the First Unitarian Church in Dallas, TX from 1968-1976. He found himself back in the UUA world with the position of Director of the UUA Office of Ministerial Finances (which is now the UUA Office of Church Staff Finances) from 1976-1978.  In 1978, he returned once again to parish ministry as minister of the First Unitarian Church of Cleveland, OH until 1988. He then became a District Executive of the Southwestern Unitarian Universalist District from 1988-1992. He officially retired from ministry in 1992.

While Rev. Brown was District Executive of the Southwestern Unitarian Universalist District, the district established its first Leadership Experience, a training program for lay leaders. Named after Rev. Brown, the District’s Dwight Brown Leadership Experience is “designed to teach and reinforce skills and abilities for leaders and leaders-to-be in UU congregations.”

Rev. Brown lived a full and accomplished ministerial life. He proudly walked alongside the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King during the march from Selma to Montgomery, AL in 1965. He also boldly and respectfully provided abortion counseling both before the passing of Roe v. Wade and after.

In a sermon delivered at the 1982 UUA General Assembly, entitled “Impersonating the Divine: An Essay in Theological Anthropology,” Rev. Brown notes,

“Human history is MY history. What I am today is linked in a living chain of being with all lives past. I am Socrates, probing the mysteries of the mind. I am Moses, proclaiming the majesty of the moral law. I am Jesus, witnessing to the love which animates the process in which I live and move and have my being. I am Galileo, meditating on the pathways of the stars. I am Johan Sebastian Bach, composing temples of beauty out of the raw stuff of the imagination. I am Susan B. Anthony, proclaiming a new era in human development.

“But what is even more significant is that what I am now, as I participate in the complex patterns of humanness which exist in this moment of time, as I connect with the humanness of others in those myriad currents of meaning and sharing which make up the human network, what I am now is and remains a part of the totality of humanness, which is ongoing, continuing, immortal, so in the most simple and literal way, the humanness which is in me will live on, long after that instant of awareness which I call in me has finally faded.”

Known as a “great intellect who was curious about everything and never stopped learning,” Rev. Brown enjoyed writing, books, computers, sailing, good food, good company, and good conversation. He was especially fond of time spent with his family and friends.

Rev. Brown is survived by his loving wife, Marie E. Brown; daughter, Janet E. Darez; daughter, Deborah L. Brister; daughter, Stephanie L. Murray; son, David A. Brown; sister, Elaine Clum; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his father, the Rev. O. Dwight Brown; mother, Mae Brown; and mother-in-law, Grace V. Wilson.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Hill Country, 960 Barnett St., Kerrville, TX 78028. Notes of condolence may be sent to Marie E. Brown at 916 Barnett St., Kerrville, TX 78028.

James Cashel 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.

Jean Lyman Cook Brown

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.

Marie Elizabeth Brown, 89, passed away June 22, 2023. She was born May 18, 1934, in England. When she was six, during the Battle of Britain, an air raid siren sounded. In the resulting confusion she fell out of a bus, causing a severe concussion and resulting in petit mal epilepsy that continued the rest of her life.

Marie’s father was Roman Catholic requiring that the children attend Mass weekly. Her mother did not follow any specific religion. While Marie enjoyed Catholic rituals and traditions, she was greatly influenced by her mother’s openness to different beliefs. When she was 16, her family took a freighter to the US, traveling to visit her great-grandmother in Ohio. Her mother met Dwight Brown through the Chamber of Commerce and was so impressed she introduced him to Marie. Dwight described Marie as a lovely girl who loved moving about in nature, among trees and flowers, a dancing spirit. When Marie was 18 they married.

Upon Dwight’s decision to become a UU minister, they moved to Berkeley CA, for Dwight to attend Starr King. Marie worked as a seamstress and in childcare to help support the family and they were blessed with four children within six years.

Marie attended Kent State University and Texas Wesleyan, receiving her M.A. in Gifted Education. She developed the Pegasus Program for gifted children in Ohio. Her teaching influenced an enormous number of children. While Dwight was pastor of the Dallas UU Church, Marie began Creative Movement classes. This became one of her most loved endeavors.

Marie and Dwight were married 60 years. His ministry took them to Trenton NJ; Calgary, Alberta; Dallas TX, and Shaker Heights OH. He also served the UUA in Boston MA, New York City, and Ft Worth TX. Dwight died in 2012. For the last years of Marie’s life, she lived at Juniper Assisted Living. Even though she did not drive she maneuvered all over town on her motor-powered tricycle.

Marie became a member of the UU Church of the Hill Country in Kerrville, TX, in 2004 when she and Dwight retired there. She initiated and organized Forums; Adult Religious Education; Children’s Religious Education; and even took the church trash cans to the curb. She supported UBARU, the retreat center in Mountain Home, and new buildings were named in honor of her and Rev Dwight.

Marie is survived by their children Janet Brown of Dallas; Deborah Brister of Austin; Stephanie Murray of Brownwood TX; and David Brown of Boston; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Gathering was held July 8 at the UU Church in Kerrville.

The Rev. Helen “Christine” Brownlie died on September 15, 2022, at the age of 75. 

Chris was born on August 24, 1947, in Dearborn MI to Robert Lesman and Helen Chervinsky. She attended Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches during childhood and early adolescence. Church had always been an important influence and source of solace in her life. Over time, Chris felt uncomfortable with many of the doctrines and creeds. Once she attended college, she discovered a Unitarian Church. This discovery was a wonderful relief for her as she found a place where she could feel both comfortable and challenged by the teachings, she encountered each week.

Chris received her Bachelor of Arts in 1970 from the New School for Social Research, NY. Thereafter, she worked full-time as a medical social worker and part-time as a Director of Religious Education (DRE) at the First Jefferson Church, Fort Worth TX (1984–1997). While a DRE, she led a process resulting in the adoption of a congregational policy for staff and volunteers who worked with youth. In 1997, she graduated from Brite Divinity School, TX with her Master of Divinity.

Rev. Brownlie was ordained on October 25, 1998, by the First Jefferson Church in Fort Worth. From 1998 to 1999, she served the UU Fellowship of Montgomery AL as an interim minister. The fellowship was in the early stages of the canvass and Rev. Brownlie took an active part in the planning process with the Finance Committee. She worked closely with the Ministerial Search Committee and prepared the fellowship to welcome a full-time minister. Furthermore, she encouraged children’s participation in worship services and was very effective in counseling those in distress, ill, and the aged.

In 1999, Rev. Brownlie accepted a call from the UU Congregation, Blacksburg VA where she served until 2011. She guided and supported the work of the board and committees and helped the congregation develop a sense of vision and purpose. The congregation showed great improvement under her leadership, particularly in the areas of welcoming, sense of community, and integrating new members. Under her leadership, the RE program grew tremendously; she was very dedicated to the children and presented meaningful adult RE offerings. In 2011, the congregation honored her as minister emerita.

Rev. Brownlie’s denominational work included serving as a chaplain for the Southwest District YRUU camp (1996). She facilitated numerous workshops for the Southwest District R.E conference and the RE development program at the district Summer Institute. Moreover, she was a member of the Southwest District RE Committee (1990–1995), UUMA, and LREDA.

Through her sermons, Rev. Brownlie encouraged, challenged, and guided both the congregation and individuals to be active seekers of truth, goodness, and understanding. She was a friend to the congregants, whatever their age and circumstance; she stood with them in times of grief, celebrated in times of joy; and provided a steady source of care and encouragement throughout. She knew the congregation well and addressed people with relevance to their lives, was very attentive to being available, and created a welcoming environment.

Additionally, Chris’ involvement in the community and her leadership in addressing social justice concerns were remarkable. She served on the advisory council of Planned Parenthood of Blue Ridge VA, sat on the board of Court Appointed Special Advocated (CASA), and was active with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She volunteered for Hospice West and delivered meals for Meals on Wheels, both in Tuscaloosa AL (1997–1998). In her spare time, she enjoyed reading, gardening, sewing, walking, music, and various crafts.

Her son Colin shared, “I remember in high school, when my mom was driving my friends and me somewhere, listening to the radio when a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song came on the radio. My mom and I sang along together, not caring that anyone else was listening to us.”

Her son Matthew noted, “Some parents make unconditional love look easy. My mom did. Her love for her two sons was as predictable and consistent as air or sky. What I really learned from my mom is that this steadfast, predictable, unconditional love is not to be reserved for your children, or your family, or friends, or immediate community. This kind of love becomes a practice, and this practice can and should be applied to everything. Whatever you encounter: you don’t have to like it, but you can try to love it.”

Her sister Diane shared, “Chris was the first of four daughters, and we would all agree that even as a young child she was serious, an avid reader, and purpose-driven; as her sisters, we didn’t understand that part until we were older. When she announced her decision to become a member of the clergy, this seemed a fit. Attending her ordination was a moment in time when she was truly joyous.”

Christine is survived by husband Russell Flack of Radford VA; sons Matthew Brownlie of Houston TX and Colin Brownlie of Hanoi, Vietnam; and sisters Diane Lesman of Rougemont NC, Claudia Boysen of Eden Prairie MN, and Vicki Estrem of Edina MN.

A memorial service was held on October 8, 2022, at the UU Congregation, Blacksburg VA. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to a charity of one’s own choosing. Notes of condolences can be written to Russell Flack at 1307 Tyler Avenue, Radford VA 24141.

Robert William Brownlie

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.

Orlanda Brugnola

The Rev. Dr. Orlanda R. Brugnola, whose gentle spirit touched many hundreds of lives through creative artistry, pastoral presence, religious scholarship, committed teaching, tireless work against racism and oppression, and steady dedication to worldwide religion and interfaith dialogue, died unexpectedly on February 24, 2016, at age 69.

In devotion to interfaith cooperation and interreligious peace, Orlanda planned many conferences and programs to encourage dialogue, including the Parliament of the World’s Religions. She served as president of the Institute for the Study of Genocide for nineteen years and was long and deeply active in the International Association of Liberal Religious Women and the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF). She served on the board of the IARF’s U.S. Chapter and organized workshops for the IARF’s periodic World Congresses.

A talented studio artist who created art for most of her life, Orlanda exhibited photographs, paintings, drawings, and sculpture in many group shows and more than nine solo shows in New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. With over twenty years of curatorial experience and additional interests in poetry and music, she served over twenty years on the Board of Directors of the American Festival of Microtonal Music and six years as president of the Society for the Arts, Religion and Contemporary Culture.

Orlanda Brugnola

Orlanda didn’t care much for religious labels, but she often numbered herself among “technicians of the sacred” [Jerome Rothenberg, 1968]. As she explained it, these “are beings who, for one reason or another, seem able to live more fully in the mystery.” Her close friend and ministerial colleague, Doris Hunter, described her as a “Renaissance spirit producing works of art, poetry and creative ideas designed to change the world. Orlanda’s interests were boundless and reflected not only an amazing intellectual ability but also an appreciation for the rich diversity of human culture. Above all, Orlanda was a faithful friend to everyone she met. Her presence spread grace to all who knew her.”

Orlanda Rice Brugnola was born on April 1, 1946 to Anthony Brugnola and Kathrine Schwellenbach. She earned a B.A. in psychology at UC Berkeley in 1966, and a M.Div. from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1979. She received certification in mediation, conflict resolution, and art therapy, and was registered as an art therapist by the American Expressive Therapy Association in 1989. In 1998, Orlanda received a Master of Fine Art in Painting from the City University of New York, and in 2014, a Doctorate in Ministry from New York Theological Seminary.

Ms. Brugnola was ordained to the ministry in 1979 by the First Unitarian (now UU) Church of Berkeley, California, where she served as a ministerial intern. Beginning as an assistant minister to the First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn, New York in 1981, she held a variety of ministerial positions at that congregation until being named Chaplain Emerita in 2009. She went on to serve interim ministries at the UU Fellowship of Poughkeepsie (2009-11), the UU Congregation of Hudson Valley (2011-12), and the UU Congregation of Queens (2013-14). In 2013 she was appointed an affiliate minister to the Community Church of New York and then church administrator in 2014, holding both positions until her death.

The Rev. Ms. Brugnola served over thirty years in various community ministries. She was employed at Columbia University as both UU Chaplain (1988-2011) and Chaplain for the Arts (1989-96), and at Union Theological Seminary as UU Chaplain (2009-11). For thirty-five years (1981-2016), she held an adjunct assistant professorship in the departments of philosophy and interdisciplinary studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (City University of New York), teaching philosophy and world religions. Through her John Jay connection, she also taught philosophy at the Rikers Island jail complex and at a New York residential drug treatment program. In addition, she spent several years offering courses in ministerial formation and conflict resolution to students at Skidmore College, Union Theological Seminary, and Meadville Lombard Theological School. As a member of Collegium (an association for liberal religious studies), she contributed frequent papers, mostly on the arts in Eastern religions.

Ms. Brugnola worked determinedly to dismantle racism and oppression around the world. From 1991 to 2016, she sat on the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Metro New York District Anti-Racism and Diversity Committee (formally the Racial Concerns Committee), and from 1997 to 2016 she served as an active Board Member of the Clinton Association for a Renewed Environment, an organization seeking to create affordable housing in New York City. She served as co-vice president of Diverse, Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM) from 2013 to 2015. Committed to the betterment of the wider UU movement, Orlanda served on the UUA Commission on Appraisal from 2003 to 2009, and the UUA Board of Review from 2013 to 2016.

Orlanda received many honors for these diverse contributions to ministry, education, social justice, and the arts. She was elected a fellow of the Society for the Arts and Religion & Contemporary Culture in 1993, and she was elected as the Artist-in-Residence for the Henry Street Settlement in 1999-2000 and 2001-2002. From John Jay College she earned a Performance Award for Teaching Faculty in 1999, and recognition for twenty-five years of teaching at the college in 2006. She was recognized for outstanding service by the U.S. Chapter of the IARF in 2006 and received the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., Business Visionary Award in 2008.

Her dear friend, Janice Marie Johnson, recalled Orlanda as “… one whose deeds spoke of a generosity of spirit that knew no bounds. Orlanda has been a source not only of inspiration, but indeed of transformation. A woman of many gifts, she had an extraordinary understanding of the complexity of the human condition. She defined and demanded excellence. Her gentle yet sharp eyes and her patient yet unyielding ears were meant to bring confidence and surety. Orlanda hoped to shepherd us to our best selves.”

A memorial service was held on Sunday, April 17, 2016 at The Community Church (UU) of New York. Notes of condolence can be sent in care of the Rev. Bruce Southworth, The Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist, 40 East 35th Street, New York 10016.

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 Reverend Beverly Bumbaugh—who came into UU ministry in mid-life and served multiple solo and co-ministry settlements with her husband David Bumbaugh—died on 14 February 2019, aged 82.

Beverly Ann Keplinger, the oldest of six children of Paul L. and Thelma A. Keplinger, was born on 2 May 1936 in Hagerstown, Maryland. Midway through college she married her high-school sweetheart, David Bumbaugh, and completed her B.A. in English in 1958.

Raising a family occupied much of Beverly’s time early on as David completed ministerial study and served churches in the Midwest. By the mid-1970s, hearing a ministerial call of her own, she began informally sharing roles with her husband, then settled since 1969 in Alexandria VA. In affirmation of this, the Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church board accepted their joint proposal in 1977 to recognize them as co-ministers, and the congregation forthwith ordained her on 22 January 1978. She soon enrolled in an independent ministerial study program, completing the equivalent of an M.Div. in 1981.

Over succeeding years, the Rev’d Ms. Bumbaugh served settled and interim ministries at the UU Fellowship at Easton MD, the East Shore UU Church (Kirtland OH, 1986–87), the UU Congregation of Rockland NY (1987–91), the Muttontown (NY) UU Fellowship (1992), the UU Church of the Lehigh Valley PA (1992–93), and the South Nassau UU Congregation, NY (1994–95). In 1995 she returned to co- ministry with David at the Beacon UU Congregation in Summit NJ, where he had already been settled for seven years. A cancer diagnosis led her to early retirement in 1998, and the Beacon congregation elected her Minister Emerita.

At her death, Beverly was survived by her spouse, the Rev’d David E. Bumbaugh, four children, four grandsons, and five siblings.

Memorial services were scheduled on 6 April 2019 at Bristol Village in Waverly OH; and on 25 May 2019 at the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church in Alexandria VA. Notes of condolence may be sent to David E. Bumbaugh, 335 Oak Ave, Waverly OH 45690, or revbev@aol.com.

The Rev. Barbara Dunbar Burke died on October 28, 2019, at the age of 85.

Barbara is survived by her sons Jesse McDonald, TJ McDonald and his wife Hisako Matsumoto; her sisters Elizabeth Merriman, and Nancy Bosch; her grandson Kisho McDonald; her granddaughters Lily McDonald, Georgia McDonald, and Ruby McDonald; her nieces Kate Merriman, Porter Merriman, and Amy Taylor; her nephew Joe McCormick; and her grandniece Elsabet Merriman.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Path with Art, 312 2^nd Ave South, Seattle, WA 98104.  UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

A memorial service is being planned for January.

Notes of condolence may be sent to TJ McDonald at 312 N 82^nd St, Seattle, WA 98103.

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

Terry Burke

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.

Rosemary Morris Burns

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.

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.

Esme Cahill

Esme MacKinnon Cahill, spouse of the late Reverend Edward Cahill, died 8 July 2018.

Born in Nova Scotia in January 1927 to Herbert and Marie MacKinnon, she grew up in North Easton, Massachusetts, and graduated from Boston University.

She married the Reverend Edward Cahill in 1955, and became the full-time stepmother of his daughter Linda. He was serving a UU church in Charlotte, North Carolina, before moving to churches in Atlanta, Georgia, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1969 he came to serve the UU church of Concord, New Hampshire.

Esme was an active minister’s spouse. She wrote and spoke of her experiences with Martin Luther King, Jr.’s church and the turbulent civil rights era. She served in many capacities, especially in the UU Church of Concord. She was Chair of the Prudential Committee, and actively worked on the Finance, Caring, and Long Term Planning committees.

She worked professionally her entire life. She did significant public health research with the Survey Research Center, U of Michigan, and co-authored an early study useful in the evolution of managed care. She worked with the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta and the School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. In Concord, she was a freelance contractor to survey research companies before working for the Digital Equipment Corporation. She retired in 1992.

Esme had a passionate interest in arts and crafts. She became an accomplished silver jewelry maker and taught classes as well as served on the board of the Arts Council of Greater Concord and the Concord Arts & Crafts Council. Her other community service activities included serving on the Board of the N.H. Mental Health Association and as a consumer representative at the United Health System Agency. In her later years, Esme most enjoyed her volunteer work and friends with the Hopkinton Town Library.

Ms. Cahill leaves her stepdaughter and son-in law, Linda and Dennis Brunn, her granddaughter Jennifer and her husband Ecco Adler, her great grandson, Nico Adler, and her nieces Beth Hemmert, Ellen Muehlenberger and their families.

The family suggests memorial donations to the ACLU or to the Hopkinton Town Library.

Julia Cairns, widow of the Rev. Fred Cairns, died Dec. 29, 2007 in her late 80’s. Her son Ken said, “She died peacefully at her home with her family around her. She was a great lady.” Anne Orfald wrote: “She was a lovely person who had a good life, and was relatively independent in a residence where she could sleep ’til noon if she wished, enjoyed reading, got around with a walker, could take meals in the dining room when she chose, and was happy that her daughter-in-law was on the staff of the home. According to Charles Eddis, Fred Cairns was a staunch humanist who served congregations in Needham, MA, Madison, WI, and Hamilton, ON.

Ann Perry Reynolds Campbell, spouse of the Reverend Fred Campbell, died 27 Sept 2021, surrounded by family. Born 11 June 1937 in Woodstock, Connecticut, where her family had been for eight generations, Ann left to attend Earlham College in Indiana, after graduating from Woodstock Academy.

Ann met Fred Campbell at Earlham when she was managing the student cafeteria and Fred applied for a job in the kitchen. They married in 1960, after graduating.

Her inquisitive mind and natural sense of humor led her to enjoy a range of employment. She helped design the Head Start Programs at the University of Arkansas. She served as purchasing director for the Michigan Cancer Foundation in Detroit, and she worked in hardware stores. 

She was an Advanced Master Gardener and couldn’t pass a garden without pulling weeds. Ann was also a Master Thrifter whose turn signal automatically started blinking for a yard sale. During the last 20 years while living in Williamston, MI, Ann participated in Shagbark Questers historical society; restoration of the one-room Branch School; garden clubs at the local, state and national levels; Williamston Kiwanis, the Williamston Depot Museum, food bank and more. 

She was kind whenever possible. Her kindness being tempered only by her tendency to be a little more truthful than some people were comfortable with. Ann’s sense of humor was perhaps her greatest asset, and it was ever present. Relatively early in their 61 year marriage, when asked why she wasn’t more engaged helping her husband Fred in his job as a minister she observed “As far as I can tell, you are only paying one salary.” 

Ann is survived by her loving husband Fred Campbell, son Craig Campbell (Peggy), daughter Judi Lintott (Richard), and four adult grandchildren, Ian Campbell, Griffin Campbell, Emily Lintott and Susan Lintott. 

A celebration of Ann’s life, along with dedication of a community memorial garden to be created in her honor, will be held in early summer 2022. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ann’s name to Ann Campbell Memorial, Williamston Area Beautification Fund, PO Box 116, Williamston, MI 48895.

Ann Reynolds Campbell died on September 27, 2021 at the age of 84. Her husband is the Rev. Fred Campbell. Ann was remembered in UURMaPA’s virtual conference in October.

Ann is survived by her loving husband Fred Campbell, son Craig Campbell (Peggy), daughter Judi Lintott (Richard), and four adult grandchildren, Ian Campbell, Griffin Campbell, Emily Lintott and Susan Lintott. A celebration of Ann’s life, along with dedication of a community memorial garden to be created in her honor, will be held in early summer 2022.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ann’s name to Ann Campbell Memorial, Williamston Area Beautification Fund, P.O. Box 116, Williamston, MI 48895. UURMaPA will contribute $50 in her memory.

Ann was an Advanced Master Gardener through the Michigan State University extension program, and she could not pass a garden without pulling weeds. During the last 20 years while living in Williamston, MI, Ann participated in Shagbark Questers historical society; restoration of the one-room Branch School; garden clubs at the local, state and national levels; Williamston Kiwanis, many Red Cedar Jubilee celebrations, the Williamston Depot Museum, food bank and more.

We understand that notes of condolence can be sent to the Rev. Fred Campbell, 1186 Wild Cherry Drive, Williamston, MI 48895-9443.

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

Chuck Campbell

Charles Patrick “Chuck” Campbell died on March 10, 2019 at the age of 81. He was born in Tacoma, Washington 21 October 1937, the only child of Chet and Rowena Campbell.  The family moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico after WWII, when Chet worked on converting the labs to post war uses. They moved to Colorado just as Chuck was entering high school, and he graduated from Boulder High in 1955. Eventually he received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UC Boulder, with a concentration in English literature. His studies were interrupted, however, by a two-year sojourn in the Navy.

While at University, Chuck met and married his first wife, Mary Lou.  When they confessed to friends that they’d become disenchanted with their childhood faiths, the friends introduced them to the Unitarian Church of Boulder. This encounter was the beginning of Chuck’s 59- year pilgrimage as a Unitarian Universalist.

In 1964, Chuck was accepted into a Ph.D. program in Boston. But his fellowship wouldn’t cover living expenses, and so he began to pursue other lines of work. He taught literature part-time at two local colleges, and found work with Arthur D. Little, a Cambridge consulting firm. During this time, he and Mary Lou decided to go their separate ways.

Tamara (“Tommi”) Wadsworth came into Chuck’s life in 1967. When they married the next year, he became an unofficial Dad to her three children, Dennis, Peter, and Jill. Tommi was also a UU, and together they became active in Boston’s Arlington Street Church. There they befriended a young lawyer named Sue Spencer, who remained friends with them through the years, and who would eventually become a UU minister. In 1979, the Campbells moved to Albuquerque to be closer to Chuck’s parents.

Chuck didn’t immediately find a teaching job in Albuquerque. Ever resourceful, he went to work for Mayflower, and for a few years drove moving vans all over the country. In 1982, he and Tommi found teaching jobs at the University of Albuquerque, and when it folded, he began a Ph.D. Program at the University of New Mexico. He earned his doctorate at age 51, in Technical Communication, and landed a tenure-track position at New Mexico Tech in Socorro. He taught at Tech for 12 years, retiring in 1999.

Although Chuck had been a “band geek” in high school, his love of the tuba blossomed after he came to Albuquerque. He played with several bands, but developed a passion for the traditional jazz of New Orleans. For 17 years he held the Tuba position with the Route 66 Revelers.

When Tommi died in 2011, Chuck’s long friendship with Sue Spencer blossomed into “something more,” and they married in 2012. From then until Chuck’s death, they counted themselves blessed to be together. When Sue became the Developmental Minister in Las Cruces, Chuck became the best clergy spouse anyone could ask for.

Chuck had been diagnosed in 2007 with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). For many years he was active despite this life-threatening illness — traveling, playing music, enjoying the out of doors, going to church, and generally finding joy in life. In the last 10 days of his life, he played three Mardi Gras gigs and one concert band practice, before the disease process finally caught up with him.

He is survived by his wife, the Rev. Dr. Suzanne Redfern-Campbell, two stepchildren from his prior marriage to the late Tamara G. Campbell, and many beloved family members.

A memorial service was held on April 13, 2019 at the First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, NM, where Chuck was a member for almost 40 years.

Memorial donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, or to the Ministerial Internship Program at First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, 3701 Carlisle Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. UURMaPA will contribute $50 in his honor to the Albuquerque church.

Notes of condolence can be sent to Sue Redfern-Campbell, 6118 Edith Blvd NE, Unit 20, Albuquerque, NM 87107.

Robert Louis Campbell, 85, husband of the Rev. Mary Louise DeWolf, died December 19, 2015 at home in Crystal River, FL, with hospice care. He was born in Port Jervis, NY, the only child of Louis and Elizabeth Strauser Campbell.

He graduated from high school in Poughkeepsie, NY where he ran track and played football. After attending Brown University in Providence, RI for one year, he transferred to Boston University. At BU he was House Manager of the Alpha Chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha, ran track, was a sprinter, and graduated with a BA in Latin American Regional Studies.

He then enlisted in the Marine Corps Officers Candidate School and graduated as a second lieutenant. He was stationed four years as the first platoon leader in an infantry company at Marine Corps Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, HI. He served as the base provost marshal (the equivalent of a county sheriff), defense counsel and trial counsel for special court martial cases, and was responsible for monitoring civilian activities on the base. He was a reconnaissance officer for the First Marine Brigade. As an extra activity, he put together eight-man football contests.

Upon returning home, Bob was hired by Kemper Insurance and became the district manager of the Boston area and the owner of Mutual General Insurance Agency, a brokerage outlet for New England. Bob then joined the E. A. Stevens Insurance Agency as a salesperson specializing in retail and wholesale lumber dealers insurance. During these years he continued serving in the Marine Corps Reserve and retired from the Marines as a major.

Bob moved to Citrus County, Florida in 1991 and continued working for a short while with Baxley Insurance Company. He and his late wife, Nancy Eaton Vent, were charter members of Nature Coast Unitarian Universalists in Lecanto in 1998.
He met Mary Louise in 2000 through the Unitarian Church. She was studying for the UU ministry then and shared a book on grieving with Bob when his wife, Nancy, died.

Bob enjoyed playing golf at Seven Rivers Golf and Country Club in Crystal River, and volunteering with the Citrus County Democratic Party. He is survived by his second wife, Mary Louise DeWolf, whom he married in 2000. Bob is also survived by his son Gifford Campbell, his daughter-in-law, Michele, in Salem, MA; grandson Erric Emerson in Philadelphia; granddaughter, Julie Partington, and great grandchildren, Haven and Harmony Partington, in Maybrook, NY.

A memorial service for Bob was held at Nature Coast Unitarian Universalists, 7633 N. Florida Ave., Citrus Springs on , January 6, 2016.

Notes of remembrance may go to Mary Louise DeWolf, 936 Pompano Ave., Crystal River, FL 34429.

Cathy Cardell

Catherine J. (Seeger) Cardell, 72, surviving spouse of the late Reverend Nicholas C. Cardell, Jr., died September 10, 2018 in Syracuse New York, after a long illness.

Cathy was born in the small, blue collar factory town of Ilion, New York. She grew up there and in Albany, graduating from Academy of the Holy Names and Hudson Valley Community College. While in Albany, Cathy met and married Nick Cardell. They moved to Syracuse when he was called to serve as minister of May Memorial Unitarian Society.

Although she eventually worked at NYDOT, Cathy was first employed as an administrative assistant for the church. With a great sense of humor and a warm smile, she worked to connect folks with one another and to bring joy and love into the church. She facilitated some small groups and helped found a women’s group called Evenings Beyond Eve, which still exists and focuses on raising consciousness of world events.

Cathy was also a fierce social justice warrior, advocating for the church to become a sanctuary for those in need of protection, and protesting at the School of the Americas. Her spirituality and theology was rooted in Native American teachings, she always felt closer to the divine when out in nature.  

After Nick’s death in 2002, Cathy began to make a new life for herself away from May Memorial.  She met Roosevelt Dean, a blues musician, who would be the final love of her life. This new relationship would propel her into the social world of blues music and new friendships.  

She is survived by a brother, Michael (Jackie) Seeger, of East Nassau, NY and a sister, Rosemary Welch, of Syracuse, NY.

Donations may be made in her memory to Francis House Hospice and In My Father’s Kitchen, of Syracuse.

The Rev. Rosemarie Carnarius, whose life was defined early on by a fierce devotion to human justice and political freedom, died on 10 October 2015, aged 76.

Rosemarie was born in Leipzig, Germany, on 27 November 1938 to Karl Schnabel and Hilda Gertrud Barth. After escaping to West Germany at age 17, she met and married Roderick Carnarius, with whom she relocated to the U.S. in 1960. As she was happily raising their two children, she became active in the UU congregation of Trenton, New Jersey. She used her spare time to read voraciously in history, philosophy, and world religions and to work with the elderly in a Quaker nursing home. All these, she wrote, “gave me many opportunities to see more compassionately into the heart of humanity.”

In 1984, divorced and with her children grown, Rosemarie turned her eyes to the American Southwest, whose special beauty had long captured her imagination. In the Tucson UU church she served as the DRE for two and a half years. She entered Starr King School for the Ministry, earning her M.Div. in 1991.

Ms. Carnarius was ordained by the Unitarian Church of the Monterey Peninsula (Carmel, Calif.) in 1992. She briefly served UU churches in Wyoming and New Mexico before complications from hip surgery curtailed her ministerial activity. Meanwhile, she had met Aston Bloom, who would become her soulmate and life partner for nearly twenty years. They moved back to Tucson and at her old church, Rosemarie served as Minister in Association (1999-2002) and was able to assume limited professional work.

Rosemarie is remembered by Aston as “constantly thinking of others, even when she was dying.” Aston recalled a moment when Rosemarie, just two weeks before her death, noticed that Aston hadn’t been eating well and sat her down to prepare a week’s worth of sample menus. Aston mused, “She never realized how special she was… I was her caregiver, and she was mine.”

Besides her long-time life partner, Aston Bloom, Rosemarie is survived by her sister Karin, children Michael and Patricia, five grandchildren, multiple nephews, nieces, and other relatives in Germany as wIl as dear friends in both the United States and abroad.

A memorial service was conducted by the Rev. Diane Dowgiert on November 21, 2015, at the UU Church of Tucson. Memorial donations are encouraged to ANERA (American Near East Refugee Aid), 1111 14th St. NW, #400, Washington, DC 22225. Condolences may be sent to Ms. Aston Bloom, 88 S. London Station Road, Tucson, AZ 85748.

Freda Wolfe Carnes, widow of the Rev. Paul Carnes, third President of the UUA, died September 18, 2004 in Boston. Freda married Paul following World War II, after Carnes’ release as a prisoner of war. They were parents to Paul Nathaniel, Jr., and Molly. Freda was committed to studies in education and child development, which she pursued in Cleveland, OH and Buffalo, NY. In Buffalo, she was assistant professor in the early childhood department of the State College Learning Lab. The Carneses lived in Youngstown, OH; Memphis, TN; Buffalo and Boston, where they moved when Paul was elected UUA president in 1977. Freda is survived by her children and three grandchildren. A service memorial service was held at October 2 at King’s Chapel.

The Rev. Dr. Frank W. Carpenter died on July 4, 2024, at the age of 81 (1943-2024).

Frank is survived by his partner Jacqueline Rousseau; his son William Carpenter; and granddaughter Elleanora Carpenter.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at the First Unitarian Church of Cincinnati, 536 Linton St, Cincinnati OH 45219.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Michael J Fox Foundation <https://give.michaeljfox.org/give/421686/#!/donation/checkout>. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Jacqueline Rousseau, 4640 Hamilton Ave, Cincinnati OH 45223.

A more complete A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com.  will follow.

The Reverend Dr. Vic Carpenter Jr.—distinguished parish minister and tireless advocate for the disadvantaged and marginalized—died on 1 June 2018, aged 88.

Throughout his ministry, Vic was always awake—in compassion, preaching, and action—to the suffering of others. In South Africa, he and spouse Cathe worked against apartheid and he was sometimes a secret courier of international messages and money for legal and social aid to apartheid victims. In the United States, the Rev’d Mr. Carpenter was active in a breathtaking number and variety of social justice causes and organizations, opposing racial, gendered, and economic discrimination, the Vietnam and Gulf Wars, the death penalty, police violence, unjust immigration restrictions, and exploitation of hotel and hospital workers.

He promoted prison reform, reproductive freedom, same sex marriage, disability rights, and full educational access. He lost track of the number of his civil disobedience arrests. In 2011 the UUA gave him the Award for Distinguished Service to the cause of Unitarian Universalism.

Victor Howard Carpenter Jr. was born in Newton, Massachusetts, on 23 October 1929 to Victor Sr. and Pauline Carpenter. After service in the U.S. Marine Corps (1951–54), including two years in Korea, he completed his undergraduate work at Boston University in 1955 with a B.A. in English, and then earned an S.T.B. in 1959 from Harvard Divinity School. In 1987, Mr. Carpenter would receive an S.T.D. honoris causa from Starr King School.

Mr. Carpenter was ordained on 28 September 1958 by Christ Church, Unitarian in Dorchester, MA. Parish settlements followed in Norwell, MA (1959–62), Capetown, South Africa (1962–67), Philadelphia (1968–76), Boston (Arlington Street, 1976–87), and San Francisco (1987–93). His final settlement was at the First Church in Belmont, MA, where he was elected minister emeritus on retirement in 2002.

At his death, Victor was survived by his spouse of 60+ years, Cathe, children Tyler and Melissa, grandchildren Simone and Milo, and brother John. His daughter Gracia had died earlier.

Mary Archibald Carrier

Mary Archibald Carrier, 88, wife of the Rev. Gaston M. Carrier, died September 14, 2008. A native of Lexington MA, she graduated from Acadia University in Nova Scotia and earned credentials as a psychiatric social worker at Simmons School of Social Work in Boston. She worked in Montreal, Chicago and Burlington VT, and volunteered with the UUSC. Never a minister’s wife but always the wife of a minister, she supported her husband’s ministry in a variety of ways. She served as DRE in Burlington VT and Danbury CT and oversaw expansion and revitalization of both RE programs. She also found time to participate in the social life of the churches. She loved the outdoors and will be remembered for decorating the sanctuary with wildflowers and other natural objects. Serving as a founding member of the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS), was just one of her many contributions to the Burlington Community. She was involved in handicrafts of many types and participated in many juried shows throughout Vermont. After she retired she worked as a guide at the Shelburne Museum.

Gregg Carter

The Rev. I. Gregg Carter, parish minister, amateur organist and music lover, and expert calligrapher, died on 20 April 2014 at the age of 85.

Ira Gregg Carter was born 28 February 1929 in Birmingham, Alabama, the only child of Joseph and Lena (Gregory) Carter, but soon moved with his parents to the small town of Amory, Mississippi, where he grew up and attended a Bible-centered church with his mother. After high school he began study at Southwestern College, a small historically Presbyterian school in Memphis.

Gregg Carter

Once there, he later recalled, “my childhood faith lasted only a few weeks.” As a quintessential seeker and “constant questioner,” he found his way to the Unitarian church in Memphis, where the Rev. Richard B. Gibbs articulated religious views that “made sense” and provided a “pivotal link” in Mr. Carter’s eventual pursuit of professional ministry. After earning a B.S. in psychology and sociology in 1949 from Southwestern (renamed Rhodes College in 1984), he was a social worker for the Tennessee Department of Welfare and then entered active duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Honorably discharged with the rank of corporal, he enrolled at Meadville Lombard Theological School and received his B.D. in 1956.

Gregg Carter was ordained to the Unitarian ministry by the Westminster Congregational Society (Unitarian) in Providence (now in East Greenwich), where he continued serving as minister until 1963. While there, parishioners introduced him to Jane Parrott, an M.A. student in English at the University of Rhode Island in nearby Kingston. They were married in 1961. After a call to the Unitarian Church of Staten Island (1963-68) and a one-year yoked ministry with the Unitarian Church of Sharon and the First Universalist Church of Foxborough (1968-69), he went on to parish settlements at the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson (1969-74), the UU Church of Greater Lynn (1974-77), and the First Congregational Parish in Kingston (1977-88)—all in Massachusetts.
He concluded his parish career with seven years of interim ministries at the UU Congregation of Fort Wayne, Indiana (1989-91), the Oak Ridge (Tennessee) UU Church (1991-92), the UU Church (now the Unity Temple UU Congregation) in Oak Park, Illinois (1992-93), and the First Universalist Church of Yarmouth, Maine (1994-95). In retirement, he lived in Somerset, Mass, on Cape Cod.

The Rev. Mr. Carter served the UUA and his ministerial colleagues in several capacities. He was a member of the Southern New England Unitarian Council (1957-58), advisor to the Narragansett Federation of Liberal Religious Youth (1957-58), secretary of the Channing Conference of Unitarian Churches (1957-58). president and scribe of the Channing-Murray Unitarian Ministers’ Association (1957-61), board member of the New England Unitarian Ministers’ Association (1957-61), program chair of the Greenfield Study Group of UU Ministers (1962-64), member of the Social Concerns Committee of the Metro NY UU Churches (1966-67), program chair and secretary-treasurer of the Central Massachusetts chapter of the UUMA (1971-72), and treasurer of the Unitarian Sunday School Society (1976-77).

Gregg Carter

Mr. Carter was an amateur organist and had a lifelong appreciation for music. He was a talented student of calligraphy and taught several classes on the subject. Additionally, he was fascinated with the history of religion, and was an avid reader. His wife Jane recalls him as “one of the kindest people who ever walked the earth; . . . everyone who knew him felt that way about him.” She remembers him fondly as a “wonderful father” and a gifted minister who was “excellent at extemporaneous prayers and preaching.”

Besides his wife, Gregg Carter is survived by son Scott Barton Carter, daughter Catherine E. Carter, son-in-law Kevin Seward, sister-in law Marcia Akerholm, and many cousins in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Virginia.

In gratitude to the Cape Cod program that has provided ongoing support for Gregg and Jane’s son Scott, who is challenged by autism and epilepsy, the family encourages donations in Gregg Carter’s name and memory to CapeAbilities, 895 Mary Dunn Road, Hyannis, Massachusetts 02601.

Notes of condolence may be sent in care of Jane Carter, 103 Sanford Ave, Somerset, Massachusetts 02726-5209.

The Rev. Jesse Raymond Cavileer, 87, died June 4, 2004. He held an AB from Syracuse University and and BD from Union Theological Seminary. He served congregations in Cleveland, Ohio; Chicago, IL; Pittsburgh, PA (minister emeritus); Missoula, MN; Glasgow, Scotland. He was active community affairs and chaired the Civil Liberties Clearing House in Cleveland and was on the board of the ACLU in Pittsburgh. He was also active in local antipoverty programs and neighborhood alliances.

The Rev. Helena P. Chapin, 68, died June 21, 2006 in Rochester, NY, of pneumonia. She earned a BA at the University of Michigan, and received an M.Ed. at the University of Maryland. She completed her Minister of Religious Education in the Independent Study Program. She was ordained in 1985 by the North Shore Unitarian of Deerfield, IL, and then served the First Parish of Framingham, MA. She also served Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church in Adelphi, MD, the First Unitarian Society of Schenectady, NY and the First Church in Belmont, MA. She later served the North Shore Unitarian Church in Deerfield, and First Unitarian Church in Rochester, NY, from which she retired. She volunteered for Planned Parenthood, The Susan B. Anthony House, and was an advocate for seniors and animals. Survivors include her children: Edwin, Todd and Leila Chapin. A memorial service was scheduled for July 1 at the UU Church of Canandaigua.

The Rev. Vivienne Chapman died on December 7, 2021, at the age of 94.

Vivienne is survived by her four children, Caroline Guild, Todd Guild, Katherine Guild, and Sylvia Guild Beaudoin; by her elder sister, Paulette C. Loomis; and by her five grandchildren; as well as nieces and nephews.

A memorial service is being planned.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Faith & Family Hospice Foundation, 420 Lakeside Ave., Suite 203A, Marlborough, MA, 01752. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence can be sent to the family in care of Sylvia Guild Beaudoin, 4 Kendal Common Rd., Weston, MA 02493-2160.

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

Constance Cheetham

Constance Meta Cheetham, 97, widow of the Rev. Henry Harris Cheetham, died Aug. 1, 2006. She was born in England. In 1953, the Cheethams boarded the QE II for America. She loved life in the U.S., in Newport, RI, Boston, and Charlottesville, VA. She promoted reading among children, managed the gift shop at University of Virginia Medical Center, and spent years helping out at Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church in Charlottesville. For this work she received the Clara Barton Award from the UUA. A lifetime service award was named after her. She is survived by her daughter, Ann C. Colley of Buffalo, New York; and one granddaughter.

Edith Christensen

Edith Macgregor Christensen, 92, widow of the Rev. John Paul Christensen, died June 6, 2010. She earned a BS in biology at Jackson College at Tufts University. She worked as a lab technician in Boston hospitals and in the sanitary engineering department at Harvard. She was a stay-at-home mother to their three children and a minister’s wife for 40 years. She and her husband were part of the organizing meeting for UURMaPA at Petersham, MA in 1985. Her husband died the following year. At his memorial service she took up a collection for UURMaPA and made a generous gift to our association. She was also a member of the UU Community Church of Glen Allen (VA), Eastern Star, World Wildlife Federation and Sierra Club, She was an outspoken environmentalist. She also enjoyed going to concerts and playing Mah Jongg. She was predeceased by her daughter Jeanne Christensen Kelly. She is survived by her children, John P. Christensen, Jr. and Diane Christensen and by her son-in-law and daughter-in-law.

The Rev. Albert Francis Ciarcia, 89, died on Friday, July 26, 2013. He was minister emeritus of the UU Church of Greater Bridgeport (Stratford, CT), which he served for 32 years. He was a tireless advocate for accessibility, and earned a commendation from the governor of CT. He is survived by his wife, Jane Ciarcia, his daughters Holly McCann, Joyce Ciarcia-Levy and his son Christopher.

At the request of the family there will be no further obituary.

The Rev. R. Lanier Clance, 74, died on April 15, 2013. Rev. Clance was born in Jacksonville, FL on December 18, 1938 to Henry and Eloise Clance. He attained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Lynchburg College in 1965. He also earned a Bachelor of Divinity from Lexington Theological Seminary in 1965.

Rev. Clance was ordained at the First Universalist Church in North Olmstead, OH on February 20, 1966. He was called to serve the First Universalist Church (now the Olmstead Unitarian Universalist Congregation) in 1965, and he stayed there until 1974. He then went on to found the First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta, GA in 1976. He continued to serve there (as well as the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Riverdale in Atlanta, GA from 1996-1998) until his retirement in 2001. He was given the honor of being named Minister Emeritus of the First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta in 2001.

Rev. Clance worked hard to uphold peace and justice in his community and beyond. Being a feminist, humanist, and all-around political activist, it comes as no surprise that his beliefs led him to work with the National Organization of Women (N.O.W.), the American Civil Liberties Union (A.C.L.U.), and various other community organizations.

A practitioner of Gestalt and existentialist therapies, Rev. Clance also counseled couples and individuals, and “was a compassionate and forthright companion through his clients’ suffering and joy.”

In 1976, Rev. Clance and eight other people joined together to form the First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta. They would eventually build its membership to 450 members by 1981. As one of the founders, Rev. Clance helped form a congregation which was intentionally diverse, bringing together folks from many different communities and helping them view life through a more expansive and generous lens. “As a speaker and leader, he was known for his spontaneity, honesty, and gift of being present in the moment. His legacy includes both a profound acceptance of others as they were and his dedication to urging his congregants to become more fully themselves.”

In “An Existential Ministry: Theory and Practice,” Rev. Clance speaks on his ministerial approach:

I consider my preaching to be Life-Centered. Intellectual concepts are drawn from philosophy, theology, psychology and other disciplines of study. I do not present lectures on these subjects. I do use these areas of knowledge to illuminate and illustrate my particular responses and reactions to life problems of human existence as well as the joys. I believe such preaching creates a dual response. The initial response is to my particular answers and analysis. A more profound response is created by providing individuals with a few concrete answers which they can accept or reject. Namely, they can then work out their own position or faith. I am personally more excited when an individual states something I said started him thinking about an issue or increased his awareness of his own feelings and ideas than when I hear another repeat what I have said as if it were the truth.

A friend noted, “Lanier will be remembered for his gift of engaging others in opening their spirits to know and celebrate the depth of human experience in each moment.”

Rev. Clance is survived by his life partners, who have both cared for him for the last 40 years, Pauline Rose and Nancy Zumoff.

A memorial service was planned for Sunday, May 12, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. at the First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta, 470 Candler Park Dr. NE, Atlanta, GA 30307.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Pauline Rose Clance and Nancy Zumoff at 1293 Fairview Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30306.

The Rev. Ronald Eugene Clark, 70, died August 16, 2006. He served at May Memorial of Syracuse, NY; the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City; and First Unitarian Church of Stoneham, MA, where he was named Emeritus Minister. He served the UUA 1976-1985 as Extension Director then as Director of Church Staff Finances. He later founded the Clark School in Danvers, MA, a private elementary school. He is survived by his wife Sharon and his three children: Kevin, Kristen and Jeffery.

Anne Elizabeth Torrison Clarke, 92, of Sister Bay WI, passed away Sept. 28, 2023, at Good Samaritan Society—Scandia Village in Sister Bay.

She was born Nov. 25, 1930, in Chicago IL, the daughter of Osuld and Marie (Schulz) Torrison and graduated from New Trier High School. She attended Vassar College (NY) and George Mason University (VA), earning a B.A. In 1951, she married Robert Clarke. 

Rev. Clarke was ordained in 1964 and Anne followed him to UU churches in Exeter NH; Arlington VA; Dallas TX; Mequon WI; and Cincinnati OH, where he was named Minister Emeritus. In 1992, Anne and Bob moved to Sister Bay, where they had spent summers for many years.

Anne was a member of PEO Wisconsin (Philanthropic Educational Organization) and was instrumental in spearheading the project to build the new Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Library building, overseeing the money-raising efforts to completion. In 1996, Anne and Bob, by then retired, helped found the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County in Sister Bay.

Anne will be missed by daughter, Betsy Clarke of Columbus OH; son, Jim Clarke of Ellison Bay WI; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 2013; her parents; and her sister, Mary.

Anne’s life will be honored with a memorial service at Scandia Village in Sister Bay, tentatively planned for November 2023. She will be laid to rest in Little Sister Cemetery in Sister Bay WI.

The Rev. Robert C. Clarke, 84, died on January 18, 2013. Rev. Clarke was born in Seattle, WA on June 11, 1928 to Ethel (Moore) and Clarence Clarke. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Millikin University in 1960. He then went on to attain a Bachelor of Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary in 1963.

Rev. Clarke was ordained on September 20, 1964 at the First Unitarian Society in Exeter, NH, where he also served from 1964-1967. He went on to serve the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA from 1967-1977; The First Unitarian Church of Dallas, TX from 1977-1980; the Unitarian Church North in Mequon, WI from 1982-1983; and the First Unitarian Church of Cincinnati, OH from 1983-1991. Rev. Clarke was honored with the title of Minister Emeritus from the First Unitarian Church, and retired from ministry in 1991. In 1996, he helped found the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County in Ephraim, WI.

Committed to his faith, Rev. Clarke lectured at the Star Island Family Conference in 1966; and spoke at the Southwestern Regional Conference in 1979. He was a member of the Holmes-Weatherly Award Committee in 1970 and 1971. He also served as Chairman of the Washington Advisory Committee to the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Department of Social Responsibility in 1967; as well as the Commission on Education for Professional Religious Leadership from 1970-1971.

Rev. Clarke enjoyed football, softball, golf, music, and reading. He was a guest on numerous religious television programs in Chicago, IL, Washington D.C., and Dallas, TX. He also volunteered at the Hadley School for the Blind and counseled prisoners.

Rev. Clarke is survived by his wife of 62 years, Anne; daughter, Betsy; son, Jim; grandchildren Marie and Justin; and great-granddaughter, Ava. He was predeceased by his sister, Helen, and brothers, Jim and Jack.

A memorial concert took place on Sunday, May 19, 2013 3:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County, 10341 Water Street, Ephraim, WI 54211.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Anne Clarke at 10554 Applewood Drive, Sister Bay, WI 54234.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Good Samaritan Society – Scandia Village at 10560 Applewood Rd., Sister Bay, WI 54234; or to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County at P.O. Box 859, Sister Bay, WI 54234.

Bruce Clary

The Rev. Bruce M. Clary, 72, died September 15, 2011. He earned his BA from the University of Tulsa and his Bachelor of Divinity from Meadville Lombard. He served churches in Bridgewater, MA; Oklahoma City, OK; Barre, VT; Stoughton, MA; Mentor, OH; and First Church and Dedham, MA, which named him minister emeritus. He served on the UUSC Board, the UUMA Exec, the CLF RE Committee, the LREDA Board, the Ballou Channing District RE Committee, and the Unitarian Sunday School Society. He was listed in Who’s Who in Religion and Who’s Who in America. He had received Special Recognition by the UUSC and had been awarded the Oklahoma Governor’s Award for Community Service. He authored a number of books, including Views from the Iceberg. In retirement his interests included painting, photography, writing, cooking, community theater, antiques, nautical history, and Native American art and rituals. He was predeceased by his wife, Dorothy Clary, in December. He is survived by his son, David Clary, his daughter-in-law, three granddaughters, and his sister, Barbara Clary Martin, and her husband, and by a niece and two nephews.

Dorothy Clary

Dorothy Moore Clary, 82, wife of the Rev. Bruce Clary, died December 23, 2010. She had been a physical education teacher who had a passion for teaching. She enjoyed swimming. During Bruce’s ministry at First Church, Dedham, MA, Dottie was an active member of the Women’s Alliance. Her work on the Alliance board included serving as co- president. She is remembered for helping with mailing the newsletter, networking, greeting and working on the church’s holly fair fundraiser. She supported the Dedham Food Pantry, volunteering many hours on behalf of the congregation. When she turned 80, Dottie was presented with the Clara Barton Award by the First Church (Dedham) Women’s Alliance. She is survived by her brother Charles Moore of Greenfield, MA, by three grandchildren and by her husband of 33 years.

The Reverend Peggy Clason—dedicated religious educator and consultant, parish minister, and volunteer pastoral counselor for residents in her retirement home—died on 29 August 2017, aged 76.
Marguerite Carlson was born on 3 April 1941 in New Britain, Connecticut, to Arvid and Dorothea Walleen Carlson.

In 1963 (the year in which she married her beloved spouse Don Clason), she was graduated summa cum laude from Upsala College (NJ) with a B.A. in English and Religion. While working initially in the publishing field, Peggy became active in religious education at East Shore UU Church in Mentor, OH. She went on to become the congregation’s Director of RE (1972–81) and, while still in that role, began ministerial study at Meadville Lombard Theological School, completing her M.Div. in 1981.

Ms. Clason was ordained on 4 October 1980 by the East Shore church in Mentor and continued there for another eight years as Minister of RE until 1988. She was then called to a parish ministry at the UU Society of Cleveland in Shaker Heights, where she served for seventeen years until retirement in 2005, when she was named Minister Emerita. Beyond local ministry, the Rev’d Ms. Clason continued service as Education Consultant to the UUA’s Ohio-Meadville District (1988–91) and as coauthor of the adult RE curriculum, Consider the Basics (1992).

She is survived by her spouse of 54 years Don, children Eric Clason and Christine Briede, three grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service took place on 30 September 2017 at East Shore UU Church in Mentor. Memorial donations are encouraged to the UU Society of Cleveland, to East Shore UU Church, and to the Life Care Fund of Ohio Living Breckenridge Village.

The Rev. Dr. Bruce C. Clear died on October 9, 2022, at the age of 72.

Bruce was born on June 9, 1950, in Anderson IN, to Dr. Val B. Clear and Evelyn R. Clear. He was raised in a devoutly Christian family which regularly attended the Church of God (Anderson IN). As a youth, Bruce felt at home in the church and fully expected that the church would become a major part of his life. He was always interested in religion and missionaries. Over time, he grew apart intellectually and doctrinally from the church he was raised. When he went to college, he discovered a Unitarian Universalist church. This discovery made him feel that he could reclaim his childhood and youthful devotion feeling religiously and intellectually at home.

In 1972, Bruce graduated from Anderson College, IN with a double major in political science and history following which he received his Master of Arts in Political Science (1974) from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. From 1974 to 1979, he worked for the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, doing research for the Congregational Research Service and then as a Public Information Specialist for the U.S Copyright Office. 

After his work at the Library of Congress, Bruce developed a desire to work closely with people in a religious setting and decided to devote his life to liberal religion in the form of the Unitarian Universalist ministry. Following this call, he earned his Master of Arts in Religion from the University of Chicago in 1981 and a Doctor of Ministry from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1983.

Rev. Dr. Clear was ordained jointly by the Michael Servetus Fellowship of Vancouver (now the UU Church of Vancouver) WA, and the Eastrose Fellowship of Portland OR on November 26, 1983. He served as an extension minister to his ordaining congregations from 1983 to 1986. (Neither had ever had a minister in their 30 year histories.) 

Rev. Clear served three-quarter time in Vancouver and a quarter time at Eastrose. He knew both congregations well, was caring and understanding, and especially supportive of people in crisis. By the end of his three-year commitment, Vancouver nearly doubled in size, and Eastrose had a half-time minister. In 1986, Vancouver called him to a full-time ministry. Under his ministry, the congregation grew rapidly, eventually leading to a new church building. 

In 1993, he accepted a call from All Souls Unitarian Church, Indianapolis IN, where he served until 2011. During his tenure, he helped with the Welcoming Congregation process and Green Sanctuary certification. He also strongly supported the music program.

Rev. Dr. Clear was a highly motivated minister who had a natural leadership ability that could be felt. He established a feeling of at-homeness among members and prospective members of the congregation. He could relate well to a diversity of people. His sermons challenged the members, individually and collectively, to reflect consciously on their lives.

Rev. Dr. Bruce’s denominational work included serving on the Executive Board of the UU Ministers Association (1991–1993). He taught at the Pacific Northwest District (PNWD) Leadership School, including two Advanced Schools (Worship and Congregation as Family Systems) and three years of Basic School. He was Good Offices Person for the PNWD UU Ministers Association and served as “minister to ministers” in difficult times. He was invited to preach at the 1991 PNWD Annual Meeting in Kelowna BC.

He wrote on issues such as censorship in schools, religion and state, Nicaragua, free speech, and reproductive rights. The UUA Department of Ministry published his essay on church conflict, “What I Have Learned about Churches and Ministers as Good Offices Person.”

In addition to his ministry and denominational services, Bruce was an outspoken community advocate for progressive and humanitarian causes. He served as a secretary of the Vancouver Association of Churches (1988–91) and as President of the Southwest Washington American Civil Liberties Union (1989–1991). In his leisure time, he enjoyed skiing, playing guitar, and learning about and listening to music. He also loved traveling and had a deep interest in other cultures.

Bruce is survived by his spouse Nancy Renner; brothers, Scott Clear and Todd Clear; son Cameron Clear; stepdaughter Carly Wise; and stepsons: Edward Kennedy, Gregory Kennedy, and Shane Kennedy. He was preceded in death by his stepdaughter Kelsey Kennedy.

A memorial service was held on October 15, 2022, at the Glacier Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 1515 Trumble Creek Rd, Kalispell MT 59901. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Trinity Haven. Notes of condolences can be written to Cameron Clear: cameronclear@yahoo.com.

Maurice Cobb

The Reverend Maurice W. Cobb of West Newfield, Maine — parish minister, religious educator, dedicated community social activist for justice and humanitarian causes, and DIY house builder — died in the Southern Maine Medical Center on 10 September 2015, aged 97.

The mainstay of his ministry was social action. His politics were as liberal as his theology, and ethics for him were situational. His friends attest to his giving and tolerant spirit; he was warm and witty, yet probing and perceptive. During his ministry in Brunswick, if anyone wanted access to help or services that were hard to come by, Maurice was known to be the one with the cosmic connection. He worked with those who back then were not well served by the system. Up until the day of his death he was aware that they are still with us, and they were in his thoughts.

Maurice Wendell Cobb was born on 4 March 1918 in Winchester, New Hampshire, but was raised in Brattleboro, Vermont, by his parents Richard Cobb and Lelia Lampson Cobb. His lifelong love of rural living began as he worked every summer on his grandfather’s farm — making hay, hitching up the horses to go to town, and bringing the cows home in the afternoon. Cold water in a tin cup was always Maurice’s favorite drink.

Mr. Cobb studied at the Crane Theological School of Tufts University and was ordained in 1943 at the White Street Universalist Church in East Boston, Massachusetts, where he had served as student minister the previous year and continued for an additional year. In 1944 he accepted a call to a yoked ministry with three churches in North Carolina’s Clinton Circuit — Hopewell, Clinton, and Red Hill — where he served until 1948. He took on an interim ministry in Derby Line, Vermont, in 1949, meanwhile studying for an M.A. in philosophy at the University of North Carolina, which he completed in 1953. Subsequent calls were to Attica-Belleville, Ohio (1953-57), Dolgeville and Salisbury Center, New York (1957-64), and Brunswick, Maine (1964-76).

The move to Brunswick in 1964 began a 12 year ministry, during which the Rev. Mr. Cobb helped the congregation grow and diversify, reaching out into the community with the social action organizations that meant so much to him: a suicide prevention program, the Bath-Brunswick food coop, and an Amnesty International group. Often at the head of a parade down Maine Street, he protested the wars and racial injustices of the era.

Leaving Brunswick in 1976, he went to New Bedford, Massachusetts, as assistant minister and religious education director (1976-79), and then to Billerica, Mass, as parish minister (1979-83), from which he retired in 1983 as Minister Emeritus. Returning to Maine, Maurice took a course in house design and construction at the Shelter Institute in Bath to prepare himself to build the only house he ever owned with the help of the Log Cabin Kits, in West Newfield. The construction was an adventure he never tired of retelling, and he dearly loved his home. There he remained for the rest of his life, interrupting his retirement just once for a part-time ministry to the nearby Sanford Unitarian Universalist Church (1998-2000).

Maurice Cobb

Throughout his retirement he continued his life work, lending support to Peace Action Maine, Amnesty International, Native American advocacy, and AARP. Gardening, letter writing, and the Red Sox were the relaxing pursuits of a long happy retirement. “He was deeply at peace with himself,” affirms one of his nieces.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Martha Gottlieb: 93 Head Tide Road, Whitefield, Maine 04353, brother Lawrence Cobb, or niece Llynda Bigalow, both of the latter at 77 Cedar Ridge Drive, Shelburne, Vermont 05482.

A memorial service was held in Sanford, Maine at the Sanford Unitarian Universalist Church on 24 October 2015. Memorial donations are encouraged to the charity of the donor’s choosing.

The Rev. John M. Coffee, Jr. died on May 8, 2012. He was 83 years old. Rev. Coffee was born in Tacoma, WA on November 20, 1928 to John M. and Lillian S. Coffee. Rev. Coffee attained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University in 1951. He then went on to earn a Bachelor of Sacred Theology and a Master of Sacred Theology from Harvard Divinity School in 1954 and 1956, respectively.

Rev. Coffee was ordained by the First Unitarian Church of Tacoma, WA on August 15, 1954. From there, he was called to the First Church in Roxbury, MA and served as its Minister from 1955-1977. He served the Church of Our Father in East Boston, MA from 1961-1974; and the Benevolent Fraternity of Unitarian Universalist Churches from 1978-1982. As an interim minister, he served at the First Unitarian Church of Providence, RI from 1977-1979. He was Minister Emeritus at the First Unitarian Church in Roxbury from 1977 until the end of his life. He also served as president of the Boston Minister’s Association.

Rev. Coffee taught for 39 years (1966-2005) at Emerson College in Boston, MA. As a longtime faculty member and eventual Professor Emeritus of History, Rev. Coffee was known by colleagues and students, alike, as a “talented storyteller who brought history alive in his classroom.” He was also one of the authors of A Century of Eloquence, a large volume on the his- tory of Emerson College.

Rev. Coffee was an avid collector of transportation tokens. In fact, at the time of his death, he owned the world’s largest collection of transportation tokens. He was the author of several books on the matter including Land Company and Real Estate Tokens, Automobile Washing Tokens, and The Atwood-Coffee Catalogue of United States and Canadian Transportation Tokens.

Rev. Coffee is survived by loving friends, colleagues and students.

Cathy Cohen

Roxanne Catherine Tullsen Cohen, MD, 69, widow of the Rev. Albert Orlando, died Mar. 5, 2013 of complications from a stroke. She was a renowned obstetrician/gynecologist who served the New Orleans community in private practice for 35 years. Cathy cared for countless women and delivered thousands of babies. She was born May 6, 1943, in Cincinnati and grew up in Scotch Plains, NJ, where she graduated third in her class at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. She graduated from Bucknell University and studied at The University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

She earned her medical degree from the University of Rochester and completed her internship and residency at The University of Chicago’s Lying-in Hospital. After these years, Cathy said that she would never live in a cold climate again.

Cathy also served as a U.S. Navy medical officer at Camp Lejeune, NC, before joining The Women’s Medical Centers in 1975. She also provided medical expertise at Planned Parenthood of Louisiana.

An active member of the First UU Church of New Orleans, Cathy was married to long-time minister and civil rights leader, the Rev. Albert D’Orlando, until his death in 1998. Cathy was a choir member for many years and also served as President of the Board of Trustees. She supported the ACLU and grew her hair for Locks of Love. She will be remembered for her warm sense of humor, thoughtful conversation, good nature, wisdom, sense of conviction and generosity. Cathy was avid reader, who enjoyed everything from literature to People Magazine.

Her love of classical music was matched only by her dedication to TV sitcoms. Long indifferent to professional sports, after age 60, she developed a passion for the Saints and became fluent in football statistics and knew about every player. She adored her many pet dachshunds and her cats. A faithful correspondent with a penchant for traveling, Cathy maintained life-long friendships around the globe.Cathy is survived by her brother Peter Tullsen (Nancy), niece Barbara Hill (Dan), nephew John Tullsen (Evan Siegel), grandnephew Wesley Hill, and grandniece Alaina Hill. She is also greatly missed by her companion, Nick Napolitano.

Notes of remembrance may go to her nephew: John Tullsen, 3525 North Marshfield Ave., Chicago, IL 60657.

The Reverend Carolyn Wood Colbert—artist, teacher, poet, parish minister, community organizer, justice activist, and lover of nature—died on 4 June 2019, at the age of 85.

Carolyn lived with beauty, artistry, and passion. Whenever there was a protest for peace, for reproductive rights, or a task force on domestic violence, she was there, planning, organizing, or speaking. Her sarcastic wit was an ever-present delight. During a “question box” sermon, when a congregant boldly asked about her love life, she answered demurely, “I don’t like to speak of small electric appliances in public.”

Carolyn Helen Colbert was born on 24 May 1934, in Oakland, California, to Horton Richard Colbert, a Universalist minister, and Lynette Wood Colbert. (She later adopted her mother’s birth name in place of Helen.) Married at age 19 to Paul Sawyer, and then divorced at age 33, she undertook extensive training and then teaching and leadership in awareness techniques, group process, Gestalt therapy, and human development theory, both in private practice and on Starr King School’s adjunct faculty. In 1978 the teacher became the student, and she was graduated from Starr King with her M.Div. in 1982.

Ordained on 10 June 1984 by the Unitarian Church of Davis, CA, the Rev’d Ms. Colbert served as an extension minister at the Community UU Church, Kennewick, WA. She then took calls to the UUs of San Luis Obispo, CA, and to the UU Church in Eugene, OR, with a number of interim ministries in between. On formal retirement in 2006, she was elected minister emerita by the Eugene church. After retirement, she served additional interim ministries in Los Gatos, CA, Livermore, CA and Rogue Valley, OR.

In final retirement, Carolyn lived for several years in El Cerrito, CA, where, to her delight, deer came to visit the creek that ran through her backyard. She is survived by daughters Charlin, Shanda, and Katherine Sawyer, her beloved black cat Layla, and innumerable friends and colleagues.

David Cole

The Rev. Dr. David H. Cole, 90, died June 26, 2011 at home in hospice care, after a long illness. A native of Lynn, MA, he graduated from Tufts University and Crane School of Theology. He received an honorary doctorate from Meadville Lombard. He served congregations in MA, IL, MD, OH, CA and NY. He was named minister emeritus by the West Shore Unitarian Church of Rocky River, OH, when he retired there in 1986. A strong proponent of a world community, he was active in the UUSC and the IARF. He was an advocate for Palestinian issues and he helped found the Society for Community Ministries. He enjoyed sailing, carpentry, gardening, tennis, golf and playing bridge or cribbage. He liked meeting with the clergy study group in Sudbury, MA, the Fraters of the Wayside Inn. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Iska (Jurasek-Godsey) Cole and their seven children: Victoria, Steven, Linda, Karen, Cynthia, Kevin and Gloria.

Lorraine Colpitts died on January 16, 2023 at the age of 99.  She is survived by by her sons and their spouses: Jon and Jeanne, David and Julie; her granddaughters and their spouses: Kate and Dustin, Megan and Luis; and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, the Rev. Horace (Hank) Colpitts; and her sister, Nadine

Notes of condolence can be sent to Jon Colpitts, jon.colpitts@icloud.com. A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.  

The Reverend Ron Cook—parish minister, beloved teacher, endearing nonconformist, and craftsman extraordinaire—died on 6 July 2021, two months short of his 88th birthday.

Ron’s legacy was as a builder. For 27 years he helped build up Starr King School students seeking a religious calling. And starting in 1969, he built his own house on the California Big Sur Coast, where he died in a bed he also built. His spouse Deborah Streeter and dear neighbors stood by as members of the Mid-Coast Fire Brigade carried his body out along the path to a firetruck for an honor guard departure.

Ralph Hiram Cook, Jr., was born 27 August 1933 in Snohomish WA to Ralph Hiram Cook and Esther A. Cook. He grew up on a pea farm and was the first in his family to go to college, earning his B.A. in art and political science from Whitman College (Walla Walla WA) in 1955.

As a child Ron was a happy Cascades camper and a faithful Episcopalian acolyte, but at Seattle’s University Unitarian Church, he was encouraged toward professional ministry by Pastor Aron Gilmartin. He headed off to Starr King School in Berkeley and completed his B.D. in 1960, all the while discovering the San Francisco jazz and art scene and making dear lifelong friends.

Ron would proudly, maybe even gleefully, tell the tale of how the UUA Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) turned him down for credentialing, but the UU Church in Ventura CA nevertheless called him in 1961 with a telegram, “Boston be damned! We’ll have our own Tea Party,” and promptly ordained him. (The following year, the MFC relented.)

Ron resigned his Ventura ministry in 1966 for a year-long trip to Europe and Africa, then returned from Nigeria to work as Associate Director of Young Adult Programs at the UUA (1967–69). Starr King School President Bob Kimball invited Ron to join the faculty in 1969, where he promoted the distinctive Starr King style of education: student-centered and affirming of life experiences. “We teach by who we are—work done, credit given.” He taught preaching and worship, weddings and funerals (“Marry ‘Em and Bury ‘Em”), and UU History, with a special love for Emerson.

Ron retired from teaching in 1996, retreating to his beloved Big Sur home and a life of community service. He built up the local volunteer fire brigade, worked against local logging enterprises, and became a court advocate for foster kids, all the while continuing to make the house more livable year-round. In his last days he was still building, working on a bench just outside the kitchen window where he happily read and wrote. In his spouse Deborah’s words: “Ron’s organic life is never finished, and he and this house and hill live happily together.”

A memorial service on 9 October 2021 was held at the UU Church of the Monterey Peninsula (Carmel CA), conducted by Ron’s ministerial colleagues, Bill and Barbara Hamilton-Holway, with tributes from children, a neighbor co-builder, and a former student.

Memorial donations are encouraged to the Mid-Coast Fire Brigade, which Ron and Deborah helped to found. Providentially, the Brigade saved their home from destruction in the Soberanes Fire of 2016.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Deborah Streeter at 37755 Palo Colorado Rd, Carmel, CA 93923.

Henry and Susan Cooper

Susan Elizabeth Cooper, 90, widow of The Rev. Henry Cooper, died Oct. 17, 2012, In Burlington VT. She was born on Aug. 13, 1922, in Indianapolis, IN, to Ralph Stephenson and Mildred Hill Stephenson. The family lived in Alabama and Washington before settling in Michigan. Susan graduated from Grosse Pointe High School in 1940 and earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan in 1944.

On April 5, 1944, Susan married Henry Cooper following his return from work as an ambulance driver for the American Field Service in the Middle East. His service in the 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army took them to bases in Colorado and Iowa. After the war, they moved to Chicago where Henry attended Meadville Theological School at the University of Chicago. His career as a Unitarian minister led them to parishes in eight communities in Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Susan participated actively in church activities.

She taught school briefly and took graduate courses at Assumption College in Worcester, Mass. Committed to issues of peace and social justice, she attended the 1963 civil rights march in Washington D.C., participated in the peace movement, and was member of a court diversion board in Springfield. After Henry’s death in 1984, she moved to Burlington where she was active in the Unitarian Universalist Society and the AAUW. She volunteered at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont and met with friends monthly to read plays aloud. During the last three years of her life she participated in a clinical research trial of a drug designed to alter the course of Alzheimer’s disease.

In March 2010, Susan found a peaceful home in the Gardenview unit at the Converse Home in Burlington. She was cared for by gentle, thoughtful people who appreciated her feisty personality, her quirky wit, her remarkable vocabulary, her knowledge of current and historical events, and her concern for the needs of other residents. She was no longer burdened by responsibilities, she was never lonely, and she was engaged in interesting activities. She lived joyfully in the moment, stopping to pick up a fallen leaf, to look at a flower, or to watch a butterfly. Her family is immensely grateful for the refuge which Converse Home provided.

Susan is survived by her daughter, Marga Sproul and her husband, Glenn, of South Burlington; her son, Paul Cooper and his wife, Rebecca Eaton, of Kennebunkport, ME; her daughter, Christine Cooper of Seattle, WA.; her son, Hal Cooper of Moscow, ID; and five grandchildren.

Notes of remembrance may go to Dr. Marga S. Sproul, G-8 Stonehedge Dr., S. Burlington, VT 05403.

Max Coots

The Rev. Max Alden Coots, 81, died in at home March 3, 2009 from lymphoma. He served congregations in New York City, Cortland, Canton and Central Square, NY. His longtime friend the Rev. Jack Taylor writes, “In the late 1980s, Max, whose chief avocation was gardening, shared a poem with his congregation as a Thanksgiving meditation. [His poem appeared in the November 2008 Elderberries.] It became a significant experience for thousands of families and individuals.” Max will also be remembered for his wit and his love of puns. He was a US Navy veteran and a graduate of Bucknell College and Columbia University. He was awarded a Doctor of Sacred Theology at Starr King School for the Ministry. He is survived by his wife, Charlotte Ramsay of Canton, three sons, a step-daughter, step-son, five grandchildren and six step-grandsons.

The Rev. Robert L. Cope, 81, died September 1, 2004 in Lebanon, NH. He served churches in Princeton, NJ; Henderson, New York City, and Buffalo, NY; and was a professor of religious education at St. Lawrence Theological School. After retiring from the ministry, he was a vice president of sales for a multi-media production company in New York City. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Bateman Cope of Quechee, VT; a son, Christopher R. Cope, of Hartford, CT; and s daughter, Catherine (Cope) Cavalier, of Boston.

Alec Craig

The Reverend Dr. Alexander Craig, public school educator and administrator, parish minister, gifted counselor, and dedicated servant of the human family, died on July 22, 2014, aged 76.

Alexander Lincoln Craig was born in Boston on October 22, 1937, to Emily and Edward Craig.  Earning a B.Ed. in 1959 and an M.Ed. in 1961, both at Keene State College, he began a 28-year career as an educator, while completing work for an Ed.D. at Syracuse University in 1968.  Focusing mainly on special education, he worked in public school administration, college teaching, residential care, and institutional care, serving school districts in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Leaving this career at age fifty to pursue interest in Unitarian Universalist ministry, Mr. Craig completed three years of study at Bangor Theological Seminary and was ordained by the First Universalist Church of Sangerville, Maine, in 1990.  After two years of yoked interim ministry with that church and the nearby First Universalist Church of Dexter, he accepted a joint call to settle as their permanent minister and continued with them for another eight years.  Moving on to Florida, the Rev. Mr. Craig served the UU Church of St. Petersburg as co-consulting minister (2001-05) and then the Spirit of Life Unitarian Universalists of Odessa as part time minister (2005-12), meanwhile returning to the St. Petersburg church  as pastoral care minister (2009-12).  He was named Minister Emeritus of both congregations in 2012, but stayed with the Odessa congregation as occasional preacher and pastor for two more years.

Alec Craig

In the Northeast District of the UUA, Alec Craig served as Chair of Extension and Chair of Adult Activities, Disaster Coordinator for the UU Service Committee, and liaison to students at Bangor Theological Seminary.  Later he served terms as vice-president and president of Florida’s West Central Cluster of UU Congregations.

Volunteer community work was a central commitment of Mr. Craig’s life, as both educator and minister.  In New England, he served as board member and president of the Charlotte White Center (supporting the mentally and physically challenged), on the Fund Raising Committee for Womancare (assisting victims of domestic abuse), and on the Dexter Regional High School Civil Rights team.  He was a member of the Interfaith Alliance and the ACLU, worked for Habitat for Humanity, and taught safe driving courses for the AARP.  In Florida, he worked part time for the Salvation Army.

Alec had a gift for pastoral care and is described by his wife, Penny, as a “humanitarian” who “enjoyed serving people.”  She recalled particularly his devotion to end-of-life pastoral care: “He loved doing funerals, and loved visiting people in nursing homes and hospitals, holding their hands, and making sure their families felt like they were being heard.”

Alec Craig is survived by his wife, Penny Craig; son Geoffrey Craig, daughter Emily Kirk, granddaughters Allora Craig and Hannah Kirk, and brothers Duncan Craig and Edward Craig.

A Scottish Celebration of Life was held in October 2014 in Seminole, Florida, and a second Scottish Celebration of Life was slated for New Hampshire during the summer of 2015.

In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the American Lung Association, 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 60601 (www.lung.org) and/or to your local hospice organization.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Penny Craig, 9053 Pinehurst Drive, Seminole, Florida 33777.

The Rev. Joseph Ira Craig, 82, died June 11, 2009. He was an aerial photographer in the US Army. Ordained a Methodist, he went on to serve Unitarian churches in Norton and Fitchburg, MA and Augusta, ME. He was a librarian at the Augusta Mental Health Institute for more than 20 years. A civil rights activist, he marched from Selma to Montgomery, AL and served on the Maine State Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights. He was a member of the Unitarian Historical Society, secretary of the Maine Unitarian Association, and on the Board of Directors of the NE District of the UUMA. He enjoyed reading, theology, history, painting, fencing, and music. He played viola in the Augusta Symphony for many years. Survivors include his daughter, Leslie Flores, and her husband, three stepsons and their spouses, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Lex Crane

The Reverend Dr. John Alexie “Lex” Crane — long-time parish minister, social activist, and mentor to aspiring colleagues — whose dry and acerbic wit complemented a persona at once gentle and curmudgeonly, died on August 7, 2015, at the age of 93.

Lex was a voracious reader, a talented writer, and an impressive polymath. His children fondly recall his intelligence; his son, Jack, writes: “He developed a love of study, stayed abreast of thinking in literature, the arts, liberal theology, philosophy, and social sciences. This passion coupled with his oratorical skills, made Lex unusually able to communicate the big ideas to folk who didn’t have the leisure or luxury of regular study.” These wide-ranging interests led Lex and his wife Ginny to travel throughout the world, venturing to Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Especially memorable was a semester in China with Santa Barbara City College in 1989, where they witnessed the student protests at Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

Lex Crane

The Rev. Mr. Crane became a minor celebrity in 1962 when the fear-mongering agenda of the John Birch Society (then recently founded) came to his attention, and he responded with a prophetic sermon against the organization’s ideology and activities. Shortly thereafter Santa Barbara’s local newspaper ran a special edition with a front page anti-Birch editorial and a reprint of Mr. Crane’s sermon text on the inside. The Associated Press picked up the story, and a CBS-TV crew with newsman Harry Reasoner showed up to film Lex redelivering his sermon from the Santa Barbara pulpit. Although pro-Birch vandals spray-painted a hammer and sickle on the church’s exterior and threw rotten vegetables at the parsonage, the episode eventually contributed to crippling the Birchers’ influence across the country. For his role, John Alexie Crane was awarded an honorary doctorate by Starr King School for the Ministry. His sermon text closed with a reflection of notable empathy:

“We ought to try not to hate them [local Birch activists], be disgusted with them, shout and snarl at them, for this will only drive them deeper into their relation with the group, for there they will find acceptance and confirmation. We ought to be as patient as we can, realizing that the people are doing what they feel they must do. They are as much to be pitied as censured. They are terribly frightened. Everywhere they look they see Communists. They don’t know whom to trust, to depend on. Don’t condemn them. Don’t threaten them. Let them talk about their views. Question them closely. Sometimes just hearing their own words spoken in the presence of someone who is calm and rational will help them to feel their absurdity. Be patient. Be firm. This too will pass, if we are alert and watchful.”

John Alexie Crane was born in Baltimore on January 14, 1922 to John A. and Minnie E. Crane. He was graduated from the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in 1939 and served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945 in both the South Pacific and Europe, suffering severe wounds during the Battle of the Bulge. He returned to earn a B.A. in English in 1949, an M.A. in creative writing in 1950 from Johns Hopkins University, an M.Div. from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1951, and—midway through a long pastorate in Santa Barbara—a second M.A. (in social psychology) from the University of California in 1971, leading to his licensure as a California Marriage and Family Counselor.

Mr. Crane began his career in parish ministry in 1951 with a call to the First Unitarian Church in Vancouver, BC, where he was ordained the next year and served until 1955. He moved on to ministry at the (now UU) Community Church of Park Forest, Illinois (1955-58), the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, California (1958-77), and the Jefferson Unitarian Church of Golden, Colorado (1977-81). After two years as the UUA’s Director of Ministerial Education (1981-83), the Rev. Mr. Crane returned to the parish with a call to UU Church of Yakima, Washington, serving there until his retirement in 1987, upon which he was named Minister Emeritus. Unwilling to relax his commitment to UU parish service, he spent the next fifteen years of his “retirement” serving interim ministries in Southern California. After a final retirement in 2002, he was voted Minister Emeritus to the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara.

Lex Crane

In addition to social service and activism outside congregational walls in communities where he served, the Rev. Mr. Crane lent his support to the wider UU movement. He served three terms on the Executive Board of the UUMA (1963-65, 1973-75, and 1991-92), editing the UUMA newsletter during his first term. His passion for ministerial education and personal mentoring was deepened by this experience. He went on to serve as a Trustee of Starr King School for the Ministry (1968-74) and on the faculty and staff of UU leadership schools (1984-87, 1993-95). In 2008 he received the annual Creative Sageing Award of the UU Retired Ministers and Partners Association.

In addition to a booklet “Developing an Extended Family Program” (1972) and a number of articles and scholarly papers, Lex Crane published several books, including Keeping in Touch: Self, Sex and Society (1975), Love, Sex and the Human Condition: Getting a Life (2006), A New Perspective on the Philosophy of UU Religion (2008), and To the Best of My Recollection…a memoir (2012).

Ginny and Lex Crane

Lex’s wife, Virginia (“Ginny”), survived him by only a few months. Other survivors include sons John (“Jack”) Crane III and Douglas L. Crane, step-daughter Claire Beery, step-sons Evan and Eric Blickenstaff, grandchildren Molly and Allie, Alex and Kirra, Willow, Mira and Zoë, John and Alex, and two great-grandchildren. Lex was preceded in death by a son, David L. Crane.

A memorial service was held on November 22, 2015, at the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara. Contributions in Lex’s memory are encouraged to Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, 1535 Santa Barbara St., Santa Barbara, California 93101 (http://www.ussb.org). Letters of condolence may be sent to Jack Crane, 239 1/2 Olive Ave., Long Beach, CA 9O8O2 or jabungusintl@gmail.com.

Ginny Crane

Virginia (Ginny) Lee Crane, widow of the Rev. John Alexie (Lex) Crane, died of pneumonia on January 23, 2016, just shy of her 93rd birthday. She died peacefully, surrounded by family, following a long life devoted to family, friends, service and travel.

Ginny was born in Elgin, IL on February 7, 1923 to Isaac Newton and Judith Beery Garber. She graduated from Elgin High School and attended Manchester College (Indiana) and Barnard College (NYC). She grew up in the Church of the Brethren, a pacifist faith that fled persecution in Europe and brought her ancestor, Nicholas Beery, to Philadelphia in 1727.

Ginny was married first to Stephen Blickenstaff. They had four children: Claire, Evan, Sarah (died 1953), and Eric. They lived in Falls Church,VA; New York City; Putney, VT; and Pittsburgh, PA; as Steve pursued a career in international education first at the U.S. State Department and later at the Experiment in International Living and the Carnegie Tech Indian Steel Training Program. In 1962, the family moved to India (the place of Steve’s birth and childhood) to continue his education work. They spent nearly five years there living in Ranchi, Bihar and Lucknow, U.P. while the children attended Woodstock boarding school in the Himalayas. In 1968 Ginny and Steve moved to Santa Barbara where Ginny became Executive Secretary of the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara (USSB). Their marriage ended in divorce.

In 1976 Ginny married Rev. John “Lex” Crane, minister of USSB, and became step-mother to Jack, David (died 2004) and Doug Crane. During their 39 years together, Ginny and Lex lived primarily in Santa Barbara, but also in Santa Monica, San Diego and Santa Paula (CA), Golden (CO), Boston (MA), Yakima and Tacoma (WA), and Chandler (AZ) following Lex’s various church ministries. In each location, Ginny was employed in UU-related administrative positions. In 2002 she and Lex moved to the Valle Verde retirement community.

Wherever Ginny lived, she was an avid volunteer and organizer in many liberal social causes. She cared particularly about ending war, promoting peace and justice, and the rights of minorities, women and children. Among her many activities, she provided housing for Hungarian refugees, and did organizational work for UNICEF. She worked with the League of Women Voters. In every election, she provided well-researched and appreciated voting recommendations for her family and friends. She also served the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, USSB Alliance, and the UU Seasoned Seekers. She and Lex were active in the UU Retired Ministers and Partners Association. They shared their memorable Odyssey with UURMaPA Colleagues in April, 2008 at Vallombrosa Retreat Center in Menlo Park, CA.

Ginny’s adventurous spirit led to a passion for travel. She traveled throughout India as well as Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Cuba. Ginny loved this life, making friends with people throughout the world, learning about their lives, history and customs and adapting easily to life in so many different communities and cultures. Her open-mindedness, organizing skills, good humor, quick wit, gentleness, and warmth endeared her to all who knew her.

Ginny is survived by her children Claire Beery (William Haigwood), Evan Blickenstaff, and Eric Blickenstaff (Cynthia Kasabian); step-sons Jack Crane, Douglas Crane (Lisa Babashoff), and step-daughters-in-law Betsy Wright and Brenda Crane. She is survived by grandchildren Willow Summer (Lew Summer), Mira Rosenthal (Greg Domber) and Zoë Leverant; John and Alex Blickenstaff; Molly Crane Tooley and Allie Crane Corrigan; Lailani Crane; Alex and Kirra Crane and great-grandchildren Tillie and Lulu Domber as well as a beloved niece and nephews.

In early August, 2015, Ginny lost Lex, the love of her life.

The family is grateful for the loving care of the staff at Valle Verde, especially The Grove, and to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care for their tender support.

Contributions in Ginny’s memory may be made to the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara,the UU Retired Minsters and Partners Assn, or the Valle Verde Fund, Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara (P.O. Box 3620, Santa Barbara CA 93130).

A memorial service was planned for March 20, at 3 pm, at the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara.

Notes of remembrance may be sent to Ginny’s daughter, Claire Beery, 4440 Hillview Way, Rohnert Park, CA 94928.

Drusilla Cummins

Drusilla E. Cummins, 84, wife of the Rev. John Cummins, died Nov. 29, 2009. A graduate of Mt. Holyoke, Breadloaf School of English and Meadville Lombard, she was an English teacher and drama coach. A long-time advocate for equal rights for women, she served as president of the UUWF, trustee and first vice-moderator of the UUA; District Trustee for Prairie Star and Western Canada, and Meadville Lombard trustee and board chair. She enjoyed theater and symphony concerts. She is survived by her husband and their three children, Carol, Christopher and Clyde. In 1991, Dru and John Cummins received the Annual Award for Distinguished Service to the Cause of Unitarian Universalism, one of the most prestigious awards given by the UUA. In 2000 Dru was award UUWF’s Women in Ministry Award, which she had helped establish in 1974.

The Reverend Dr. John Cummins—remembered for his wry humor and a 23-year ministry to the First Universalist Church of Minneapolis (1963–86), recognized for many more years as a local leader in liberal religious and social causes, and deeply venerated as a mentor to younger ministers and aspiring seminarians—died 11 December 2021, aged 95.

When the call rang out in 1965 to bear witness for justice in Selma, John Cummins showed up. As an opponent of the Vietnam war, he counseled more than 500 draft resisters and conscientious objectors. Preaching on the Watergate scandal, he titled his sermon, “Malice in Blunderland.”

John Cummins was born on 8 September 1926 to Alice E. (Grimm) and the Rev. Dr. Robert Cummins, who for many years was the General Superintendent of the Universalist Church of America and a leader in consolidating the Universalists and Unitarians in 1961. Enrolling at Bowdoin College (Brunswick ME), John joined a college fraternity but withdrew on discovering that they refused entry to Jews and Blacks. A screed, “Fraternity Without Brotherhood,” was John’s outraged response. He completed work for his B.A. in 1947, went on to graduate from Harvard Divinity School, and was ordained in 1950.

After parish settlements in Brunswick ME (1950–54) and Waltham MA (1954–63), the Rev’d Mr. Cummins took a call to First Universalist in Minneapolis, where he would remain until retirement and honored as emeritus thereafter. Members recall him as “prophetic, a caretaker, nurturer, and something of a poet,” helped perhaps by the editorial pencil of his spouse, Drusilla (“Dru”). “Your ideas soar like eagles,” she once told him, “but your grammar has webbed feet.”

In an interview at 90, John looked back, “I was naïve, an idealist, a dreamer, a humanist, a visionary, I guess, and I don’t regret any of it.”

John was preceded in death by spouse Dru and a son, Christopher. He is survived by daughter Carol and son Clyde. In a celebration of life at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis on 20 December 2021, no fewer than six colleagues offered tributes to John’s warmth, gentleness, humility, wit, and pastoral presence.

Betty M. Curry, 86, passed away unexpectedly October 19, 2008. She worked at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN, and later, at the Veterans Administration in Minneapolis, where she worked until her retirement. An active UU, she selflessly dedicated her life to the welfare of others and all creatures great and small. She was preceded in death by three sisters, a former husband of 27 years, the Rev. Vernon Curry. She is survived by a son, Mark Curry of Rochester and daughter, Lynne Morin of Minneapolis. Other survivors include nieces and nephews, as well as many loving friends. A memorial services was held October 23 at the Church of St. Edward Chapel Bloomington, MN. Fr. Michael Tegeder of St. Edward’s and the Rev. Kate Tucker of the First Universalist Church officiated.

The Rev. Dr. Arthur “Art” E. Curtis died on June 8, 2024, at the age of 90 (1934-2024

Art is survived by his wife Susan Lyden, sister Emily Mandelbaum, nieces Ruth and Audrey Mandelbaum and Erica and Brenda Curtis, nephew Rodney Curtis, five grandnephews, two grandnieces, as well as three first cousins—Jim, Anne, and Tom Conway. He was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Curtis.

A memorial service is being planned.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one’s own choosing. UURMaPA will contribute 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. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Mary Rose Curtis, surviving spouse of the Rev. James Curtis, died 4 March 2021 at home in Charlottesville, Virginia, at age 94. She was born 30 May 1926 in Utica, New York. After secondary school, she earned an associates degree in medical records and began working in that field.

In 1952 she married James Curtis and accompanied him to Germany, where he was deployed as a Russian linguist by the Air Force. When they returned to the U.S. she went back to work and he went to seminary to become a Unitarian Universalist minister. She engaged with social justice work in each of the four churches he served, working for farm worker’s rights, women’s rights, and international peace. Her 50-year commitment led to a United Nations Human Rights Community Award.

When James died in 1973, May Rose (or MZ, as she was sometimes called) returned to college to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree as medical records administrator. She built a consulting business, published articles in trade magazines, and eventually took a job at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital. Acting as her own attorney, she won a suit against the Army for age discrimination. She also met Dr. Edward Fries and enjoyed world travel, attending symphonies, and live theater with him for more than 30 years.

Dr. Fries died in 2005, and her son Bennett – a who lived with her for over 30 years – died in 2014, but MZ continued her involvement with her UU community.

A memorial service will be held when people can gather. Memorial contributions can be made to the UU Congregation of Charlottesville, Va. 

The Rev. Dennis Jay Daniel died on April 23, 2022, at the age of 80.

Dennis is survived by his wife of 31 years, the Rev. Dr. Sydney Wilde; his son, Andrew Daniel; his daughter-in-law, Alice Daniel; and his granddaughters, Corrina Stadler, Brianna Stadler, and Abigail Daniel. He also leaves behind his son-in-law, Randy Stadler; and ex-wife, Phyllis Nygaard Daniel. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sabrina Daniel Stadler; his brother, Steven Daniel; and his first wife, the mother of his children, Annabelle Lee.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Pacific Time on Saturday, July 2, 2022, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Chico, 1289 Filbert Avenue, Chico, CA 95926. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom (please see the link on the church’s website).

Donations can be made to the Dennis Daniel Memorial Fund c/o UUFC, 1289 Filbert Avenue, Chico, CA 95926. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry. 

Notes of condolences can be sent to Sydney Wilde, 2682 Fairfield Common, Chico, CA 95928.

Dennis received his B.A. and M.A. from UCLA and received his M.Div. from Claremont School of Theology. He was ordained in 1985 and served a three-point ministry in northern Maine and New Brunswick — The First Unitarian Church of Houlton, Maine; The First Universalist Church in Oakfield, Maine; and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Frederickton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Dennis married the Rev. Sydney Wilde in 1990.  For the first two years of their marriage, they served separate churches in northern Maine. In 1992, they were called as Co-Ministers to the Central Unitarian Church of Bergen County in Paramus, NJ. Subsequently they served together  as Co-Ministers to The First Unitarian Church of Chicago (interim), The Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento, CA (interim); the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Auburn, CA; The Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston, VA; and The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Chico, CA where, after their retirement in 2015, they were named Ministers Emeriti.

Dennis served on the UUMA Executive Committee and spent most of his lifetime supporting affordable housing and shelter for the homeless, women’s health, anti-racism, LGBTQ rights, shelter for abused women, and education for the disadvantaged. Since 2009, he was an active member of  Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) in Chico, CA.  As an OLLI Peer Leader, he taught classes on Walden and Thoreau, Rabbinical commentaries on the Hebrew Bible, and Poetry for Insight.

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

The Rev. Paul D. Daniel died on August 5, 2021 at the age of 76. Paul is survived by his partner, Richard Kintner (they were to be married on September 11, 2021); his ex-wife, Jane Daniel, and his sons: David Daniel and Peter Daniel; his brothers: Marc Daniel and Alan Daniel, and his sister, Robyn Firth.

A memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill, 401 Kings Hwy N, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 (date has not yet been decided).

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill, 401 Kings Hwy N, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 or to the UU Congregation of Phoenix, 4027 E Lincoln Dr, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253.  UURMaPa will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.  Notes of condolences may be sent to the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill, NJ.

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

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.

Muriel Davies

The Rev. Dr. Muriel A. Davies, 103, died December 20, 2009. After leaving their native England, she and her husband, the Rev. A. Powell Davies, lived in ME, NJ, and Washington, DC. She was a founder of the River Road Unitarian Church in Bethesda, where she was DRE for 11 years. She served as National Religious Education Consultant for the American Ethical Union and on the UUA Board of Trustees. In 2001 she was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by Meadville Lombard. In 2006 she was ordained and named a minister emerita of the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation. She was a founding member of the Sugarloaf Congregation of UUs in Germantown, MD. She was predeceased by husband and her daughter, Gwen Offenbacher, and is survived by her daughter, Bronwyn Gordon, four grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.

Dorothy Wright Davis

Dorothy “Alden” Wright Davis, 89, died peacefully March 1, 2016 in Eugene, OR. Her husband and her three children were with her as she died. She was the wife of the Rev. Charles A. Reinhardt. Alden would have turned 90 on July 29.

Born in Bryn Mawr, PA, to Guier Wright and Dorothy Battles Wright on July 29, 1926, Alden was an unabashed intellectual and scholar, traits fostered by her remarkable parents. She grew up with an insatiable curiosity and the conviction that women could do whatever they chose.

In 1947, Alden graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Mount Holyoke College with a degree in geology. While earning her graduate degree at the University of Michigan, she met Robert I. Davis of Meredith, NH, whom she married in 1949. Over the next 36 years, as they raised their family and relocated frequently, their romance and relationship never faltered.

In the 1950s, Alden and Bob lived for several years in Mexico before returning to the US where they lived in rural Pennsylvania, the Missouri Ozarks, suburban Connecticut, and the mountains of Colorado among other places. For Alden, every move was an adventure and an opportunity. So, too, was the rearing of their children, Andrew, Philip and Rebecca. As she watched her own children develop, Alden began working with children with developmental issues, particularly autism. In the 1970s, she earned her second graduate degree, this time in developmental disabilities.

Alden and Bob retired to New Hampshire in the 1970s. In Durham, they built a home that Alden designed and which incorporated their favorite elements from the many houses they’d lived in. After Bob’s death in 1985, Alden began working for the Rev. Bob Karnan at UU Church of Portsmouth, South Church, later becoming a member of the congregation. It was there that she met the Rev. Charles Reinhardt, who was doing an interim ministry there.

They got to know each other well as she helped him sort out a ministerial conflict which was splintering the church. Chuck knew she could be counted on to provide reliable information. Their collegial relationship became deeper and Alden and Chuck married in1997. The couple lived in Newcastle, until 2014, when they moved to Eugene, OR. Her second marriage proved to be as deep and enduring as the first. Alden found the love of her life: twice.

Over many years Alden enjoyed presidential politics, relying on the PBS News Hour. She had no use for commercial television. Instead she and Chuck enjoyed several book clubs and the New York Review of Books.

In 1997 Alden joined Chuck in his home in Sheepscot, Maine. Alden soon joined a local University of Maine Extension group serving local women, working with monthly sessions, and providing transportation for those members who no longer drove. She also joined Chuck in the local Midcoast UU Fellowship as well, notably, in the special effort to rescue the Sheepscot Community Church with new growth.

Chuck and Alden enjoyed Elderhostel programs in Scandinavia. They also visited the Grand Canyon, Greece (with Canadian clergy and UUs, including Alan Deale and Kathleen Hunter, and Chuck Eddis).

As she got older, Alden traveled less, but never lost her intellectual curiosity or her zest for life. Alden approached the many transitions in her life with enthusiasm, curiosity and a Zen-like acceptance of change. Shortly before her death, while reviewing the many moves she’d made, she noted, “there’s just one more move I have to make.”

She always said her proudest accomplishment was to raise three kids into adults whom she not only loved but liked. Her pride in her children was evident to all who knew her.

Alden is survived by her husband; her children; granddaughter, Leah; great-grandchildren, Elias and Astrid Alden; sister, Patricia Hume; and numerous nieces, nephews, stepchildren and grandchildren.

Sympathy notes may be sent to: Chuck Reinhardt, 65 W 30th Ave., #3403, Eugene, OR 97405.

Rel Davis

The Rev. Robert L. (Rel) Davis, 75, died Nov. 1, 2011. A native of Gainesville, TX, he was the son of the first Baptist missionary to the Sioux. He graduated from Wayland University, Plainview, TX, and continued with graduate work at the University of Montana. He was ordained by the Unitarian Fellowship of South Florida and served as their minister for 30 years. Prior to that, he had served as assistant minister of the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. Later in life he became interested in genealogy. He first published his father’s memoirs of some 400 pages, inserting not only photos into the text but also newspaper articles and other material. In recent years he had collected records on his family going back to the 1600’s. He also helped his wife, Edith Sloan, research her family and from this work they published two volumes of 750 pages. His latest hobby had been publishing books for family and friends. He used a POD publisher on the web via “Lulu.” He put in long hours and got good results. At the time of Rel’s death, he and Edith were planning to do further research on her family tree. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a brother and a sister.

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.

The Reverend Dr. Alan Deale—distinguished preacher, church builder, strong institutionalist, social justice activist, and fighter for death with dignity—died on 29 January 2018, aged 90.

A veteran of the 1965 Selma Marches, Alan Deale was also instrumental in the Oregon Right to Die Society, whose success in reforming the state’s laws carried a personal meaning for him when he was able to help both his second and third wives, the Rev. Marguerite Hessler-Deale and Dr. Leola Lorenzen, fulfill their wishes to die at home.

Alan Glengyle Deale was born on 7 August 1927 in Hanover, New Hampshire, to the Rev. Jessie Deale and the Rev. D. G. Deale. Serving in both the U.S. Navy and Air Force (1945–50), Alan earned a B.A. in English from the University of New Hampshire in 1950, followed by an S.T.B and S.T.M. from Harvard Divinity School in 1953 and 1954. He served a brief ministry at First Parish Unitarian of Hubbardston, MA, where he was ordained on 29 May 1953, with Frederick May Eliot preaching. His parents, both ministers themselves, also participated in the service. Leaving the Hubbardston church in 1954, he spent a year of study at Oxford.

Back in the U.S., the Rev’d Mr. Deale accepted calls to the UU Society of Fairhaven, MA (1953–58), the UU Church in Rockford, IL (1958–70), and the First Unitarian Church of Portland, OR (1970–91), the latter naming him minister emeritus. The Rockford congregation remembers his “pithy, lively sense of humor which raised a few hackles…balanced by a capacity for compassion for the human condition.” In 1979 he received a D.D. honoris causa from Meadville Lombard Theological School.

At his death, Alan was survived by his wife Kathleen Hunter, three children, three stepchildren, and nine grandchildren. A memorial service was held on 24 February 2018 at the UU Church in Rockford, IL, and a month later at the Portland UU Church on 24 March.

The Reverend Julie Denny-Hughes, parish minister, steady advocate for social justice, lover of humor and music, died on 14 October 2016 at the age of 70.

Julie Ann Denny was born on 4 April 1946 to Helen Pentzer Denny and Morris Duane Denny and grew up in Bedford, Indiana. Music was central in Julie’s childhood as she joined her older siblings in backyard musical productions, showing the creativity and free-spirited independence that guided her throughout life. Later, at Bedford High School, performance with the Madrigal Singers was her favorite among numerous clubs and activities. After earning a B.A. in American literature from the University of Illinois in 1972, she worked for twenty years in the computer software industry as a technical writer, trainer, and independent consultant.

Marshall Deutsch

Dr. Marshall Emanuel Deutsch, 96, spouse of the Reverend Judith Deutsch, died on December 23, 2017. He was born in New York City, and was a graduate of DeWitt Clinton High School and the City College of New York. After serving in the Army Air Force during World War II, Marshall received a PhD in physiological studies from New York University in 1951.

Marshall had a varied career, but considered himself primarily an inventor of medical diagnostic tests, and held 60 patents, including two patents referred to in hundreds of subsequent patents by others, which introduced a simplified automatic system of assay that later was applied to home pregnancy tests.

An extremely witty person, Marshall was a solver of difficult puzzles including The Nation’s puns and anagrams puzzles and the New York Times diagramless ones. He was a folk dancer, a linguist, and a lover of Mozart operas. He had traveled to 25 countries (some while working for the US Agency for International Development and the UN Capital Development Fund.)

Marshall was editor of the Boston Mycological Society’s Bulletin for more than 12 years, and the author of many scientific and non-scientific articles and letters. He was especially proud of his letters in the Journal of the American Medical Association. He produced and presented more than 200 radio shows on nutrition and wrote on the topic for The Realist. He was a Life Member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

In 1955, he helped found a Unitarian Fellowship in Morristown NJ, which still flourishes. After living in New Jersey, New York, and Michigan, Judith and Marshall remained in Sudbury MA for 51 years. They recently moved to Corrales, NM.

Marshall believed in exercise and worked out on a stationary bicycle for an hour each day up to December 6th, the day before he suffered two strokes.

He is survived by Judith, his wife of 70 years, and their three adult children; Pamina Margret Deutsch and son-in-law Dr. Michael Baron of Corrales, NM; Dr. Ethan Amadeus Deutsch of Seattle WA; and Dr. Freeman Sarastro Deutsch and his daughter-in-law, Jessie Saacke of Cambridge, MA; and his granddaughter Melina baron Deutsch.

Memorial services will be 1:00 PM on April 21 at Unitarian Universalist Westside Congregation, Rio Rancho NM, and 3:00 PM on April 28 at First Parish Church, Sudbury MA.

Messages of condolence may be sent to the Rev. Judith Deutsch, P.O. Box 2848, Corrales, NM 87048.

The Rev. Frances “Fran” Ann Dew died on June 1, 2024, at the age of 83 (1941-2024).

Fran is survived by her children Jennifer Dew de Castro (Jose) and Robert Paul Dew (Alison Wright); her granddaughter Isadora Dew de Castro; stepdaughters Patricia Dew Pender, and Roberta Conant (recently deceased (Peter); sisters Bonita Robertson (Donald), and Dorothy Weatherbee (Greg); brothers Ronald King (Diana), Robert King (Helen), Clarence King, Lewis King, Charles King (Karen), William King (Cindy); her step-granddaughters and step-grandsons, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.

A memorial will be held at 1 pm on Saturday, September 28, 2024, at the Dixboro United Methodist Church, 5221 Church Rd, Ann Arbor MI 48105.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist
Service Committee
<https://donate.uusc.org/give/188649/#!/donation/checkout?utm_source=topnav&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=website>.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Jennifer Dew de Castro at
dew.jennifer@gmail.com or mailed at 449 Bark Drive, Redwood City CA 94065
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/449+Bark+Drive,+Redwood+City,+CA+94065?entry=gmail&source=g>.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. Mary Louise DeWolf died on April 26, 2022, at the age of 91.

Mary is survived by her sister, Grace D. Trice of Ocala, FL; stepson Gifford Campbell, wife Michele of Salem, MA; stepson Randy Hurt, wife Kathy of Ellijay, GA; and nine nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, in 2015.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at Roberts Downtown Chapel, 606 SW 2nd Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Hospice of Marion County, 3231 SW 34^th Ave, Ocala, FL 34474 or to the Nature Coast Unitarian Universalist, 7633 N Florida Ave, Citrus Springs, FL 34434. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences can be written here.

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

Barbara DeWolfe

Barbara Mosher DeWolfe, 87, died Sunday May 8, 2016, after a brief illness. She was the widow of Rev. William A. “Bill” DeWolfe.

Barbara was the center her family’s life. She was known for her love of knitting, gardening, cribbage and bridge. She was born in Brewer, Maine, on March 3, 1929, and was raised in Bangor. Barb met the love of her life, Bill, at Ferry Beach in 1945, and their journey through life together included stops in Massachusetts, Texas, Missouri and Ohio. She and Bill retired to Damariscotta in 1996 and moved to Granite Hill in 2007. They built a large extended family throughout their travels in life and her loss will be felt widely and deeply.

Her dedication to the Unitarian Universalist faith was demonstrated throughout her life. She advocated for peace, human rights, civil rights, and women’s rights through her work with the church and in the community. She was among the first certified Directors of Religious Education in the UUA and was very active at the denominational level in curriculum development. Barbara and Bill’s dedication to Ferry Beach Park Association, the Unitarian Universalist conference center in Saco, included many years as conference leaders for youth and family programs and culminated with their lead donation for the construction of the DeWolfe Dining Hall in 2011.

She attended Jackson College and received her AB in 1950. Barbara always said that she never knew what she wanted to be in her professional life, but worked in public education, religious education, fair housing, community development, real estate, and hospital volunteer management while she waited to figure it out.

She is survived by her sons: Rick (Hillary) of Towson, Md., and Paul (Ellen) of Missoula, Mont.; four grandchildren: Abby DeWolfe (Seth) of Kensington, Md.; Reid DeWolfe (Courtney) of Somerville, Mass.; Jack DeWolfe of Barre, Vt., and Emily DeWolfe of Portland, Ore.; and two great-grandchildren, Sebastian and Madeline Patch of Kensington, Md.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, William A. (Bill) DeWolfe, and her oldest son Mark Mosher DeWolfe.

The family requests donations in her memory be made to the Ferry Beach Park Association,
5 Morris Avenue, Saco, ME 04072

Helen Dick

Helen Hersey Dick, 89, wife of the Rev. Robert T. Dick, died March 7, 2008 in Foxboro, MA. Her father was Universalist minister Harry Adams. She graduated from Jackson College (Tufts) and did graduate work at Crane. She was a leader for the Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, League of Women Voters, the NAACP, Food Co-ops, and to local UU churches which her husband served: Bristol NY; Lyons OH; West Hartford CT; Belpre OH; South Acton MA; Springfield and Chester Depot VT; Elkhart IN. Helen was an officer of the UU Peace Fellowship, and edited its newsletter. She served on the UURMaPA Board overseeing the Caring Network. In 1975, she was named Vermont Mother of the Year. Helen marched in Selma in 1965. In 1986 the UU Church of Springfield VT, named her minister emerita. She accompanied the Springfield Community Chorus and taught piano. She is survived by her husband of 65 years; two sons, Nathan Dick of Estes Park CO; and Jeffrey Taft-Dick of Niger, West Africa; a daughter, Noreen Redd of San Diego CA; and three grandchildren.

Bob and Helen Dick, 1988

The Rev. Robert T. “Bob” Dick, gentle parish minister, lifelong pacifist, advocate for racial justice, and active volunteer for community service in retirement, died peacefully and in comfort at age 97 on May 31, 2014, at the Doolittle Home in Foxboro, Mass, where he had resided since 1994.

Although he was a student at Tufts’ Crane School of Religion in the early 1940s, Mr. Dick waived his wartime theological exemption and served as a conscientious objector in Civilian Public Service units for four years in New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, working in forestry, on ward duty in mental hospitals, and as a subject in experiments in nutrition, high altitude, heat, and dehydration at the University of Rochester Medical School in New York. In later years he edited a booklet, Guinea Pigs for Peace: The Story of C.P.S. 115-R (1943–1946), about those experiments.

Robert Tyrrell Dick was born in Stockton, Illinois, on 17 December 1916, one of six children of Joseph R. Dick and Alma Tyrrell Dick. After his mother’s death when he was seven, Bob was raised primarily by an older sister. He attended the local Universalist church as a child and later told his son Jeff that “if it were not for the encouragement and support of the ‘ladies of the Universalist church’ he would not have gone to college nor into the ministry.” He was graduated from Stockton High School in 1935, where his fellow students elected him senior class president and foresaw his future career, in the school yearbook, as “President of the United States.” After thirteen months in the Civilian Conservation Corps in Idaho and Oregon, Mr. Dick attended the University of Dubuque (Iowa) for a time before going on to earn an AB degree from Tufts University in 1942. While on the summer work crew at Ferry Beach in the late 1930s, he met fellow crew member Helen Hersey, also a Crane student at Tufts and the daughter of Universalist minister Harry Adams Hersey. In 1943 they were married in Helen’s home town of Danbury, Conn. After finishing his wartime service, Bob returned to ministerial study, receiving his BD degree from Colgate-Rochester Divinity School in 1948.

Bob Dick

Over the next thirty-six years, Mr. Dick went on to serve Universalist and UU parishes in the East and Midwest, first at the Universalist Church (now United Church–UCC) of Bristol, New York (1948-51), where he was ordained, as he recalls, “to the Christian ministry” on September 19, 1948. After three years there, he moved to the First Universalist Church of Lyons, Ohio (1951-57) and then back east as associate minister to the Universalist Church of West Hartford, Conn. (1957-59). He returned to Ohio to serve a circuit of Universalist churches in Belpre, Frost, and Little Hocking (1959-64), and then headed east once again to the ministry of the Universalist Church of South Acton (now the First Parish Church of Stow and Acton), Massachusetts (1964-67). A yoked ministry to the Universalist churches of Springfield (now UU) and Chester Depot in Vermont (1967-76) was followed by a call to the UU Fellowship of Elkhart, Indiana, where he served until retirement in 1984 and was designated minister emeritus.

In support to ministerial colleagues and the wider UU movement, Mr. Dick served on the board of the UU Service Committee, as a Good Officer in the NH/VT chapter of the UUMA, and as advisor to the Erie Shore Federation of Religious Youth.

In 1986, Bob and Helen moved back to Springfield, Vermont, and joined the UU congregation there where he had earlier served as minister. Two years later, in 1988, on the 40th anniversary of his ordination, the Springfield congregation also named him their own Minister Emeritus. In retirement, Bob became active as a hospice volunteer and in the local work of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), was a member of Springfield’s Senior Center Advisory Board, and had a leading role in the formation of a Vermont Chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA, serving on its board.

In his steady and faithful concern for peace, racial justice, and many other progressive social causes, the Rev. Mr. Dick was a fifty-year member of the interfaith peace organization, Fellowship of Reconciliation, a life member of the NAACP, and a charter member of Common Cause. In 1981 he was honored with the Adin Ballou Peace Award of the Unitarian Universalist Peace Fellowship. His and Helen’s work for peace lighted a path for others. Sandy and John Zinn, for example, recalled that they “got to know Bob & Helen in Elkhart from their involvement in local peace efforts. We were not members of [the UU Fellowship of Elkhart] at the time, but it was partly from their witness that we later joined. They lived their beliefs.”

Bob Dick with Family

In 1994 Bob and Helen moved to the Doolittle Home in Foxboro, Mass, and joined the Foxboro Universalist Church (UU). Helen died in 2008 after 65 years of marriage, but Bob continued to enjoy visits at the Doolittle Home from groups of local children.

Bob is survived by sons Nathan Dick of Estes Park Colorado, and Jeffrey Taft-Dick of Springfield, Vermont, a daughter Noreen Redd of San Diego, and grandchildren Jonathan, Joya and Philip Taft-Dick.

In lieu of a formal memorial service, Robert Dick’s life was remembered and honored as part of the Elkhart Fellowship’s annual Founders Day service on October 5, 2014, conducted by their minster, the Rev. Amy Kulesza DeBeck.

Mr. Dick’s ashes are buried alongside those of his late wife Helen in the Ladies Union Cemetery, Stockton, Illinois. Memorial gifts are encouraged either to the Doolittle Home, 16 Bird St., Foxboro, Mass. 02035, or to the UURMaPA Endowment Fund, c/o Paul L’Herrou, treasurer, UU Retired Ministers and Partners Association, 38 Kimball Avenue, #12, Ipswich, Mass. 01938.

The Rev. Stephen “Steve” Dick died this past December 2020 at the age of 68.

Born October 10, 1953, Rev. Stephen “Steve” Dick was an American UU minister
who trained and served exclusively in the United Kingdom.  Rev. Dick was
influential in founding the European Unitarian Universalists (EUU), a
support network and community for Unitarian Universalists and UU fellowships
in Europe. In the 1980s, Steve helped found the EUU and several UU
Fellowships throughout Europe. He also worked on the staff of the
International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF) for several years
while in Germany. In the United Kingdom, he was minister to congregations in
Croydon and Horsham followed by a decade as District Minister for London and
the South East and a brief stint as Chief Executive Officer of the British
Unitarians.

In 2009 he began his work with the International Council of Unitarians and
Universalists (ICUU), for a time serving as Executive Director until his
retirement in 2016. In 2010 Rev. Dick was accepted as an associate member in
the UU Minister’s Association and upon his retirement was granted associate
life member status.  After his retirement Steve continued to travel around
the world working with Unitarian groups in other countries and cultures,
discovering we often have more to learn from them than they from us.

A former congregant writes in tribute: “We owe him a debt of gratitude for
his successful efforts to establish an English speaking UU presence in
Europe and for many years providing a safe haven for our religious growth.”

Rev. Dick is survived by his wife, Jenneke Dick-Schol and daughter Esther.

Bette J. Dom, 76, widow of the Rev. Jesse Dom, died unexpectedly August 10, 2008. She has been living for ten years in Freedom Village in Homewood, IL. She and her husband served churches in Monroe, WI; Fall River, MA; and Brooklyn, NY. She is survived by her brother and niece Elmer and Linda LaChapelle of Shaumburg, IL a nephew, five great nieces and nephews, and five great-great nieces and nephews.

Harriette W. Domas, 91, widow of Rev. Isaiah Jonathan Domas, died May 15, 2005 at an assisted living center in Ukiah, CA. She taught social work, including group work skills at Atlanta University. She also taught visual arts at the university level and had several paintings commissioned in Erie, PA. Her last job was as director of volunteers in a mental hospital in Tucson AZ; The couple served churches in North Adams, MA; Atlanta, GA; Erie, PA, and Lincoln, NE. An avid reader and writer, Harriette was living alone, studying Josephus’ History of the Jews and reading the New Yorker until age 85. She was very alert until the end of her life. Surviving are a daughter, Claudia Reed; two sisters, Deborah Gilman of Newton, MA, and Charlotte Selling of Tucson; a grandson and two great-granddaughters.

The Reverend Dr. Robert M. Doss, devoted parish minister, talented singer and artist, and one of the many who marched in Selma with Dr. King in 1965, died on February 12, 2016, aged 88.

Bob was widely known for his gentle and faithful personal presence with both parishioners and ministerial colleagues. One of his successors at the Wilmington church described Bob’s 31-year ministry there as “one long sermon” whose message was that “the legacy of our finite lives is a function of the connections we have to other people.”

Robert Mabry Doss was born to James and Sarah Doss on September 12, 1927 in Jacksonville, FL. After service in the United States Army, he earned a B.A. from the University of Richmond in 1949. He later studied at Colgate-Rochester Divinity School before completing his B.D. at Starr King School for the Ministry in 1959. In 1980 he was honored with a D.D. by Meadville- Lombard Theological School.

Mr. Doss was ordained to the ministry in 1959 by the Unitarian Church of Rockville, MD, and served there four years until a call to the First Unitarian Society of Wilmington, DE, in 1963, where his pastorate lasted for nearly 31 years. In 1994 the congregation named him Minister Emeritus.

The Reverend Dr. Doss gave long and varied service to the wider UU movement, to his ministerial colleagues, and to local communities. He was chair of the Ministerial Fellowship Committee and president of the UUMA, served on the boards of Beacon Press and the St. Lawrence Foundation, on the UUA Panel on Theological Education, and on the UUA RE Accreditation Committee. Beyond UU institutions, he was a member of the NAACP; board member of Planned Parenthood; and a board member of the ACLU.

Bob had many talents — singing, drawing designs and caricatures, and writing children’s stories to accompany his sermons. His love of nature as a “naturalistic humanist” led to camping summers in Maine where he hiked, canoed, and carved walking sticks.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Margaret W. Doss, a daughter; a son; and five grandchildren. Condolences may be sent to Peggy Doss at 112 Wynwood Drive, Wilmington, DE 19810-4428.

Robert E. “Bob” Doughty, husband of the Rev. Nancy Doughty, died April 10, 2022 following a stroke. He was born May 10, 1930, in Columbus, MS and was shy of being 92 by one month when his last breath came.

Scouting was a large part of Bob’s teen years introducing him to an appreciation of nature. He fulfilled all the steps and achieved the Eagle Scout Badge in 1947. Bob began his career as an electrician while in his late teens, married Jean Weeks in 1950 and they had four daughters. He arrived in Detroit as a journeyman electrician in 1954. He resumed electrical engineering studies and received his BS with honors in electrical engineering in 1966 from Wayne State University. He worked at Chrysler for over 30 years retiring as an engineering manager in 1992.

Bob and Nancy were married in December 1966 after his first wife died. In 1970 another daughter arrived in the family. Together they spent many summers sailing in their 25 foot O’Day on the Great Lakes with family and friends and regularly camped with a group of UU’s on holiday weekends. Bob was an active member of First UU Church, Detroit, teaching in the religious education program and in social action programs. Later he and Nancy joined Northwest UU Church in Southfield, MI where Bob took many leadership roles including his being Moderator of the Church. Once Nancy became minister at Emerson UU Church in 1989, Bob of necessity retreated to be the minister’s partner.

Bob was the consummate do-it-yourselfer, always involved in a project either at home or with many organizations both before and after retirement. After moving to Traverse City, MI in 1998, Bob turned his building interests to building models of ships, lighthouses and antique airplanes, several of which he created after extensive research.

Bob had a strong commitment to family and loved spending time, particularly with grandsons, Luke and Zak. Bob and Nancy celebrated their 55^th wedding anniversary in 2021. He and Nancy were each other’s best friends, supporters and loved each other deeply. Bob is survived by Nancy; daughters, Angela Doughty, Suzanne Doughty, Ayliah Doughty, and Anne (Brian) Kelly; and four grandchildren. 

A celebration of life will take place May 14, 2022, 2:00 pm (EST) at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse (MI) and will be streamed live on YouTube.

Memorial contributions may be made to the UU Congregation of Grand Traverse Endowment Fund, 6726 Center Rd., Traverse City, 49686 or the Inland Seas Education Association, Box 218, Suttons Bay, MI 49682. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to one of these organizations.

Messages of condolence can be sent to Nancy Doughty, 12055 S. Woodwinds Cir., #13, Traverse City, MI 49684.

Richard Drinon

The Rev. Richard F. Drinon, 76, died October 12, 2008. He had served the Hopedale Unitarian Parish in MA since 1998. A graduate of Tufts University, St. Lawrence University and Syracuse University, he also served UU churches in Palmer, MA; Saco, ME; Wausau, WI; Woodstock, VT; and Carlisle, MA. And he served as executive director for Ferry Beach. He spent several years traveling the world assisting in humanitarian and social action programs. He is survived by his daughter Sarah Drinon of Somerville, MA

The Rev. Eleanor “Ellie” S. Duhamel, spouse of the Rev. Marcel Duhamel, died on 22 Aug 2021, at the age of 78. She died peacefully at home of complications resulting from pancreatic cancer. Her husband and daughter attended.

Ellie, as she preferred to be called, was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts, on 28 Nov 1942. After graduating from Westwood High School in 1961, Ellie attended the Boston Conservatory at Berklee to study ballet. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, in 1964, with a Bachelor of Arts in English.

In 1965, she married Thomas E. Flanagan, and moved to Durham, North Carolina, to teach 8th grade while Tom attended grad school. In 1968, Ellie and Tom moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where she taught kindergarten. Ellie returned to the States in 1972 and continued to teach in the Rochester, New Hampshire, school system. She married Lewis B. Sykes in 1978. 

In 1995, she received a Master of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School. She taught Religious Education in the Unitarian Universalist tradition and became a credentialed religious educator, Master level in 2003. Ellie was ordained in 2004 to the ministry of Religious Education by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Concord, New Hampshire. Ellie and Marcel married at the Concord church on 1 Jan. 2005. Together, they served interim ministries in Ottawa, Ontario; Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; and Kennebunk, Maine. After retirement, they settled in Winslow, Maine. 

Ellie was an avid knitter, quilter, and seamstress. She had a deep commitment to friendship. Ellie listened intently, provided advice that was needed, and often had a humorous quip to lighten the mood. She kept an affection for Star Island. She worked her first season there in 1961 and returned to the island for many years to work and volunteer. She was pleased to visit it one last time in June. 

Ellie is survived by her husband; her son Thomas C. Flanagan, and his wife, Leslie; her daughter, Melissa Bailey; her son, Peter Sykes, and his wife, Audra; her stepsons Marcel C. Duhamel and wife, Jacqueline, and Paul E. Duhamel, and his wife, Tess; her grandchildren; and by her brother, Donald E. Smith. 

Memorial donations may be made to the Star Island Corporation (https://starisland.org/donate/) or the Wounded Warrior Project (https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org)

Bob Duncan

Robert Cameron Duncan, 71, husband of the Rev. Lucinda Duncan, died October 21, 2013 at his home in Concord, MA. After beginning his career as a teacher in the Lincoln (MA) public schools, Bob was hired by the Fenn School in Concord as teacher, coach, head of the Lower School, and assistant headmaster for 29 years.

A native of Concord, he graduated from Lawrence University in Wisconsin, and from Tufts University with a M.Ed. Bob and Lucinda also served as a Peace Corps volunteers, building one-room schools in rural Honduras.

Bob was a lifelong sailor, who relished summers on sailboats off the coast of Maine. He loved serving as the Fenn School “band aide” and marching alongside the Fenn School Marching Band in Concord’s annual Patriots Day Parade.

Bob wrote the last edition of The Cruising Guide to the New England Coast, following several decades of authorship by his father and grandfather. Bob earned his captain’s license and for many years assisted his father and later his son, Alec, in taking passengers for hire aboard their 32-foot Friendship sloop, “Eastward,” in Boothbay Harbor.

He is survived by his wife, Lucinda; his twin brother, William Duncan and sister-in-law, Lizbeth, of Burke, VA; brother, John Duncan (Carol), of Charlotte, NC; sons, Roger Duncan (Martina), of Bath, ME; Ritch Duncan (Rachel), of New York City; and Alec Duncan of Denver, CO. He is also survived by two granddaughters.

Condolences may be sent to Lucinda Duncan, 76 Upland Road, Concord, MA 01742.

The Rev. Lewis “Lew” H. Dunlap died on September 7, 2023, at the age of 97 (1926-2023).

Lew was born on April 19, 1926, in Warrensburg MO to William Preston Dunlap and Edith Grace Boyd Dunlap. He was the youngest of three children. In 1936, his family moved to Rolla MO where he graduated high school (1943). Lew was called into active duty in the US Army Air Corps in 1944 and was discharged in 1946. After being discharged, he enrolled at Missouri Valley College and received his Bachelor of Arts (1951) following which he went to McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago graduating with his Master of Divinity (1954). Lew then served as a United Presbyterian minister until he was assigned to the Air Force as a Presbyterian chaplain in 1960. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1977.

In 1968, Lew began a radical change in his theology. He began to consider humanism and discovered the First Universalist Church in Denver CO. There he felt at home philosophically. He became active in both the First Universalist Church and the American Humanist Association. At the First Universalist Church, he served as hymn leader at Sunday morning services, sat on the board, and was active on the Lay Ministry Committee. 

He represented the congregation on the Colorado Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Board. Thereafter, Lew wanted to extend his ministry to the congregation and to the greater community. He sought to stimulate, encourage, and provide avenues for the development of love, kindness, compassion, and justice through becoming a UU minister.

Rev. Dunlap was ordained by the First Universalist Church, Denver CO, on May 23, 1999. Following ordination, he served the Borderlands UU, Amado AZ (2000–2001) and the UU Congregation of Green Valley AZ (2000–2001). At Green Valley, he actively supported the Canvass Committee and successfully stimulated interest in developing an endowment fund within the congregation. From 2001 to 2002, he served the UU Fellowship at Burlington IA as their interim minister. In 2002, he accepted a call from the UU Church of Greeley CO where he would minister until 2003. Rev. Dunlap exemplified the kind of enthusiasm and commitment that made church life compelling. He ministered with dedication and commitment.

Rev. Dunlap was one of the organizers of a new UU congregation, Prairie UU Church, in the Parker CO area. He cared enough to start a new congregation to spread the news of UUlism to the southeastern suburbs. He also served as a regional Coordinator of the UU Service Committee (2005).

In the larger community, he provided his services as a board member of the Colorado Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, as a founder and coordinator of the Rational Recovery Systems of Colorado, and as a founding and board member of the Colorado Council of Mediators and Mediation Organizations. Likewise, he served as a founder/leader of the Denver Chapter American Humanist Association.

Throughout his life, Lew loved travel, music, bridge, and community theater. He played the piano, guitar, and trumpet, and sang tenor in various local choirs. He also loved baseball and once again proved he had no intention of slowing down, attending the Colorado Rockies Fantasy camp for four years between the ages of 88 and 91!  He used his age as his player number.

His son Paul shared: Lew’s “radical shift” in theology initially bordered on atheism fueled by the more anti-religionist elements in the AHA. However, he later repeatedly described the UUA as not anti-god or anti-religion, but open to all beliefs. And over the last few years of his life, his favorite TV viewing has been “The Chosen” a very Biblical and realistic multi-season series about Jesus and his disciples.

Lew is survived by his first wife, Katherine Dunlap; his children: Ruth Anne Hitchcock (Darrell), Paul Dunlap (Karen), and David Dunlap (Tracey); as well as his twelve grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his second wife, Phyllis Dolan, and is also survived by her four children: Kathryn Dolan, Connie Seguin, Albert Dolan, and Michael Dolan; and one grandson.

A memorial open house was held on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, at St. Andrews Village, 13801 E. Yale Ave, Aurora CO  80014.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Prairie UU Church <https://prairieuu.org/give>. Notes of condolence can be written here

<https://www.sbmortuary.com/obituary/Lewis-Dunlap#tributewall> or sent to Paul at pndunlap@comcast.net.

Phyllis Dunlap

Phyllis W. Dunlap, 85, wife of the Rev. Lewis Dunlap, died December 12, 2015 in Denver, CO. She was diagnosed with ALS in March 2015, then had a stroke at the end of November.

Phyllis May Wheeler was born in Palo Alto, CA on September 17, 1930 to Oliver and Ethel (Raymond) Wheeler. She graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1948, marrying William Dolan in 1952. They had four children. Bill was a geophysicist with a mining company, and his work took them all over the world; for a time they lived in Cyprus and later Canada, eventually retiring in Denver. The couple divorced in 1980.

After her divorce, she attained an AA degree in Medical Technology from Red Rocks Community College in Colorado, and began working as an X-ray technician for a dentist.You can also learn about the Georgetown dental assistant course here and can pursue your dream career. Subsequently she volunteered at the American Cancer Society’s Thrift Shop, providing a positive presence there. At home she liked to sew and make clothes for her family.

Phyllis and her second husband, the Reverend Lewis Dunlap attended First Universalist Society in Denver without meeting each other for years. Eventually sitting next to each other at a Sunday Lunch Bunch event, they conversed and began dating, marrying in 1989. They bonded over the game of bridge, continuing to play duplicate and regular bridge throughout their marriage. Phyllis opened their home to a weekly Thursday night bridge game that survives her death.

Phyllis Dunlap

She liked to travel and once joined Lew when his choir toured Russia and the Scandinavian countries. Back in the States they enjoyed camping, first in tents and then in a fifth-wheel rig.

She enjoyed English mysteries and loved to read them at home and at her family cabin on Silver Lake in Northern Colorado. (She was a child when her family built the place, tenting there while they built the cabin.) The family was there this past August for what they thought might be her last visit there. They now treasure that visit.

Lew remembers her as a highly intelligent woman affected by dyslexia, a calm and soothing presence, and “the most companionable woman in my life.”

She is survived by her husband, her sister Jean Whitley, four children, one grandson, and a host of friends.

A memorial service was held Monday, February 8, 2016 at First Universalist Church of Denver. Condolences may be sent to Lew Dunlap, 2021 S. Dayton Ct., Denver, CO 80247.

The Rev. Ora Wilbert Eads, 94, died September 5, 2008 following a lingering illness. Sixty years ago when his children were toddlers, he served the First Universalist Church of Sampson County at Red Hill in Clinton, NC. After several years of parish ministry, his failing eyesight caused him to leave his church. He then offered mail order Bible correspondence courses, so that he could support his family. Throughout his life, his passion was writing poetry. He was a prolific writer, who won critical acclaim for his work. He also enjoyed walking, which inspired his poetry. He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Ivaree Cochran Eads in 1999. He is survived by his five children: Ora W. Eads, Jr. of Nashville, TN; Wayne B. Eads of Chapel Hill, NC; Carol Ball of Williamsburg, KY; Janice and Janet Eads (twins) also of Williamsburg and five grandchildren.

The Rev. Barbara Earl died on December 7, 2020 at the age of 83.

Barbara is survived by her sister Jean; her daughters: Lesley, Sheila, and Laura; and her grandchildren: Kevin, Brian, Charles, Ainsley, Braedon, and MacKenzie. She was preceded in death by her mother Elizabeth MacIntyre, her father Jack Fenner, and her brother Jack.

A memorial service is being planned to be held later at the First Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga, 84 S Service Rd., Mississauga, ON L5G 2R9, Canada.  There will be another one around February 2021,  at the Village of Erin Meadows, 2930 Erin Centre Blvd, Mississauga, ON L5M 7M4, Canada. 

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

Notes of condolences may be sent to Lesley Earl, at earl.lesley@gmail.com.

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

The Rev. Dr. Charles W. Eddis died on May 22, 2021 at the age of 94.

Charles is survived by his wife Nancy Eddis, his daughter Sandie and son Tim and their partners, and grandchildren.

His family would like you to know that a celebration of his life will happen sometime down the road when we can share stories, hugs, and butter tart.

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

Notes of condolences may be written to Nancy Eddis at 4646 Sherbrooke St. West #425, Montreal, QU H3Z 2Z8, Canada.

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

Geraldine Eddy

Geraldine Dixon Eddy, 84, the wife of the Reverend Robert M. Eddy, passed away April 22, 2017. Though she had survived many life-threatening medical emergencies, she always found a way to regain her vitality, and remained active all her life.

Born October 9, 1932 in Montgomery, Alabama, Gerry had earned a BA in 1952 from Wesleyan College, with a double major in Theatre and English Literature. She later earned an MA in library science from the University of Michigan. She was a school librarian until 1993 serving schools in Detroit, Michigan; Bought Hills, NY; and for 20 years in Aurora, Colorado.

In 1954 Gerry married Robert Miles Eddy, who was a student at Drew Seminary. In 1956, they moved to North Creek, New York, where Bob served the Methodist Church, and their first child, Lee, was born. In 1958 they moved to Dayton, Ohio where Bob worked for the American Friends Service Committee, on special assignment. Their second daughter Pam and their son Miles were born in Dayton. Bob became a Unitarian Universalist minister in 1963 and their family moved as he served churches in Farmington, MI; Schenectady, NY; and Denver, CO.

Gerry retired in 1993 and traveled with Bob as he served interim ministries in Indianapolis, Indiana; Adelaide, Australia; Denver, CO; and Pensacola, FL. In 2001 they returned to Pensacola, where he served as part time minister until 2005.

They traveled extensively, including one 14-month trip around the world and four years living full-time in an RV. Her curiosity led her to explore many subjects including fossils, geology, flowers, birds, Spanish, and cosmology. She loved assembling crossword puzzles, reading mystery novels, skiing, and music. Biking had a special place in Gerry’s heart. She once said that she felt most truly herself on her bike. Gerry and Bob rode around 49 of the 50 United States, Canada, Europe, and even a couple days in Tibet. They had completed a 13-mile route just two days before her death.

In her later years Gerry immersed herself in Buddhism, attending a number of silent retreats around the country. In Pensacola, she attended the weekly English language meditation services at the Dieu De Vietnamese Temple.

Gerry is survived by husband Robert M. Eddy of Pensacola, FL; daughter Lee Eddy of Seattle, WA; daughter Pam Eddy and son-in-law Shawn Reynolds of Bloomington, IN; son Miles Eddy of Bloomington, IN and grandchild McCarry Reynolds of Santa Cruz, CA.

Additional biographical information and images can be found at a memorial website.

Remembrances can be made in Gerry’s memory to the following organizations – American Civil Liberties Union, Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola, FL, Wesleylan College, Macon GA, Dieu De Temple (9602 Nims Lane, Pensacola, Florida 32534), or Doctors Without Borders. 

Her husband, the Rev. Bob Eddy, can be reached at 850-206-7168.

The Rev. Robert Miles “Bob” Eddy died on April 22, 2018, at the age of 89.

Bob is survived by his three children: Lee Eddy (Seattle,WA), Pam Eddy (Bloomington, IN), Miles Eddy (Bloomington, IN), son-in-law Shawn Reynolds (Bloomington, IN), his grandchild, McCarry Reynolds (Santa Cruz, CA) his brother’s family, his wife’s family and many great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola, 9888 Pensacola Blvd, Pensacola, FL, 32534-1244.

A memorial service was held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola.

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

A more informed obituary will be forthcoming.

The Rev. Dr. Cynthia J. Edson died on October 6, 2018 at the age of 73.

Cynthia was born on July 26, 1945 in Weymouth, MA to William Gordon Edson and Catherine Jane (Wishart) Edson. She graduated from the University of Connecticut, CT in 1967 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, following which she earned her Master of Theology from the Boston University, MA in 1970. In 1972, Cynthia received her Doctor of Ministry from the Andover Newton Theological School, MA.

The Rev. Dr. Edson was ordained on May 24, 1970 by the First Parish UU Church at Saugus, MA where she carried out her ministry from 1969 to 1971. She was then called to the UU Church of Berks County in Reading, PA where she would serve from 1973 until 1977. On September of 1977, the Rev. Dr. Edson accepted a call from the Unitarian Church of Bangor, ME and ministered to the Bangor congregation for two years. Over the next decade, the Rev. Dr. Edson carried out series of interim and called ministries at the following congregations: the First Parish Church in Beverly UU, Beverly, MA (1983-1985); the First Parish Church of the Presidents, Quincy MA (1986); the Anchorage UU Fellowship Inc., Anchorage, AK (1987-1988); the UU Fellowship of Fayetteville, Fayetteville, NC (1988-1989); the Unitarian Coastal Fellowship, Morehead City, NC (1988-1991); the UU Congregation of Greenville, Greenville, NC (1988-1991); the UU Church of Weymouth, Weymouth, MA (1991-1992); and finally at the Emerson UU Church, Canoga Park, CA (1993).

The Rev. Dr. Edson carried out a great deal of service on behalf of the denomination. She served the UU World as a Managing Editor from 1970 to 1972 and as President for the Joseph Priestley District from 1973 to 1976. She was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation; co-editor for the UUMA’s newsletter during 1977 to 1979; and secretary for the Ferry Beach Park Association beginning 1981 to 1982.

Outside her denominational work, Cynthia belonged to several community organizations. She functioned as an environmental chair for the League of Women Voters, and as a steering committee member for the Ministerium (Ecumenical) Social Action Cabinet. She was advisor for People Against Rape, as well as clergy advisor to Planned Parenthood, Maternal Health Service of NE PA, and School Health Education Advisor for the Bangor city, ME. Furthermore, she served as a delegate to the White House Conference on Libraries. Cynthia was also a dedicated writer. Her writings appeared in the Journal of Pastoral Care; the Journal of Psychical Research; and the Haiku Foundation. She showed a lifelong interest in antiques, art and architecture, bibliomania, folklore, and enjoyed tennis.

Cynthia is survived by her longtime friends, Nancy and Ross Edwards, Rosemary Jenkes, Mary Lou Rogers, Carol X (PA), Barry and Kenneth Glover.

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

A memorial service is being planned for the spring.

Carol Edwards

The Rev. Carol Edwards died on August 22, 2013 in an Abingdon, Virginia hospice. Carol was born in Pacific Palisades, CA, three days before Christmas, 1924. Her love of children drew her to teach, then direct an early education children’s program in Santa Monica. She received her formal training in human development and education at the Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena.

An active member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Santa Monica before being hired as their Director of Religious Education, they later ordained her as Minister of Religious Education. In 1988 she was called as Minister of Religious Education to the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, CA.

In 1991, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Starr King School for the Ministry for her outstanding work as a pioneering Minister of Religious Education. She served as President of the Unitarian Universalist Liberal Religious Educators Association from 1985-87.

After retiring from professional ministry in 1994, Carol moved to Abingdon, VA in 2003, where she helped develop an intentional co-housing community and became one of its first residents. Over the years Carol’s declining energy created a growing desire for simplicity in her life, and “Keep it Simple” became her motto. This extended to her spiritual life and during her last few years she became a Quaker.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Carol’s name may be made to Heal the Ocean, P.O. Box 90106, Santa Barbara, CA 93190; or the Head Start Program, c/o the Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara, 5638 Hollister Ave. Suite 230, Goleta, CA 93117.

Alan Egly

The Reverend Alan Egly, parish minister, humanitarian activist, and philanthropic fund-raiser, died on 31 January 2016 at the age of 84.

Alan L. Egly was born 19 July 1931 to Jesse and Ida Egly. He earned a B.S. from Illinois State University in 1952, an M.Div. from Anderson College in 1956, and a graduate degree in Religious Education from Union Theological Seminary in 1967.

Mr. Egly was ordained to the Church of God in 1959 and served various parishes in Brooklyn before moving to All Souls Church of Brooklyn, NY in 1965. After entering ministerial fellowship with the UUA in 1972, he served several briefer ministries in New York before taking a call to the UU Church of the Quad Cities (Davenport, Iowa) in 1979. After eight years there, the Rev. Mr. Egly moved on to community ministry as Executive Director to the Doris and Victor Day Foundation, serving from 1987 to retirement in 2014, while holding a part-time pastorate with the Unitarian Fellowship of Burlington (Iowa) until 1995 when he was named Minister Emeritus.

Alan and his wife Pat expanded their family of four children with the addition of foster children. Together they worked with many neighborhood organizations toward a dream of maintaining safe and affordable neighborhoods, personally renovating homes on the block where they lived. Alan’s daughter, Lorrie, remembers her father as one who “spent his life in service.”

Alan is survived by his wife, Patricia, children, six children and six grandchildren, and one brother.

Memorial gifts to Final Exit or Compassion and Choices are encouraged. Condolences may be sent to Patricia Egly, 701 Iowa Street, Davenport, IA 52803.

The Rev. Janne Eller-Isaacs died on February 14, 2024, at the age of 71 (1953-2024).

Janne is survived by her son Jonah; daughters: Jessie (Andy), and Hannah (Tim); grandchildren: Lewis, Mira, Levi, and Benjamin; brothers: David (Abby), Jim (Jeannie), John (Margy) as well as her beloved nephews and a niece. She was preceded in death by her husband Rob (2022).

Two memorial services are being planned. One on April 27, 2024 (time TBA) at the First Unitarian Portland, 1211 SW Main St. Portland OR; and the other at Unity Church-Unitarian, 733 Portland Ave., St. Paul MN at 3 pm on May 11, 2024.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Unity Church- Unitarian and the UUMA. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Hannah Franco-Isaacs, 4770 NE Going St, Portland OR 97218.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. Robert “Rob” L. Eller-Isaacs died on July 23, 2022, at the age of 70.

Rob is survived by his spouse, the Rev. Janne Eller-Isaacs; children and their spouses: Jonah A. Eller-Isaacs; Jessie Eller-Isaacs, spouse Andy Anderson-Furgeson; Hannah and Tim Franco-Isaacs; and grandchildren: Lewis Eller-Furgeson, Mira Eller-Furgeson, and Levi Franco-Isaacs. He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law: Jane and Alan Fantel. Equally important is his chosen family within the Unitarian Universalist faith community.  

A memorial service will be held in the fall. Memorial gifts can be made to the Unity-Church Unitarian, 733 Portland Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55104; the UUMA, 24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210-1409; the Chicago’s Children’s Choir, 78 East Washington Street, 5th Floor Chicago, IL 60602; and The First Unitarian Church of Oakland, 685 14th Street Oakland, CA 94612.

Notes of condolences can be sent to Janne Eller-Isaacs, 4770 NE Going Street, Portland, Oregon, 97218.

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

The Reverend “Mac” Elrod, who pursued parallel careers in parish ministry, library science, and social activism, died on 16 June 2016, aged 84.

Jefferson McRee Elrod was born in Gainesville, Georgia, on 23 March 1932 to Angus and Lona McRee Elrod. After a B.A. magna cum laude in history (1952), he pursued dual studies in library science and ministry, doing fieldwork in local black churches and receiving ordination in the AME Church in 1954. Mac and his new spouse, Norma, then spent five years as educational missionaries in Korea.

Back in the U.S., Mac served library positions in Tennessee, Missouri, and Ohio (1961-67). Active in the civil rights movement, he and Norma became more progressive politically and religiously, with mounting distress over U.S. Vietnam war policy, and thus happily moved to Vancouver, BC, where he served as head of the University of British Columbia’s library cataloguing division from 1967 to 1978. After leaving the Methodist church, Mac received UUA ministerial fellowship in 1970 and served churches in the Vancouver area for 12 years until retirement from the parish in 1982. Upon departing UBC, he founded his own company and achieved international renown in the field of library cataloguing.

While raising six children in Canada, Mac and Norma’s home became a center for anti-war activism and a stopping point for hundreds of war objectors. He came out as gay in the 1970s and personally paid for the Canadian Unitarian Council to intervene in the 2004 Canadian Supreme Court hearings on same-sex marriage.

A longtime friend remembers Mac as “an unforgettable character, a committed humanitarian, never afraid to share his opinions nor speak on behalf of social justice and the environment, a friend who made me a better person through knowing him.”

He is survived by spouse Norma, five children, many grandchildren, and one great- grandchild. Memorial donations are encouraged to Doctors Without Borders. Condolences may be sent to Norma Cummins Elrod and/or their daughter Lona Manning.

The Reverend Dr. Dorothy Emerson—parish minister, scholar, writer and editor for women’s heritage and ministry, activist in race and class issues, and LGBTQ+ historian, who once called herself “kind of an out-there person”—died suddenly on 13 May 2019, aged 75-1⁄2.

Most widely acclaimed for her devotion to the role of women in UU circles and wider social movements, the Rev’d Ms. Emerson founded the UU Women’s Heritage Society. As a board member of UU Class Conversations, she led workshops on class issues for many congregations and ministers. At Collegium’s fall gathering in 2018, a full session was dedicated to Dorothy reading from her memoir, Sea Change (see below). In the last year of her life, Dorothy gave devoted leadership to the UU Rainbow History Project, documenting the personal stories and changing consciousness of gay and straight clergy around LGBTQ+ concerns.

Dorothy May Emerson was born on 20 November 1943 in Long Beach CA to Howard Douglas Emerson and Eloise Clark Emerson. She graduated from Pomona College (Claremont CA) in 1965 with a B.A. in German literature. After an M.A. in psychology and education from the Humanistic Psychology Institute (San Francisco) in 1974, she worked as a consultant. But eventually drawn to ministry, Dorothy earned her M.Div. at Harvard Divinity School in 1988.

Ms. Emerson began parish ministry with the First Universalist Society of Wakefield (MA) and was ordained there on 25 September 1988. After two interim positions, she accepted a call to the UU Church of Medford MA. During that six-year pastorate (1992–98) she earned a D.Min. at Andover Newton Theological School in 1997.

Over the next 12 years, the Rev’d Dr. Emerson intermittently served parish and community ministries while intensively pursuing her passions in a range of scholarly and writing projects. From this period came voluminous manuscripts and several edited volumes. Her final work was a memoir: Sea Change: The Unfinished Agenda of the 1960s. Just days before her death, she delivered 44 boxes of professional papers to the Harvard Divinity School archives.

At her death, Dorothy was survived by her wife Donna E. Clifford, son Damian Elrod, grandson Zade Elrod, sister Mary Lou, brothers Howard and Clark, and other nieces and nephews. Memorial donations are encouraged to the UU Rainbow History Project (via UURMaPA) or to a charity of one’s own choosing.

A green burial took place on 18 May 2019 at Cedar Grove Burial Ground, Limington ME. Dorothy’s life was celebrated on 8 June 2019 at the Melrose (MA) UU Church. Notes of condolence may be sent to Donna Clifford at 51 Cedar St., Apt #4101, Woburn MA 01801.

Kenneth English, 81, life partner of the Rev. Robert Wheatley, died Sept. 13, 2006, in Stoneham, MA. He was a decorated veteran of World War II. For the past three decades of his professional life, he worked as a professor at Boston University, Radcliffe College, and at Harvard’s Business School. He is survived by an older brother and sister in New Jersey, and was pre-deceased by his life partner in 2002.

The Rev. Linda K. Eppert died on November 18, 2021, at the age of 67.

Linda is survived by her husband, Steven Eppert; her sister, Cynthia (Dapper) Trimbell (spouse Derwood Trimbell); two children, Joshua Eppert (spouse Marcie Wahba) and Erinn (Eppert) Tucker (spouse Christopher Tucker); three grandchildren; and several other family members, including a great nephew. She was preceded in death by her parents, John W. Dapper and Mary (Yeager) Dapper.

A memorial service was held at St. John’s Unitarian Universalist Church, 320 Resor Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio, 45220 on December 28, 2021.

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

Notes of condolence can be sent to Steven Eppert, 3102 Cove View Blvd, Apt D108, Galveston, Texas 77554.

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

The Rev. Carl Larsen Esenwein, 72, died Nov. 4, 2006 in Normal, IL, of cancer. He served congregations in Benton Harbor, MI, and Norfolk, VA, and Bloomington, IL. He then started his own company. Known for his opposition to the Vietnam War, Carl was instrumental in helping numerous conscientious objectors find sanctuary in Canada. He was also active in the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and organizations for prison reform. During retirement, he restored his historic home and rekindled his love of magic. Those who knew him were impressed by the courage and dignity with which he faced the end of his life. A service took place Nov. 15 in Normal. Mr. Esenwein is survived by his wife, Willemina; four children, Marc of Louisville, CO; Steve, of Dacono, CO; Lori Hoffman of Bloomington, IL; and Willem Knibbe of Alameda, CA; a son-in-law and daughter-in-law, his mother, Eleanor, of Bloomington IL; and three grandchildren.

The Reverend Jan Evans-Tiller—avid reader and gardener, remembered well for her great devotion to children and religious education—died in Syracuse, New York, on 20 September 2016 at the age of 85.

Jan’s second marriage, to the Rev’d John E. Evans, unexpectedly brought her to a kind of vicarious public advocacy for death with dignity after John became terminally ill and sought the assistance of Dr. Jack Kevorkian to end his life on his own terms. In the course of attendant notoriety in the news media, the Rev’d Ms. Evans-Tiller was quoted in the New York Times for praising her spouse as “a courageous man who had the courage to do what is right.”

Jan Lowe was born in Alabama on 20 August 1931 to Alfred and Alma Lowe, but grew up in upstate New York. She was the valedictorian of her Herkimer (NY) High School class of 1949 and earned a B.A. cum laude in English literature from the University of Rochester (NY) in 1953.

Her religious education career spanned work as a Director of RE, district consultant, Minister of RE, and curriculum author, serving congregations in New York & Michigan. She was ordained 31 May 1987 by the Birmingham Unitarian Church of Bloomfield Hills MI, and retired in 1996.

The Rev’d Alida DeCoster particularly recalls Jan’s “passionate, humorous personality, and her feistiness,” plus the aptness of her own choice to add “Tiller” to her surname. (“She did like to steer the ship.”)

Jan is survived by her daughter Katherine Rugh, to whom notes of condolence may be sent: 102 Milton Ave, Syracuse, NY 13204. Memorial donations are encouraged to the Alzheimer’s Association.

The Reverend Marvin Evans, parish minister and devoted servant of the wider UU movement, died on 9 January 2016 at the age of 90.

Marvin Davis Evans was born on 2 December 1925 to Olaus Bowdoin Evans and Pearl Hutchinson Evans. After high school he joined the U.S. Army, serving in the liberation of Europe. He earned a B.A. from Randolph-Macon College in 1949, and a B.D. from Meadville Lombard in 1963.

After ordination in 1963 by the First Unitarian Church of Richmond (Virginia), the Rev. Evans served the Unitarian Church of Victoria, British Columbia, until 1967. Leaving the settled ministry, he took up a string of interim ministries along with a stint as UUA Director of Church Staff Finances (1978-81), finally retiring as Minister Emeritus to the Bellingham (Wash) Unitarian Fellowship in 1988. During these years, he served many active roles with the UUA and UUMA.

Marvin and his wife, Mary Hood Evans, moved to Seattle in 1967 and were dedicated members of University Unitarian Church for thirty years. After Mary died in 2004, Marvin became active in the Cedars Church (UU) on Bainbridge Island, from 2006 until his death.

His son David wrote: “Beyond family and a love of books and sailing, the Unitarian Church was very much in the center of my father’s life. He greatly enjoyed the service he gave to the church, who in return have been very supportive of him in his ‘radiant twilight years.’”

The Cedars UU Church hosted a memorial service on 13 February 2016. Condolences may be sent to the family at: David Evans & Alexis Johanson, P.O. Box 377, Keyport, WA 98345.

Mary Hood Evans, wife of the Rev. Marvin D. Evans, died Sept. 30, 2004 after a long illness. She earned a BA degree from Duke University and an MSW from the New York School of Social Work. In 1953, she married Marvin, and reared two sons. She worked for the Children’s Aid Society in Richmond, and was active in Ginter Park Presbyterian Church, the League of Woman Voters, the Richmond Committee to Save the Public Schools and the First Unitarian Church in Richmond. Following Marvin’s ordination, they moved to Victoria, BC, then Seattle. She was predeceased by her son, Kent. She is survived by her husband, and her son David and her daughter-in-law. She was a dedicated member of University Unitarian Church of Seattle, where A Celebration of her life was held Oct. 31, 2004.

The Reverend Dr. Til Evans—wise and compassionate counselor, consummate teacher and religious educator, professor, and sometime parish minister—died at age 95 in the early hours of 19 April 2018.

Til’s death announcement brought forth a stream of tributes, steadily praising her wisdom and recalling moments of deep personal connection, especially from Starr King School graduates. She was poetically described by Mark Belletini as one “who lives a teaching life with laughter, love and rage, [and] proclaims incarnate soul within this soulless age.”

Myrtle Joan Ferryman was born on 5 February 1923 in Bristol, England. She never liked “Myrtle” and shortened it to “Til” early on. On her 17th birthday, Til began training as a nurse, later specializing in midwifery, during which short career she proudly delivered 105 healthy babies. At a USO dance in 1944 she met Bill Evans, a US Army Air Force GI. They were married in 1945 and settled in Bill’s home area of Los Angeles, eventually adding five children to their family.

Seeking religious grounding for her children, Til was invited to a local UU church. Her involvement grew over time, directing religious education programs at nearby churches and eventually taking a part-time faculty position at Starr King School in the 1970s plus religious education positions in the UUA district and then at the Walnut Creek, CA, Mt. Diablo UU Church.

Her marriage to Bill Evans having ended by extended separation and then divorce, Til and the Rev’d Bob Forbes were wedded in 1982, but the marriage was sadly cut short by Bob’s untimely death from cancer in 1984. Continuing her service on the Starr King faculty, she eventually guided the school as acting president (1988-90), and in 1992 was awarded an S.T.D. honoris causa on retirement from her professorship.

At the time of her death, Til Evans was survived by sons Chris (later deceased in the fall of 2018) and Marc, daughter Rebecca, four grandchildren, one great grandchild, sister Jasmine in Great Britain, numerous nieces and nephews, and not least, by her beloved cat Gigi. She outlived also a sister, a brother, and two other children, Jane and David.

Edward William Ewers, Jr., 69, husband of the Rev. Margo J. Ewers, died Jan. 1, 2012, in Nashua NH after a long struggle with renal failure and cardiac issues related to diabetes. A native of Culver City, CA, he graduated from California State University, Fullerton. He served in the California National Guard. After the Ewers relocated to NH, Ed worked as chief financial officer at Harbor Homes in Nashua. This organization helps homeless and mentally ill people find housing and other services. He helped raise funds to expand the facility and he supported other staff. His friends and colleagues said Ed was an inspiration to them as he dealt with his own limitations and attendant pain while contributing so much. One of his great joys in life was taking driving trips to explore most of the U.S. He also served on the board of directors of Camp de Beneville Pines. He is survived by his wife, his mother, sister and brother and their families.

The Rev. Sylvia A. Falconer died on July 2, 2024, at the age of 88 (1936-2024).

Sylvia is survived by her three children David, Rebecca, and Curtis, her grandchildren Sara, Christopher, Logan, and Colby, as well as her beloved nieces, nephews, and their children. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald Mangan, her parents, and her brothers.

A memorial service will be held at 5.30 pm on November 8, 2024, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greeley, 929 15th St, Greeley CO 80631.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one’s own choosing, or the Humane Society of Weld County, or CARE International. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be sent to rebeccaborder1@gmail.com.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. John Farmakis, parish minister and dedicated humanitarian, died on 24 January 2016 at the age of 92.

John A. Farmakis was born in Philadelphia of Greek and Scottish ancestry on 30 August 1923 to Alexander Farmakis and Henrietta (Cunningham) Farmakis. After earning a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1946, hoping to serve the mission of the United Nations. After his discharge, he enrolled in Harvard Divinity School, earning an S.T.B. in 1950.

Mr. Farmakis was ordained to the ministry in 1952 by All Souls Universalist Church of Oakland, Maine, while serving a pastorate there (1951-53). After a one-year ministry to First Parish Church of Saugus (Mass.), he served as a U.S. Navy chaplain (1954-56). Then followed his two longest parish ministries: to the UU Society of Stanford, Conn. (1956-70) and to the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence (1970-88). During his career the Rev. Mr. Farmakis was active in Universalist and UU Service Committees, Universalist and UU Historical Societies, and on the UUA’s Overseas and Interfaith Relations Board.

The Rev. Judy Buck-Glenn writes that John “was honest, honorable, kind, and deeply-read, with a keen mind and a passionate commitment to Enlightenment liberalism. He is deeply missed by a small circle of very devoted friends, who feel privileged to have known this quietly-rather-great man.” In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to The John A. Farmakis Memorial Fund, University of Pennsylvania, Associate Director of Gift Planning Services, 3535 Market Street, Suite 500, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3309. Notes of condolence may be sent to his nephew at John.Farmakis@gmail.com.

The Rev. Leon C. Fay, 89, died ca. 2002. He earned his AB and STB degrees at Tufts. He served churches in East Bridgewater and West Bridgewater, MA; Scituate, MA; Nashua, NH; Albuquerque, NM; and Cape Town, South Africa. He also served as director of the Department of Ministry at the UUA.

The Board of the UU Retired Ministers and Partners Association offers our condolences to the family and colleagues of the Rev. Neal Ward Ferris, who died on February 4, 2023, at the age of 87 (1935-2023).

Neal is survived by his partner and wife of thirty years Sylvia Foster, son David and two grandchildren, daughter Tanya Ferris, and brother Norman.

A celebration of life is scheduled for 2 pm on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Exeter, 12 Elm St, Exeter, NH 03833.

Memorial gifts may be made to:

UU Service Committee of the UUA,

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),

Union of Concerned Scientists.

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

Notes of condolence can be sent to Sylvia Foster, 24 Woodridge Road, Durham, NH  03824.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Elinor Fewkes

Elinor F. Potter Fewkes, 79, wife of the Rev. Richard M. Fewkes died August 29, 2009 at home in hospice care after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was a graduate of Thayer Academy and Radcliffe College. She met and married Dick Fewkes when she was working for the UUA in their regional office in Brockton, MA. Ellie will be fondly remembered for her dedicated work as a loving teacher in both the Nursery School and Sunday School at the First Parish Church in Norwell, MA. She was an active member of the Women’s Alliance and for many years hosted the Sewing and Handcraft Group for the Annual Harvest Fair. When Dick and Ellie left Norwell in 2000 she was presented with a quilt dedicated to the “First Lady of First Parish 1969-2000.” That quilt comforted her for the rest of her life. She is survived by her husband, her sister and brother-in-law, two sons, a daughter, their spouses and eight grandchildren.

The Reverend Carol Fincher—who came to parish ministry in mid-life and served mostly in her native Oklahoma—died peacefully on 22 December 2018, aged 86, after a brief illness.

Carol Fincher was born on 25 December 1932 in Fairfax, Oklahoma, to Dorothy Ellen (Prall) and Ed Armel Fincher, and was raised in the Disciples of Christ (Christian) church. She dropped out of college after her first year to devote herself to marriage and motherhood.

Some years later, as the family was living in Clinton NY, Carol discovered the UU church in nearby Utica. She became an active layperson there and later in Hamden CT, where her interest in ministry gradually matured. Carol liked to say that she felt “beckoned” rather than called to her ministerial career.

By the late 1970s, with her two children grown, Carol resumed college, earning a B.A. at Southern Connecticut State Univ. in 1980. In 1986 she earned her M.Div. at Starr King School.

Ms. Fincher was ordained on 27 April 1986 by her “home” congregation, the UU Church of Utica NY and over the next 12 years she pursued a mix of settled and interim ministries in Charlotte NC, Amarillo TX, Stillwater OK, Newark DE, Syracuse NY and finally a small church in Tulsa OK.

In partial retirement the Rev’d Ms. Fincher returned to the UU Church of Stillwater OK in a part-time position of “pastoral care minister.” After full retirement, that congregation named her minister emerita.

Carol enjoyed traveling, going to Mexico and the Caribbean, but also made a trip to Singapore, led by her interest in Kuan-Yin Buddhism. In her spare time, she enjoyed jewelry making, paper making, photography, music, and ballet.

At her death, Carol was survived by a sister Dorothy, children Dennis and Ellen DeGraad, and three grandchildren. A celebration of Carol’s life took place on 12 January 2019 at the UU Church of Stillwater.

David Fisher

The Rev. F. David Fisher, 81, died June 26, 2010. After earning his AB in philosophy at Oberlin he served in the US Army. He received his MD from University of Rochester (NY). He practiced internal medicine and then earned masters in public health and divinity. He completed a psychiatry residency at Wright State School of Medicine (Dayton, OH). He taught at University of Utah and Yale University School of Medicine. He was ward psychiatrist at Northern NH Mental Health Services. He later served as part-time minister with the UU Fellowship of the Eastern Slopes (Conway, NH). A lifelong UU, he was active in many congregations as fellowship co-founder, layman, minister and choir director. He was Florida District’s volunteer coordinator for GA in 2008 in Ft. Lauderdale. He volunteered to promote equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. He enjoyed community theater as an actor, singer and dancer. He is survived by his life partner, Paul Alpert, his daughter, Dana Ashrawi and his son-in-law; his son, Kent Fisher, five grandchildren and two sisters.

Ruth Fleck

Ruth Melchior Fleck, 89, widow of the Rev. G. Peter Fleck, died peacefully at Cape Cod Hospital, South Orleans, MA on May 1, 2008, surrounded by her three daughters. She grew up in the Netherlands and immigrated to the United States with her beloved husband in 1941. He predeceased her. Her kindness and generosity touched many lives. In retirement she became an accomplished photographer. She had a talent for recognizing and appreciating what was special in each individual. Throughout her life, she maintained a wide correspondence, sending note cards made with her own photographs to commemorate birthdays, anniversaries, or just the warmth of her good wishes.

Elizabeth Fordon

Dr. Elizabeth Fordon, 71, died April 3, 2016 after a long illness with interstitial lung disease. “Betsy,” as she was widely known, was the spouse of the Rev. Dr. John Fordon. He reports that she loved to travel, attend opera, theater, and concerts, and play bridge. She embraced Unitarian Universalism with unbounded enthusiasm, letting all who knew her see her values and belief system. In later years, she focused on raising money for young and impoverished women seeking abortions of unwanted pregnancies, until poor health began to diminish her strength.

She was the devoted mother of Andrew (who passed away at age 23,) and her grown son Philip Reed. She loved being grandmother of Philip’s children — Claire, Connor, and Brendan — and stepmother to John’s five adult children.

Betsy’s passion was her profession as a librarian. She held every possible position in public libraries, from being a teenage book-shelver to a professional Reference and then Children’s Librarian, in Florida and New York. She was a consultant for the Office of Commonwealth Libraries of Pennsylvania, an adjunct professor at several colleges and universities, and finally the director of a multi-library system in Pennsylvania. She held a Masters of Science in Library Science from Florida State University, a Masters of Public Administration from Long Island University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Library Science, also from Florida State. She was an ardent advocate for all libraries and their staffs, collections, and programs.

John suggests that gifts of remembrance be directed to the donor’s local library.

Elizabeth Foster

The Rev. Elizabeth “Betty” Ann Foster died on March 3, 2018 at the age of 74.

Betty is survived by her children John Foster (Linda Jones), Heather Owens (Eddie), and Robert Foster; her grandchildren Padraic, Aidan, and Emma Owens; her sisters Jeanne Mancinelli and Virginia Calyer; and her many nieces, nephews, and countless friends. She was predeceased by her husband Robert W. Forster and her brother James G. Calyer.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gorham House Activity Fund, 50 New Portland Rd, Gorham, ME 04038.

A memorial service was planned for Monday, March 19, 2018 at the Gorham House, 50 New Portland Rd, Gorham, ME 04038.

Notes of condolence may be shared online at: http://www.dolbyblaissegee.com/obituaries/Elizabeth-Foster-5/

The Rev. Cynthia A. Frado died on March 28, 2021, at the age of 67.

Cynthia was the cherished wife of James Walker of Hadley, MA. She is survived by her daughter Eve Chetwynd and her partner Jason Hendricks of Orange, CT; son Alexander Chetwynd and his partner Jennifer Bisceglia of Worcester; sister Kathleen (Frado) Sousa and her husband William of Seekonk; sister-in-law Chris (Hall) Frado of Winchester, NH; stepson Jonathan Walker and his wife Catherine of Lebanon, CT; stepdaughter Carolyn Taylor and her husband Matthew of Amherst; adopted daughter Stephanie Jordao; eight loving grandchildren; Arielle, Hayden, Christian, Jack, Ella, Piper, Elin, and August; and several nieces and nephews. Cindy was predeceased by her sister Madeline Jeffries and brother John Frado.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cancer Center at Boston’s Children’s Hospital in memory of Rev. Cynthia Frado. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Her funeral service will be held virtually Friday, April 9, at 5:00 p.m. Contact the Funeral Home listed below for link to service.

Notes of condolences may be sent to the family of the Rev. Cynthia Frado care of the Pickering and Son Westborough Funeral Home, 62 West Main St., Westborough, MA 01581.

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

Treva (Zuercher) Frank, 96, died May 8, 2023, in the comfort of her home in Orange MA with her family.

She was born in 1927 in Pennsylvania to Oswin and Priscilla Zuercher. She graduated from Bluffton (OH) College, in 1948 where she met her husband, the Rev. Vance Frank. They enjoyed 70 years together before his passing in 2019. She and Vance raised six children as they served churches in Ohio; Rumford and West Paris ME; 1^st Universalist Church of Orange MA, 1972–1992; and First Church Unitarian of Athol MA,1984–1992.

In addition to church and community activities Treva was an avid reader, a member of the Atheneum and Unity club.

Treva was a kind, gentle soul, full of grace with a quick wit and a ready smile. She was proud of her Mennonite heritage, living the values of kindness, acceptance and primacy of family. She made her home the gathering place for family and friends caring for aging parents and grandchildren.

Treva was predeceased by her parents, husband, her sister Vivian Skinner as well as daughter Karen Frank Mays and sons Micheal Frank and Daniel Frank.

She is survived by her sister Mary Reichley; daughters, Julie Frank (James Randall) of Colorado and Bonnie Frank (Kenton Tharp) and Anita Henry (James) of Orange; son-in-law Richard Mays of NH; and daughter-in-law Allyson Hart Frank of Gardner. Treva dearly loved her 14 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and her great-great-granddaughter.

The family expresses gratitude to the Hospice Team of Care Central VNA for their compassionate care. Service will be private.

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.

Sidney Freeman

The Rev. Dr. Sidney L. Freeman, 85, died January 12, 2012. He held a BS from the University of Wisconsin, an MA from Bowling Green University, and a PhD from Cornell. He served the UU Church of Charlotte, NC, for 32 years, where he was named minister emeritus. He was a lay minister at the First Unitarian Church of Lynchburg, VA and served as a chaplain at Cedar Spring Hospital in Pineville, NC. He was an instructor of communication arts at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC; and associate professor of speech and drama at Sweet Briar College in VA. He was an advocate for mental health, serving as president of Charlotte’s Mental Health Association. He is survived by his wife, Gaynell B. Freeman; his children, Lynn Freeman Love, David Freeman, Michael Freeman, and T. Michael Williams; twelve grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

The Rev. Dr. Edward A. Frost died on April 9, 2022, at the age of 85.

Edward is survived by his daughter, Pamela A. Frost, and her sons, Bart and Nicholas; by his daughter, Tammy F. Frost, her husband, Scott, and their child, Jack; and by his daughter, Jennifer A. Frost, and her sons, Samuel, Alexander, and Timothy.

The celebration of life will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ 08540. It will also be streamed.

In honor of the Rev. Dr. Frost’s love for his dogs, you may make a donation to your favorite local organization that cares for dogs. Donations can also be made to the Unitarian Service Pension Society; c/o Rev. Sheldon Bennett; 43 Merrymount Road Unit 11, Quincy, MA 02169. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences can be sent to Pamela A. Frost, 388 Harrier Dr. Monroe Township, NJ 08831.

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

Wayne Fulkerson

Wayne Fulkerson, the spouse of The Reverend Peg Morgan, died October 19, 2016, following a stroke.

He was born August 22, 1935 in Portland Oregon to Marie Markstaller and Glenn Fulkerson. His parents, unable to care for him at the time, left him with an aunt and uncle, Selma and George Linville. Three years later, they retrieved him and took him to California, where they entered him in child beauty contests. He often came in second in these contests, but they returned to Portland two years later.

Eventually, his parents separated and his mother remarried. This was a volatile relationship that involved drinking and depression. Wayne often felt responsible to keep his mother from committing suicide. When he graduated from high school, Wayne enlisted in the Navy, and was sent to serve in San Diego CA. After his service ended, he enrolled at San Diego State University, where he met and married Sharilyn Ruth Allan.

Wayne and Sherry remained in San Diego for 15 years and had one son, Mark, before relocating to Redmond WA, where Wayne took a position with Safeco Insurance. He enjoyed his work, investigating clients to verify that they had provided complete information on their applications for coverage, and mentoring many new women auditors. A change in the company’s management drove him to seek better skills in dealing with stress and resolving conflict, which led him to discover Buddhism. When he developed heart health issues, he took an early retirement.

After retiring, Wayne was Sharilyn’s assistant in her accounting business. He also pursued a hobby of successful handicapping of horses, using various computer programs he developed. Sherry and Wayne treasured their dogs and cats; and they loved the diverse wildlife that lived in their backyard, a deep ravine. Sadly, Sherry died of lung cancer in 1999.   

Wayne Fulkerson

Wayne found new love with Peg Morgan, and they married in 2002. With her, he travelled the world, explored spirituality, loved their poodle Angie, and shared beloved friends.  Together, they experienced a weeklong retreat with Thich Nhat Hahn, the great Vietnamese Buddhist teacher. Wayne learned about the power of community as he integrated into Westside UU Congregation, where Peg served. He sang in the choir, and loved sharing his Buddhist beliefs.  He loved the values that UUs teach our children and supported all that his community stands for.

He is survived by his wife Peg Morgan, her sons Chris and Paul Morgan and families; son Mark Fulkerson and family; cousin Donald Linville and his children. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

Gifts may be directed to Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation, (for the Memorial Fund to support children’s, justice, and spiritual growth programs), 7141 California Avenue SW, Seattle WA 98136.

Carolyn Gaebler

Carolyn Farr Gaebler, 87, wife of the Rev. Max D. Gaebler, died, Aug. 21, 2009, at her home in Madison, WI. A graduate of Western College for Women in Miami, Ohio, she pursued graduate study in government at Harvard University, where she met and married the Rev. Max D. Gaebler, who was then Unitarian minister to students at the historic First Parish in Cambridge. They served churches in Westford, MA and Davenport, IA, and from 1952-1987 Madison, WI. A committed supporter of social justice issues, she never tired of recounting her experience in the summer of 1943 as a participant in a Quaker sponsored work camp on Chicago’s then heavily segregated south side. All her life she remained an ardent advocate for social justice. She loved good music, and for a number of years was a staunch member of the Unitarian Society choir and also of the Madison Philharmonic Chorus. She is survived by her husband, five children and their families.

The Reverend Dr. Max Gaebler—beloved pastor, community activist, and international advocate for liberal religion, whose snappy bow ties and cherubic smile made him instantly charming and recognizable—died on 7 September 2018, aged 97. His long-time friend and colleague, Rabbi Manfred Swarzensky, called Max “the most brilliant clergyman in Madison (WI).”

Max David Gaebler was born on 26 May 1921 in Watertown, Wisconsin, to Hans and Hele Gaebler, and grew up among German-American free thinkers. He earned an A.B. from Harvard College in 1941 and then an S.T.B. from Harvard Divinity School in 1944. Later he would receive two doctorates honoris causa—an S.T.D. from Starr King in 1968 and a D.D. from Meadville/Lombard in 1975.

Mr. Gaebler was ordained on 5 March 1944 by the First Parish in Cambridge, MA, and then served for a year as the American Unitarian Association’s Minister to Students in the Greater Boston Area. During that year, Carolyn Farr, then a graduate student at Harvard University, visited the First Parish in Cambridge and heard him preach. They were married in February, 1945.

After settlements at the First Parish Church United in Westford, MA (1945–48) and then the Unitarian Church of Davenport, IA (1948–52), the Rev’d Mr. Gaebler was called to the First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI, and 35 years later was named Minister Emeritus there on retirement in 1987.

His service to our national liberal religious movement was extensive and varied. Early on, Max served as president of the Unitarian Ministers’ Association and, in the late 1950s, as secretary for one of the joint interim committees leading to Unitarian and Universalist consolidation in 1961.

To the Rev’d Michael Schuler, his long-time successor in the Madison pulpit, Max was the ideal emeritus colleague, almost a co-minister, and “quite the gentleman…unfailingly courteous in speech and in his correspondence… He and I bonded very early over the Chicago White Sox.” Indeed, Max wrote an ode to Comiskey Park when it was torn down in 1991 for a new stadium.

At his death, Max was survived by five children (David, Mary, John, Ralph, Helen), a sister-in- law, three nephews, and his domestic partner Nancy Townsend and her family. His wife and a younger brother had died earlier.

The Rev. John Patrick Gaffney died on May 16, 2022, at the age of 86.

John is survived by his wife, Beverly Gaffney nee Mitchell; two daughters, Juliette Dame nee Gaffney of Ohio and Rachel Bragg of Longwood, Florida; along with five grandchildren, Adam, Ryan, Patrick, Madeline, and Lauren, who enjoyed playing at the beach and just hanging out with their Pop. He is preceded in death by his parents, Mary Ruth and Joseph Gaffney, by his brother, Joseph Gaffney, and by his sister, Margaret Kelly nee Gaffney.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Sierra Club, your local public broadcasting station, the National Association for Mental Illness (NAMI) or John would encourage everyone to travel and enjoy the great outdoors. 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. Patience Jane Gardner died on January 3, 2024, at the age of 77 (1946-2024). Patience is survived by her son Bryant (Kate); granddaughters: Katherine and Margaret; niece Kirsten; and nephew Chris. She was preceded in death by her brother Bryant, mother Leticia, and father Edward. A memorial service was held on January 20, 2024, at the First Parish UU Church, 842 Tremont St, Duxbury MA 02332.

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

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. Joy D. Gasta, 68, died of cancer October 2, 2005, in Nashville, TN. She taught English and humanities at colleges in IN, MI, PA and TN. She was also a part-time news and features reporter with the Philadelphia Inquirer and several other newspapers in Pennsylvania. She served the First Universalist Churches of Norway and West Paris, ME. She was assistant minister at the Church of the Larger Fellowship from 1994 to 1995. Surviving are two daughters, Rachel of New York and Catherine of Washington, D.C.; twin brother Jack Dedman; sisters Dale Wilson and Jean Dedman. Her husband, Carl Gasta, died in 1980.

The Rev. Elium Gault, 85, died suddenly Nov. 16, 2007, at his home in Hazlet, NJ. A committed Unitarian Humanist, he served the Woodstock, VT, church, then the Manchester, NH, church. He was active in the Civil Rights movement, and the Anti-Vietnam War movement. Ardently pro-choice, he was an active, vocal supporter of the separation of church and state. He leaves two sons, Jim and Bert, and daughter Patti. He was very close to his daughters-in-law and grandchildren. A Memorial Service was held in the Spring at Monmouth Country Unitarian Church in Lincroft, NJ.

Averill Gay

Averill Virginia Fox Gay, 90, wife of the Rev. Richard R. Gay, died quietly Jan. 24, 2011, at Providence Palliative Care in Anchorage. A native of Cornwall, PA, she was a graduate of Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA. There she met and married Richard on Christmas day, 1943. She held various teaching positions in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Then the family relocated to Alaska, where her husband served as minister, professor and administrator at Alaska Methodist University. Wherever they lived, Averill played organ, directed choirs and taught piano. In Anchorage, she was organist and choir director at Turnagain Methodist Church, then co-organist at First Presbyterian Church for 17 years. Her beautiful smile and gracious personality made her many friends, and her husband of 67 years was her greatest fan. Her family wrote: “These sentiments are most apt: Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband trusts her. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for she looks well to the ways of her household. Her children rise up and call her blessed! And her name is Averill.” In addition to her husband, she is survived by daughters Judith, Patricia, Sherry, Jerilee and their husbands; and her son, Richard III, as well as are 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother.

The Rev. Richard Rodda Gay died in Bend, OR on Aug. 13, 2017, at the age of 97.

Richard Gay began his career as a Methodist minister and educator. In Anchorage, Alaska, he served several local churches, including the Anchorage Unitarian Fellowship. He received affiliate status with the UUA and was a member of the UUMA.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Averill. He is survived by his brother, Thomas Ward Gay Jr.; his daughters, Judy Blake (Greg Joannides), Patti Thorne (Ron), Sherry Ellis (Glenn) and Jerilee Drynan (Steve); son, Rick; 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; nieces and grand-nieces; and nephews and grand-nephews. He is also survived by his loving companion, Doris Lagging.

At Richard’s request, there will be no service.

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

Richard Geer

Richard Lansing Geer, rocket scientist and spouse of the Reverend Nan Geer, died April 17, 2019. He was born September 29, 1933 in Portland, Oregon to Willard and Mary Geer. After attending both Willamette University and the University of Southern California and graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Richard was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. He was a member of two Engineering honorary societies, and earned master’s degrees both in Aeronautical Engineering and Systems Engineering.

During his Air Force career, he worked on a classified Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, which greatly improved reconnaissance/surveillance of the Soviet Union and was invaluable during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was pleased when this project was finally declassified, and he could tell his family about that work. The story of this program is now documented in a video, “The Satellite Men”.

Richard was an expert in moon dust research before the first Moon landing. He designed a gondola, now on display in the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force base, to research high altitude/velocity aircraft escape. For this research he was himself often a test subject for seat ejection evaluations. He worked on some of the first Air Force man-in-space programs, including military spacecraft. He also served on an inspector general team and later as part of the USAF Foreign Technology Division. He retired from the Air Force as a Lt. Colonel in 1981 and came to work for Boeing, in its space programs.

He married Alice Elizabeth Jackson in 1955, and they had two daughters, Marilyn and Elizabeth. That marriage eventually ended in divorce. In 1992 he met and married Nan, who was serving three congregations part time. They retired to Blaine. Washington, where she continued to serve Free Church Unitarian, and Richard became a devoted member.

Richard was a brilliant man of absolute integrity, great generosity and a wicked sense of humor, dearly loved by many. He is survived by his wife, Nan Geer, his brother and sister-in-law Charles and Lynne Geer, his daughter Marilyn Geer Vancil, her husband Travis Vancil, his grandchildren Andi and Megan, and Nan’s children Rob B., Tim, Moira, Heather, and Nan’s grandchildren Pierre, Inès, Zach, Eli and Henry.

Messages of condolence can be sent to Nan Geer, 4704 Sagebrush Lane, Blaine WA 98230.

Isabel Gehr

Isabel A. Gehr, 99, the widow of the Rev. Harmon M. Gehr, died October 7, 2013. The Gehrs served the Throop UU Church in Pasadena, CA for 19 years.

Her daughter, Julia Nelson, reflected on her mother’s sense of adventure. “She was fearless, whether it was speaking out on an issue, camping alone or trying a new recipe. She passed on to her children the idea that they could do anything they set out to do.”

Isabel spent the end of her life in Portland, Oregon with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She had a constant stream of company.  Julia said, “She didn’t have a single meal alone once she was there. She knew she was not going to last ‘til her 100th birthday. And she also knew that she’d not see all of her beloved possessions again and she just let it go, so she could relax and enjoy the family and the love surrounding her. She said goodbye to us all and told us not to worry about her, but also to remember her when she was young and vibrant and strong, not old and infirm. She remained alert and cheerful until she took her last breath.”

Isabel Gehr’s Urn with a plush polar bear totem

Julia recalled that Isabel told her family many times that when she and her husband were camping in Canyon de Chelley in Chinle, AZ, she had a vision of a large white bear who told her that everything would be all right. She kept a small plush polar bear with her all the time she was in Portland. Julia said, “The bear is with her now, next to her blue urn. At our Christmas gathering we will share memories, with all of us present. In the spring her ashes will be scattered on her son Elliott’s land in Eugene, near her husband and daughter, as she requested.”

She continued, “Thanks to everyone who admired, respected and loved her. She was a strong and unique person and we all feel lucky to have had her around for almost 100 years!”

There was a memorial service to celebrate her life on Nov. 23 at Throop UU Church, in Pasadena. Notes of condolence may go to her daughter: Julia Nelson, 85710 Doane Rd., Eugene, OR 97402.

Diether Gehrmann

The Rev. Dr. Diether Gehrmann, 77, died August 23, 2006. He served at Frei-religiose Gemeinde, Jugend, Germany and First Unitarian Society of Rockland County, NY. Dick Boeke writes: “Diether was a German born UU Minister. In 1969, he became the first full time General Secretary of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF). As major new religious groups such as the Rissho Kosei Kai in Japan joined, Diether established a new IARF office in Frankfurt, Germany. Lucy Meier of Holland worked with him to create an effective IARF Social Service network. The IARF Commissions brought a world dialogue to IARF Congresses. Diether’s dedication helped make the IARF a leading International Interfaith Organization” Diether is survived by his wife Dorothee Gehrmann, and his four children The Rev. Ronald, Rainer, Derek and the Rev. Axel Gehrmann.

The Rev. Joan R. Gelbein died on May 27, 2023, at the age of 87 (1935-2023).

Joan is survived by her husband of 65 years, Abe Gelbein; daughters Eve (Robert) Zuber and Martha (Craig) Woodard; as well as her grandchildren Samantha Zuber and Matthew and Benjamin Woodard.

A celebration of Joan’s life will be held at 3 pm on September 9, 2023, at the Unitarian Universalist Peace Fellowship, 4104 Watkins Rd, Raleigh NC 27616. (Please call or text Abe at 919-608-1182 if you are planning to attend.)

Memorial donations may be made to Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice, 168 Industrial Drive, Northampton MA 01060. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence can be sent to Abe Gelbein, 6 Cranberry Ln, Easthampton MA 01027.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Trudi Gelsey

Gertrud “Trudi” Linsenmair Gelsey, wife of The Rev. Rudolf  “Rudi” Gelsey, died March 28, 2003. The Gelseys were members of the Williamsburg, VA church at the time of her death. They served churches in Philadelphia, PA; Mt. Kisco, NY; Detroit, MI; Niagara Falls, NY; and Blacksburg, VA.

The Reverend Rudi Gelsey—Nazi refugee, thoughtful political scholar, parish minister, peacemaker, and lifelong crusader for liberty of conscience, religious diversity, and interfaith activity—died on 30 May 2018 at the age of 92.

In 56 years as a UU minister, he pursued civil rights, peace activism, environmental care, and interfaith work, with deep passion for intellectual, philosophical, and theological clarity. His belief in pluralism and openness to variety of religious expressions led him from Judaism to Catholicism and ultimately to UU ministry. Even after losing his sight in 2003, he continued to be a faithful and familiar presence at ministerial gatherings and General Assemblies.

Rudolph Czuczka was born on 24 February 1926 in Vienna, Austria, to Alfred and Erika von Gelse Czuczka. His affluent Jewish family fled Nazism in 1938 when he was 12 years old. He finished high school in Switzerland, earned a degree in political science from the University of Geneva, and became an activist in European federalist movements after World War II.

In 1949, Rudi emigrated to Canada, adopting a variant of his mother’s family name as being easier for English speakers. He resettled in the U.S. in 1959 and earned his B.D. from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1962.

Mr. Gelsey was ordained on 1 January 1962 at the First Unitarian Church in South Bend, IN, where he served until 1964. He went on to serve a mix of called and interim ministries at Philadelphia’s Universalist Church of the Restoration (1964–69), the UU Fellowship of Northern Westchester (Mount Kisco, NY, 1969–73), First UU Church of Detroit, MI (1973–1983), UU Church of Buffalo, NY (1983–84), First UU Church of Niagara, NY (1984–1990), and the UU Fellowship of the New River Valley (Blacksburg, VA, 1996–99).

At the time of his death, Rudi was survived by his children Florence Pinfield, Andy Gelsey, and Alex Gelsey, five grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Marilyn Gentile

Marilyn Abbott Gentile, 87, died June 7, 2013. She was the widow of the Rev. Frank Gentile and then the Rev. Jody Shipley. She supported Frank’s ministry when the Gentiles served the Universalist Church in Eldorado, OH. The scrutiny of small town living was a real challenge for Marilyn. After three years they moved to Southfield, MI, to start a new ministry.

Marilyn earned an MSW at Wayne University. She became a well-respected social worker in the greater Detroit area and flourished in her work.

After Frank’s sudden death in 1984, Marilyn fell in love with Jody, who was a close family friend. They relocated to Berkeley, CA, where she continued in her profession as a social worker and conscientiously chaired the UUA’s continental Women and Religion Committee for a number of years.

Marilyn was a full-fledged partner in Jody’s work at the Modesto UU Church and then in her community ministry. Jody’s death in 2002 was a terrible blow to Marilyn. They both were involved for many years in Women With Wings, the intentional community, which commemorated Marilyn’s life.

Those who knew her remember her lovely ways and support. Notes of remembrance may go to her sister: Lynn Sebbard, 226 Norwich Ct., Madison, NJ, 07940.

Peter George

Dr. Peter James George, CM, O.Ont, age 75, the spouse of the Reverend Allison Barrett, died April 27, 2017, at home in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. He had lived fully in spite of his cancer, making memories for his family.

Peter was born September 12, 1941 into a family which once kept the lighthouse on Toronto Islands. He attended a three-room school there before earning his B.A, M.A. and PhD in Economics at the University of Toronto. His work as an economist helped prove the economic value of an indigenous way of life.

He joined the faculty of McMaster University in 1965 and rose to become the President and Vice-Chancellor, where he served three five-year terms. He was named President Emeritus when he retired in 2010. The university had grown and developed many new and innovative programs during his tenure, and he had raised almost a billion dollars for its support. Peter will be remembered in the residence and student centre built in his honour; “The Peter George Centre for Living and Learning.”

Peter was a member of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honours. He was also honoured with the Order of Ontario.

Peter was widowed at age 55, but found new love with Allison. When they announced his proposal in church, he baked enough butter tarts for the entire congregation, to prove his commitment to being a great minister’s spouse. He remained a strong supporter and an inspiration to the end of his life.

Peter also welcomed with great joy their daughters, Lily Rose and Gemma who were adopted in China, and he participated enthusiastically in their care. He did everything for “his girls” including taking them around the world and introducing them to fly fishing and cottage life.

His memorial service at McMaster University on June 11, 2017 was a celebration of his life in words and music. The Governor General of Canada, the Honorable David Johnston, who had also been a university president and had observed Peter’s work, spoke as a friend and colleague.

Letters of condolence may be sent to the Reverend Allison Barrett at 20 Halson Street, Ancaster, Ontario L9G 2S3.

Neil Wayne Gerdes was born in Moline, Illinois, on 19 October 1943 to Della Bennett Ferguson Gerdes and John Edward Gerdes. He earned a B.A. from the University of Illinois, an S.T.B from Harvard, masters degrees from both Columbia University (NY) and University of Chicago, and a D.Min. from the University of St. Mary of the Lake (Mundelein IL).

The focus of Neil’s ministry was his 40-year tenure as theological educator and librarian at Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago. The Rev’d Dr. Lee Barker, Meadville president, described Neil as “…a wonderful mentor to students, a lover of books and information, … an erudite conversationalist, a man of very goofy humor, and a champion for liberal theological education… The school has lost one of its giants.”

Shortly after Neil’s death, tributes poured in. Several Meadville alums praised the generosity of his personal presence, calling him “the soul of the school.” The Rev’d Jackie Ziegler recalled that Neil “led a group of Meadville Lombard seminarians interested in discovering how we could create a model of spiritual direction within the frame of Unitarian Universalism’s diverse theologies/philosophies. We were told it wasn’t possible – practical – but Neil showed us a way.”

He is survived by four sisters and two generations of nieces and nephews.

Judith Gilbert

Judith Patterson Gilbert, 64, the wife of the Rev. John Gilbert, died April 2, 2010 in hospice care in Huntersville, NC after an eight-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She earned a degree in computer sciences from University of North Carolina, Charlotte. She was an MCSP (Microsoft Certified Support Professional). She was also an ardent Democrat. She was committed to CASA. She will be remembered as a founder and principal of High Tech Computing, Inc. The company, which was one of her passions, provides support for Microsoft Office products and exchange servers. Judith is survived by her husband and three sons: Houston, Toby, and Christopher Patterson, two daughters-in-law and two granddaughters.

Philip Giles

The Rev. Dr. Philip R. Giles, whose career spanned fifty-four years of distinguished service in parish ministry, denominational leadership, and armed forces chaplaincy, died on July 2, 2013, at the Illinois Veterans’ Home in Quincy, Illinois, aged 96.

Mr. Giles was especially energetic and influential in organizational work as the last General Superintendent of the Universalist Church of America (UCA) prior to its consolidation with the American Unitarian Association (AUA) in 1961. He later recalled that the Universalists were “wary of power and institutions,” and he set about to strengthen the UCA “so it could carry more of its weight in the merger.” Under his revitalizing program, Operation Bootstrap, some of the influence of independent state Universalist conventions was shifted to the national office, internal communication was improved, the UCA’s financial base was strengthened, ministerial pensions were increased, several congregations moved to new or renovated buildings, and publication was expanded. He saw these changes as essential for the future, whether for a self-sustaining UCA or in preparation for consolidation with the AUA. In the words of a family member,

“His commitment to the liberal religious movement mirrored his philosophy that each generation is responsible to help succeeding generations move forward. He always said, “Your generation doesn’t owe anything to mine. We hold you on our shoulders and you will do the same for your children.”

Philip Randall Giles was born in Haverhill, Mass. on January 23, 1917 to Nelson R. and Ina Butler Giles. He earned a B.A. from Tufts College and an S.T.B. from Crane Theological School, both in 1942, and later received honorary doctorates from Tufts and St. Lawrence University.

Philip Giles

In 1939, during his student years at Tufts, Mr. Giles began parish ministry at the Universalist Church in Southbridge, Mass, where he was ordained by the Massachusetts Universalist Convention on May 10, 1942. Meanwhile, in June of 1941, he was married to Aurelie Proctor of Fayville, Mass. After ordination he entered the Army Air Corps as a chaplain, spending two years in New Guinea and several months in Tokyo during the occupation. Thereafter he joined the Air Force Reserves and was recalled to another stint (1951-53) of active military service as a wing chaplain at Connelly AFB in Waco, Texas, during the Korean conflict. His reserve chaplaincy status afforded him an instrumental role in the design of the spectacularly modernist Air Force Academy Chapel, completed in 1962 in Colorado Springs. He retired with the rank of colonel in 1977.

Returning to parish ministry after WWII, the Rev. Mr. Giles was settled at the White Memorial Universalist Church in Concord, New Hampshire from 1946 until 1949, when he joined the Universalist headquarters staff. There he served successively as director of fund-raising (Unified Appeal, 1949-51), assistant to the General Superintendent of the UCA (1953-1954), and then director of ministry and extension, before his own election as General Superintendent in 1957.

In 1961, having helped steer the final stages of UCA-AUA consolidation, Philip Giles served as UUA Vice President for Field Relations until 1963, then District Executive of the Joseph Priestly District, and returned to UUA headquarters as Vice President for Development (1970-74).

Resuming parish ministry, Dr. Giles was settled at the UU Church of Muncie, Indiana (1974-78), the First Universalist Church of Denver, Colorado (1978-82, where he was named Minister Emeritus in 1988), and the UU Church of Corpus Christi (1982-1983). He then embarked on a career in interim ministry, serving churches in Providence, Rhode Island (1983-84), Croydon, England (1984-85), Needham, Mass (1985-86), Melrose, Mass (1986), Middleboro, Mass (1987-88), Corpus Christi, Texas (winters of 1988-90), and Barnstable, Mass (1992-93).

Philip Giles came from a family of outdoor enthusiasts. He enjoyed camping, birding, fishing, and swimming. He and his family spent summers at various Universalist and Unitarian camps, institutes, and retreat centers around the country. He led workshops at Ferry Beach and Star Island in Maine, Camp Unirondack in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, Bridgman on Lake Michigan, and the Rocky Mountain District summer institute at Estes Park, Colorado.

In a letter of sympathy to an old friend, Mr. Giles once wrote:
“I have never been able to bid adieu, even for a time, gracefully and easily. It has always been easier to take refuge in a casual “See you later.” But that won’t do now . . . I have often wished I could take comfort in the Christian myth of immortality. But my mind won’t permit it. My comfort has to be with those we leave behind—immortality enough for me—but it does not assuage the hurt, the grief, the loss when dear ones go on ahead. It’s a lonely business, made tolerable only by the evergreen memories and pride of having been the recipient of their trust and love and friendship.”

Philip Giles

Philip Giles was preceded in death by his wife, Aurelie, and a brother, Paul, of Concord, New Hampshire. He is survived by two daughters, Lee Giles Hirstein of Schaumburg, Illinois, and Susan Giles Godsey of Nehalem, Oregon, two grandchildren, a great-grandchild, nieces and nephews, and a sister-in-law.

Cremation rites were conducted for Dr. Giles. A memorial service was planned for a later date in St. Albans, Maine, site of the family cemetery since the 1760s.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Society for Ministerial Relief, c/o Glen Snowden, Secretary, 34 Meeting House Ln #201, Stow, Mass 01775.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Lee Giles Hirstein at 2442 Charleston Drive, #6, Schaumburg, Illinois 60193; or Susan Giles Godsey at P.O. Box 128, Nehalem, Oregon 97131.

Yvonne Giles, 81, wife of Rev. Philip R. Giles of Harwich, MA, died Dec. 10, 2005. Among other churches, they had been together at Muncie, IN; and Denver, CO. While in Muncie, Yvonne was head of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) leading 1800 volunteers. Survivors include her husband; a son, Rev. Stephen Rhoades of Sandyville, WV; and a daughter, Dauna Hawkins of Weston, WV.

Fred Gillis

The Rev. Fred Gillis, parish minister, skilled liturgist, community activist, accomplished woodworker, and lover of the ourdoors, railways, organs and organ music, died, aged 72, on July 14, 2013 after a long battle with Lewy body disease.

Fred’s woodworking skill and passion for organ music were combined in designing and building his own organ as well as proudly helping with the design and construction of the organ at the Westminster Church in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, where he was settled for a twenty-six-year pastorate. When not pursuing his love of rail travel and building model trains, he could often be found hiking, kayaking and bird watching on camping trips with his family in Newark Pond, Vermont.

In his professional life, the Rev. Mr. Gillis was a 42-year member of the Greenfield Group and was formally granted “sainthood” in that oldest Unitarian (now UU) ministerial study group in North America. Widely respected for his interest in worship arts, he was a founding and active member of the Unitarian Universalist liturgical group, the Congregation of Abraxas and served for four years (1978-82) on the UUA’s Commission on Common Worship. His work in this area is recalled in these words (one of his two contributions to the UUA hymnal):

May the Love which overcomes all differences,
which heals all wounds,
which puts to flight all fears,
which reconciles all who are separated,
be in us and among us
now and always.
(Reading #694, Singing the Living Tradition)

Frederick Ellsworth Gillis was born in Cambridge, Mass, on December 12, 1940 to Raymond and Amy Mann Gillis. He was graduated with a B.S. from Tufts University in 1962 and an S.T.B from Harvard Divinity School in 1965.

Mr. Gillis was ordained to the ministry at the Channing Unitarian Church in Rockland, Mass., on April 24, 1966, where he served from 1965 to 1969. He went on to parish settlements at the UU Church of Halifax, Nova Scotia (1969-77) and the Westminster Unitarian Church of East Greenwich, Rhode Island (1977-2003), leaving the latter with the title of Minister Emeritus. He then moved on to interim ministries at UU churches in Rutland, Vermont (2003-04) and Peterborough, New Hampshire (2005-06), before final retirement.

During more than four decades in parish ministry, the Rev. Mr. Gillis was steadily active in many local community groups and the larger UU movement, serving as chair (1966-67) and board member (1971-73) of the Fair Housing and Human Rights Association in Rockland, Mass., Vice President (1972-73) of the Metro Area Family Planning Association in Halifax, Nova Scotia, , board member (1974-77) of the Canadian Unitarian Council, Vice President (1979) and President (1980-83) of the Memorial Society of Rhode Island. Later, he was elected Treasurer (1968), Vice President (1986-88), and President (1988-89) of the Ballou Channing Chapter of the UUMA and served on the Executive Board of the UUMA at large from 1989 to 1991.

Fred is survived by his wife, Judy Stewart Gillis of Concord, New Hampshire, and his former wife, Kate Gillis of West Warwick: Rhode Island, two sons: Andrew (spouse Karen), of Bedford, New Hampshire, and Duncan (spouse Vanessa) of Portland, Oregon; three step-daughters: Tracy Terry (spouse Marc) of Ashland, Mass., Gillian Edeus (spouse Leif) of Vevey, Switzerland, and Erin Stewart (spouse Jeff Fetter) of Concord, New Hampshire, and 10 grandchildren.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, September 14, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. at the Westminster Unitarian Church in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. An additional remembrance were included as part of Sunday morning worship on September 29, 10:30 am at the UU Church of Concord, New Hampshire.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the UUA Living Tradition Fund, P.O. Box 843154, Boston, Mass., 02284 or to Lewy Body Research, MGH Development Office, Attn: Shawn Fitzgibbons, 165 Cambridge St., Suite 600, Boston, Mass.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Judy Gillis at 6 Wildemere Terrace, Concord, New Hampshire 03301.

David Gilmartin

The Rev. David Gilmartin, 71, died unexpectedly March 12, 2012 in Eugene, OR. He earned his BA at Harvard University and his MDiv. at Starr King. He was a community minister and a social worker, who advocated for accessibility. He worked at the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, CA; at the Center for Independence of the Disabled in Belmont, CA; at Resources for Independent Living in Sacramento, CA. He worked at Ferry Beach UU Camp and Conference Center in Saco, ME; at New Horizons Independent Living Center in Prescott, AZ; at InfoUse in Berkeley, CA; and at the State of Arizona Child Protective Services. His colleague, Alicia Forsey, remembers him as a very positive person. She described him as kind, gentle and intelligent. She added that he had a memory “like a steel trap.” David enjoyed singing and playing the guitar. He was predeceased by his sister, Alice Gilmartin. He is survived by his brother Peter Gilmartin.

Jean Gilpatrick

The Rev. Dr. Jean Lois Witman Gilpatrick, 84, died June 4, 2009, after a 10-year struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born in East Orange, NJ. She was educated at Connecticut Valley College for Women and Meadville Lombard. She won a Danforth Graduate Fellowship to do interdenominational work at University of Illinois. There she met and married Thomas Vance Gilpatrick. They worked as a team on programs empowering people to improve their lives. In the 1960’s the Gilpatricks worked tirelessly for civil rights in Lynchburg, VA. Black leaders said their efforts were the first tangible sign of support from area whites for local struggles for justice. Jean taught at Virginia Theological Seminary and College, an historically black college, and at Central Virginia Community College. After her ordination in 1981, she served congregations in CT, IL and VA. She advocated for women’s rights and attended the International Women’s Conference in Nairobi, Kenya in 1985. She was a poet and a painter, who enjoyed singing in the choir. Jean is survived by two daughters, Morgan Gilpatrick and Diana Gilpatrick, three grandchildren, a brother and many nieces and nephews.

Thomas Vance Gilpatrick, 81, husband of the Rev. Jean W. Gilpatrick, died in Rockville, MD Jan. 18, 2005. After serving in World War II, he received a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago. He taught at Pennsylvania State College then at Sweet Briar College for more than 30 years. He was an active member of the First Unitarian Church of Lynchburg, VA, the Jefferson Choral Society, the ACLU, and the Lynchburg Council on Human Relations. He was a founder of Lynchburg’s emergency fuel project. He is survived by Jean, his wife of 55 years, of Potomac, MD; two daughters, Diana Gilpatrick of Potomac and Morgan Gilpatrick, of Bowie, MD; three grandchildren; three brothers and a sister. Services were held March 26 in Bethesda, MD and April 9 in Lynchburg.

Jo-an Glasse

The Rev. Jo-an Glasse, 87, left our Earth August 3, 2011. She graduated from Berea College and Yale Divinity School. At Yale she met and married the Rev. James D. Glasse, who predeceased her. They settled in Nashville where Jim taught at Vanderbilt University and Jo-an reared four children. Jim was appointed president of the Lancaster (PA) Theological Seminary. In addition to supporting the local community with teaching, healing and spiritual development groups, Jo-an served the national community as a chairperson for Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship. She was ordained by the Lancaster congregation at age 59. She touched many lives performing christenings, weddings and funerals. With her business partner, Sheila Audet, Jo-an produced an original musical of Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, which traveled all over the country. Her boundless energy and twinkling blue-green eyes belied her age. Her generous, open heart and deep compassion defined her. All who knew her, even briefly, were touched by her loving presence. She is survived by her sister Alice Wulff, her children J. Daniel, Janet, Judith and Julia, their spouses and four grandchildren.

The Rev. Dr. William J. Gnagey, spouse of Reverend Dr. Ruth Jacquot Gnagey, died peacefully on 14 November 2020 at his home in Normal, Illinois, with loved ones nearby.

He was born on 16 August 1927 in Milledgeville, Illinois, the son of Leelo and Virginia Gnagey. He was educated at Manchester College, in Indiana, and Wayne State University, in Detroit, Michigan where he received his BS, M.Ed., and Ph. D in Psychology. He taught in the public schools of Detroit for four years. At the same time, he was ordained by the Church of the Brethren and was Associate Pastor of the Church of the Brethren of Detroit. In 1953, Bill began a career as a professor of Psychology at Manchester College, then at Butler State University and Illinois State University where he was a professor for 38 years. At Illinois State he also served as Director of Educational Research Services and Assistant Dean of the Graduate School. He received many honors at ISU: Distinguished Teacher, 1969, Outstanding University Teacher of the Year, 1985, among others. He loved being an educator. He retired as Emeritus Professor in 1999. 

He was an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington Normal from 1961, serving as President of the Board for two years and in many other capacities. His sense of humor was refreshing, and he kept it to the end of his life.

Bill married Marilyn Macey in 1948, but she died in 1973. He married Rev. Dr. Ruth Jacquot on 19 May 2003, and they spent many years as co-ministers during the winter months at Unitarian Universalist churches in Texas.

Beside Ruth, he is survived by three of his children: Leslie Roberts, of Bloomington, Timothy Gnagey (Vickie) of Leroy, IL and Jeffery Gnagey (Janice) of Northfield, MI; two step-children: Bruce Praul (Kelly) of Sunbury, Ohio and Kyle McCullough of Apopka, Florida; two brothers: Larry Gnagey (Regina) of Jonesboro, Arkansas and Thomas Gnagey of Fayettville, Arkansas; by seven grandchildren, five step-grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren. 

The family expresses deep appreciation to the staff of the Carle Hospice program for their faithful and loving care of our dear Bill during his illness. Bill’s body was donated to science with support from the Carmody-Flynn Funeral home. A virtual memorial service will be scheduled by Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington Normal.

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/.

The Reverend Jerry Goddard—second-career parish minister, fierce advocate for abortion rights, child protection, human dignity, religious freedom, and civil rights, and a scholar of Western religions—died on 15 October 2017, aged 87.

Well before his career transition to professional ministry, Jerry was already active in drug counseling, pro-choice advocacy, and litigation for religious freedom. Later he sat on national committees of both Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Homer A. Goddard III was born on 29 October 1929 in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Jeannette and Homer A. Goddard Jr., and grew up in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA. He was graduated in 1952 from Denison University (Granville, OH) with a B.A. in economics. After U.S. Army service, he worked for 17 years as a sales engineer for ALCOA. With active membership in the Main Line Unitarian Church (Devon, PA), he heard a call to ministry and earned an M.Div. in 1975 from Starr King School.

Mr. Goddard was ordained on 9 January 1976 by the First Parish of Sudbury, MA, where he served as minister until 1985, meanwhile discovering an ancestral connection to the Rev’d Israel Loring, who had served the same congregation in a near record length pastorate (1705–72). Jerry was subsequently settled at the UU Society of Greater Springfield, MA (1985–90) and then at the UU Fellowship of Poughkeepsie, NY (1990– 96), where he was honored as Minister Emeritus. Afterward, he served interim ministries in New Zealand, England, Australia, South Africa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

At time of death, survivors included his spouse of 64 years Margaret Goddard, children Linda Goddard, Kirk Goddard, and Jan Goddard-Taylor, and five grandchildren.

Madlyn Hunsberger Gold, 87, widow of the Rev. William J. Gold, died June 28 2005. She was Program Director of Carver Community Center in Schenectady, Director of the Schenectady County Volunteers and Director of the Senior Citizen Center in Richmond. She is survived by sons L. Gold of Montgomery Village, MD and James P. Gold of Saratoga Springs, NY.

The Rev. Clifton B. Gordon, 91, died September 22, 2004 from the aftereffects of a stroke. He served churches in Sterling, MA; Wilton Center and Milford, NH; and Modesto, Yuba City and Bakersfield, CA (emeritus). He was a high school teacher and guidance counselor in Milford, NH, and taught Psychology at Sacramento State College. He served in the Army Medical Department and the Transportation Corps during World War II, in New Guinea, Philippines, and Japan. Survivors include his wife, Helen Gordon, and three stepchildren, Bruce Winn, Brent Winn, and Holly Winn Wilner.

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.

Claudine Grady

Claudine Marilyn Renz Grady, 89, wife of the Rev. Charles W. Grady, died March 15, 2013. She lost her vision at an early age. As a child she became an expert knitter, fluent in Braille, and a gifted pianist. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. When she married Charles he was a radio announcer. As a young wife, she reared two children, took care of the house, and participated in civic and musical affairs. It was Claudine’s influence that brought the Gradys to Unitarianism. She loved making friends, and was a dedicated bridge player, aided by Braille-marked cards and a phenomenal memory. For Claudine “life began at 40,” when she learned to work with a guide dog for greater independence. It was a successful venture, and she owned and loved a series of dogs for the rest of her life. In 2010, increasing ill health forced them to move to Minnesota to live with family. Claudine was afflicted by dementia and declining health. The Gradys were together for more than 65 years. Notes of remembrance may be sent to Charles W. Grady, 8714 Second Ave. South, Bloomington, MN 55420.

The Reverend Jim Grant, whose religious journey led him from a Southern Baptist upbringing, through many years of American Baptist ministry, and finally to UU ministry at age 61, died on 6 January 2024, aged 88 (1935-2024). 

Jim Grant was one of the gentlest souls ever to enter UU ministry. His deep pastoral presence, insightful preaching, self-effacing humor, lovely singing voice, twinkling eyes and ready smile made him a beloved joy to colleagues and congregations alike. His commitment to interim ministry was guided by a clear vision for the needs of transitional service; congregations appreciated his unpretentious integrity and generosity of spirit. 

James Edward Grant was born on 20 June 1935 in Asheville NC, the third of four children, and raised in a large Southern Baptist church with an active, multi-age religious education program. He sang in church choirs from the time he was a young child and participated in the church’s drama group. 

Supporting himself after high school with part-time religious education positions in small churches, Jim earned an associate degree from Mars Hill College, a B.A. from the University of Richmond VA in 1957, and an M.Div. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville KY) in 1960. Back in Richmond, he completed an M.A. in history in 1962, and then served in the Southern Baptist ministry for 10 years.  

As his own theology matured in a more liberal direction along with growing commitment to racial equality, Mr. Grant transferred his ministerial standing to the American Baptist Church. Serving ABC congregations in Massachusetts led Jim to ecumenical work with many UU clergy and to increasing appreciation of, and comfort with the UU tradition. When not on duty with the American Baptists, he often worshipped in UU spaces, including Kings Chapel and First Parish in Weston. Impressed by the UUA’s inclusive language and embrace of multiculturalism, he realized that UU ministry beckoned as the next “home” for his interests and professional abilities. Thus, in the summer of 1996, at age 61, he left 25+ years of professional ministry with the American Baptists, sought standing with the UUA, and relocated to Southern California. 

The Rev’d Mr. Grant began his UU service with interim ministry (1996–98) at the UU Inland North County Fellowship (now merged since 2000 to form the Chalice UU Congregation in Escondido CA), during which the congregation’s life was greatly healed and stabilized. Moving on to the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara CA (1999–2001), his ministry again had a healing and energizing effect that grew the congregation’s numbers and helped it move toward a stronger future. Staff members felt a part of a positive, cooperative team and served as a model for the congregation. 

Over the next decade, Jim Grant served interim and contract ministries in Southern California at the UU Fellowship of Laguna Beach (2001–03), the Coronado UU Church (2003–04), Pacific Unitarian Church in Rancho Palos Verdes (2004–05), the First UU Church of San Diego (2006), and the UU Fellowship of San Dieguito in Solana Beach (2007). Ranging farther afield, he extended his ministry to the UU Congregation of Las Vegas NV (2009) and finally to the UU Congregation of Santa Fe NM (2009–10). 

In retirement, Jim continued his affiliate status with the First UU Church of San Diego, which he had joined in 1999, and over the years he offered strong pastoral assistance, occasional preaching, and much valued collegial friendship to that congregation’s succession of lead ministers—Tom and Carolyn Owen-Towle, Arvid Straube, Kathleen Owens, and Justine Sullivan—all of whom (except Carolyn) spoke at Jim’s memorial service. “He was the embodiment of Marge Piercy’s poem, ‘To Be of Use,’” said Kathleen Owens. 

Throughout his career the Rev’d Mr. Grant was actively engaged in work outside the parish. He served on the board and finance committee of the Massachusetts Council of Churches and as president of the Massachusetts Commission of the United Ministries in Higher Education. In his UU years, he was a consultant for the UUA’s Pacific Southwest District and was active in the UUMA chapter. He worked with various community, civic, and non-profit organizations, and served as an officer and board member of the United Nations Association’s local chapter. 

He enjoyed singing all his life and sang with various church choirs and choral groups. In his leisure time, he loved cooking, birdwatching, reading, and art. 

At his death, Jim was survived by his spouse of 66 years, Betty Wyatt Grant, siblings Athol Grant and Mary Carolyn Kominowski, children Martha Grant Fuller and James Edward Grant Jr., grandchildren Elizabeth Fuller and Mikhael Fuller, three great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. 

A celebration of life (video link here) was held on 24 February 2024 at the First UU Church of San Diego. Donations to that church in Jim’s memory are encouraged. Notes of condolence may be sent to Jim’s daughter, Martha Fuller, at mfullerpnp@yahoo.com or 4842 Hart Dr., San Diego CA 92116. 

The Board of the UU Retired Ministers and Partners Association offers our condolences to the family and colleagues of the Rev. Glenda Ruth Gray, who died on December 27, 2022, at the age of 80 (1942-2022).

Glenda is survived by her nieces: Shaila Ordaz and Marcy Weinberg; nephews: David Ordaz, Robert Ordaz, Rafael Herazo and Carlos Herazo; as well as six great nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind her beloved cat Chauncy.

A memorial service will be held in the spring of 2023.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Animal Humane Society of New Mexico, 615 Virginia St, SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108, or The First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, 3701 Carlisle Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence can be written here.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. Roger “Rog” E. Greeley died on October 28, 2021, at the age of 98.

Rog is survived by his three children: Bethany Greeley, Timothy (Janet) Greeley, and Will (Mary) Greeley; his six grandchildren: Elliot (Ali) Kaiman, Emily (Brandon) Haugh, Theodore (Erika) Greeley, Patrick (Amy) Greeley, Nathan (Emily) Greeley, and Matthew (Alyssa) Greeley; as well as his seven great-grandchildren: Malcolm and Otto Kaiman, Lucy and Grady Haugh, Virginia and Finton Greeley, and Adalind Greeley. He was preceded in death by his wife of seventy years, Katherine Purcell.

A private family ceremony is being planned.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Marine Corps Veterans Association https://marinevets.org/. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the  UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be expressed online https://www.fassbenderswansonhansen.com/obituaries/Roger-Elting-Greeley?obId=22822465#/obituaryInfo.

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

The Reverend Kay Greenleaf—a late-career parish minister who became a fierce and widely celebrated advocate for marriage equality—died on 19 January 2018, aged 78, after a long illness.

Social justice was one of Kay’s lifelong passions. In 2004 Kay enlisted local clergy to help marry many same-sex couples, drawing widespread public attention. She and the Rev’d Dawn Sangrey were arrested for this work but the charges were later dismissed.

Katherine Anne Greenleaf was born on 23 December 1939 in Orlando, Florida, to Helen and Richard Greenleaf. At Ball State Teachers College (Muncie, IN) Kay earned a B.S. in education in 1962. Initially she taught high school drama and worked in criminology and social service but then moved to a small farm in Wooster, OH, where she renovated and lived in an 1820s log house and raised geese, chickens, and goats. During this time she began attending the UU Fellowship of Wayne County.

Kay moved to Columbus, OH, in 1987 to join her newfound life partner, Pat Sullivan. The couple became actively involved in the city’s First UU Church. With an ever-stronger call to ministry, she enrolled at the nearby Methodist Theological School and completed work for her M.Div. in 1996, meanwhile supplying many local UU pulpits.

Ms. Greenleaf was ordained on 20 April 1997 by the First UU Church of Columbus. After brief contract ministries, she was called to the UU Fellowship of Poughkeepsie, NY, where she served from 1998 until her retirement in 2009 and was later elected Minister Emerita.

At her death, Kay Greenleaf was survived by her wife of 31 years, Pat Sullivan, three cousins, and a sister-in-law. Of her beloved spouse, Pat wrote, “Kay took people at face value and always saw the good in them.”

Susan Grigg

Susan Leslie Grigg, PhD, 59, wife of the Rev. Justin G.G. Kahn, Sr., died 5 May 2007 at the Mayo Clinic of complications from lymphoma. Born in Chicago, she was the only daughter of the late Wallace and Loretta (Mittman) Grigg. She graduated from Oberlin College and earned an MA and PhD in American History from the University of Wisconsin. She later completed her MLIS at Simmons College.

She began her career as an archivist at Yale University. She was then appointed Assistant Professor and Curator of the Immigration History Collection at the University of Minnesota; next she became head of the Sophia Smith Collection and served as College Archivist at Smith College.  Since 1996 she had been head of the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections at the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a joint appointment as Professor of Library Science and Northern Studies; she had also served as Acting Director of Libraries and Interim Dean of Libraries.

She was elected a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists, in recognition of distinguished service to the profession, and was a longtime Certified Archivist, having served on the committee that developed standards for certification. She also served many years on the SAA Editorial Board, chairing it for four years. She was a board member of the Alaska Historical Society, Vice President of the Alaska Library Association, and member of the gubernatorially-appointed Alaska State Historical Records Advisory Board.  She developed and led the statewide program to present Alaska historical images online (VILDA).

Her dissertation on the dependent poor of Newburyport, MA before 1860 was published, and she contributed the section on managing archival collections to the standard handbook for college library administration. She published numerous journal articles and reviews in history and library administration and made frequent presentations at professional and scholarly conferences. She was an editor and contributor to the Oxford American National Biography and was a reviewer several times on national panels for National Endowment for the Humanities grants.

Dr. Grigg is survived by her husband; three stepchildren: J. Giles G. Kahn, Jr. of Wheaton IL; Tempe R.K. Vierck and husband, Benjamin, of Ballwin MO; and Peter R.T. Kahn of Olivette, MO. She was also survived by three stepgrandchildren, Rebecca Reeve Vierck, Douglas Alexander Vierck, and Magnus Oliver Vierck, all of Ballwin; and three cousins in Ohio.

Gudrun Gross

Gudrun Weber Gross, 87, wife of the Rev. Richard Gross, died April 17, 2009. Born in Berlin, she survived the bombing of her home and became a refugee fleeing the Russians. After working in the UK, as a secretary, assisting with interpretation and foreign correspondence, she married her American pen pal and moved to the US. She worked in public daycare in Asheville, NC and as a library assistant at UNC-CH, and in accounts receivable at the Big M of Middletown. PA. She ran Sunday childcare programs and organized countless church events. She is survived by her husband of 57 years and their daughter, Monika and their son-in-law, their son, Wolfgang, three grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Ginny Gross

Virginia “Ginny’ Gross, the wife of Reverend Fritz Hudson, died May 26, 2018, at her home in Lincoln, NE. She was 68.

Ginny championed schooling, sports, and cultural exchange for all children. She was a passionate cook, gardener, art lover, and Chicago Cubs fan. She volunteered as an active church member, a leader at Lincoln’s Fresh Start Home for Women, and a language tutor for Iraqi refugees.

She was born on June 15, 1949, to Dale and Ruby Lindquist and raised on their farm east of Cambridge, Illinois. After high school, Ginny attend Augustana College and earned her journalism degree at Northern Illinois University, where she met and married Peter Gross, a fellow student.

The couple later moved to Iowa City, Iowa, to pursue graduate studies. Ginny earned a master’s degree in comparative education from the University of Iowa while directing their foreign student admissions. Her work took her to Romania, Germany, Korea, and Malaysia.

Ginny and Peter’s son, Eric, was born in 1978. Their marriage ended in 1981. In 1987, Ginny married Fritz, minister of Iowa City’s Unitarian Universalist Church, and gave birth to their daughter, Sally, the following year.

In 1991, ministry took the family to Phoenix, Arizona, where Ginny became volunteer coordinator at John C. Lincoln Hospital. She delighted in southwestern history, culture, and terrain.

In 1998, the family returned to the Midwest, as Fritz was called to serve the Unitarian Church of Lincoln. Ginny worked as director of graduate admissions at the University of Nebraska, then women’s services director of the YWCA, and training coordinator of Lincoln Literacy. She retired in 2013.

Ginny is survived by Fritz, Sally, Eric and his wife Amanda, and two grandchildren. Condolences may be sent to Fritz Hudson, 7901 Lake Street, Lincoln, NE 68506

Memorial donations are invited to Planned Parenthood of the Heartland (5631 S. 48th St. Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68516).

Polly Guild

The Rev. Polly Laughland Guild, 85, died in hospice care November 7, 2009. She served Follen Community Church (Lexington, MA) from 1976-2009. She, Barbara Marshman and Louise Curtis — all ordained to Follen’s ministry — worked together for decades to rebuild the congregation offering strengths in worship, pastoral care, religious education, and music. Their collaborative work styles and professional skills built a strong and thriving congregation in an era when there were very few women in ministry. Polly’s ministry was both personal and institutional. Her husband Ted Guild died in 2001. She is survived by her three children: Drew Laughland, Linda Laughland and Lorna Laughland Winthrop and their spouses.

The Rev. Robert L. Hadley, 84, died on December 28, 2012. Rev. Hadley was born in Leominster, MA on February 21, 1928 to Eleanor and Lawrence Hadley. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in 1950. He went on to attain a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from Harvard Divinity School in 1956 and a Master of Sacred Theology from Boston University School of Theology in 1977.

Rev. Hadley was ordained on June 17, 1956 at the First Congregational Society in Leominster, MA. In 1956, he began a remarkable 31 years of service to the First Church Unitarian in Littleton, MA, finishing his time there in 1987. Then, from 1987-1991, he served as minister of the Maumee Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Perrysburg, OH; and from 1991-1994, he served as minister of the Universalist Meeting House in Provincetown, MA. Lastly, he served as minister of the First Parish Church in Fitchburg, MA from 1995 until his retirement in 2002. The First Unitarian Church in Littleton, MA and the First Parish Church in Fitchburg, MA named Rev. Hadley Minister Emeritus in 1998 and 2002, respectively.

Committed to the denomination, Rev. Hadley served as: a member of the UUMA’s Member Insurance Committee from 1974-1977; a Ministerial Settlement Representative in the Massachusetts Central District from 1982-1985; and a member of the UUA AIDS Task Force from 1985-1986.

Throughout his life, Rev. Hadley was also heavily involved in his communities. He served as president of the Central Middlesex Mental Health Association from 1974-1977. He was also a founding member of the Emerson Hospital Hospice, and served on its board from 1978-1981.

Those who knew Rev. Hadley will remember his love of nature and his passion for restoration. He restored the gardens around a housing complex in which he lived during Hurricane Wilma. He and his life partner, Jimmy, took on all the costs and labor themselves, as well as the upkeep afterwards. They also restored a historic landmark house and garden in Provincetown, MA. Certainly both a natural and spiritual experience, Rev. Hadley once referred to his garden as “an expression of God.”

Rev. Hadley is survived by daughter, Amy Hadley; son, Thomas Hadley; son, Peter Hadley; grandchildren, Maya and Rosa; former wife, Pat Hadley; and life partner, Jimmy Sullivan.

A memorial service took place on March 16, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Church Unitarian, 19 Foster Street, Littleton, MA 01460.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Jimmy Sullivan at 130 Dartmouth St., Apt. 407, Boston, MA 02116.

Shirley Hadley died January 4, 2004. She was the widow of The Rev. Dr. J. Harold Hadley, minister emeritus at Plandome (Shelter Rock), NY, who died in 1994. Shirley leaves a son, Ronald Hadley, who is a member of the Shelter Rock congregation.

Nancy Haley

The Rev. Nancy J. Haley, 66, died August 27, 2010. She earned bachelor‘s degrees in English and German literature and a Master of Arts in Theater & Costume Design at the U. Minnesota. She went on to earn her M.Div. at Harvard, after having taught ESL for the Minneapolis public schools for ten years. Nancy was a freelance writer and film and video producer for nearly 25 years. As a member of Unity Church Unitarian in St. Paul, she created images for Our Whole Lives. She served as interim minister at Third Church Unitarian of Chicago and then was called to serve the UU Society of Iowa City. She then served Second Unitarian Church of Omaha. She served on the board of the Prairie Star District from 2002-2008.

A colleague described her as, “lively and thought-provoking” and as “someone who could dare us to dream big.” Nancy is survived by her loving partner of 21 years, Tom Johnson, her son, Jon Haley, and his wife Monica Singh; her daughter, Joanna Haley, two sisters and two nieces.

Larry Hamby

The Rev. Lawrence M. Hamby, 85, died August 28, 2011 in Athens, GA. He was a native of Atlanta. He held degrees from Emory University and Tufts University’s Crane Theological School. Larry served the Community Church of New Orleans, which ordained him. He also served the Unitarian Congregational Society of Grafton, MA; the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, PA; and the All Souls Unitarian Church of Augusta, ME. In later years, he was a chaplain in the Civil Air Patrol of the Air Force in Brunswick, GA. He was the Membership and Growth Chair for the Unitarian Universalists of Coastal Georgia. He also served on the board of UURMaPA. Larry will be remembered as a very generous supporter of our association. He managed our list serve SpeakUP until the time of his death.

The Rev. William D. Hammond, 89, died Nov. 17, 2005. He served in Asheville, NC, where he was later named minister emeritus. He also served at People’s Liberal Church, Michigan – Ohio Valley District, UU Church of Minnetonka, and Grosse Point Unitarian Church. Surviving are his wife Grace Lindquist; two sons Donald & Thomas Hammond of Michigan and a daughter, Gail Hammond-Stone, of Arkansas. A service was held Dec. 17, at the First Parish of Groton, MA.

The Rev. Robert William Haney, 70, died August 14, 2005. He served First and Second Church in Boston and the Theodore Parker Unitarian Church in West Roxbury, MA, which named him minister emeritus. He was an instructor at Emerson College, where he taught religion, philosophy and history. He published Comstockery in America: Patterns of Censorship and Control in 1960 through Beacon Press. For the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, he produced the exhibition guide The Historic Silver of the First and Second Church of Boston. He also wrote many reviews for the Christian Science Monitor and other religious periodicals.

The Rev. Linda M. Hansen died on October 30, 2020 at the age of 71.

Linda is survived by her sister Marian Hansen, and loving friends and family members.

In keeping with Linda’s wishes, no memorial service is planned. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County (WI), the Zilber Family Hospice, or a charity of your choice. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Marian Hansen, 12585 W. Beloit Rd., New Berlin, WI, 53151.

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

The Rev. Heather Lynn Hanson died on November 24, 2019, at the age of 81.

Heather is survived by her sons Trevor and Shane; her brothers, Kirk Campbell and wife Janet, and Doug Campbell and wife Ellen.

In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the UU Fellowship of Corvallis, 2945 NW Circle Blvd, Corvallis, OR 97330.  UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

A memorial service will take place at 11 am on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at the UU Fellowship of Corvallis, 2945 NW Circle Blvd, Corvallis, OR 97330.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Trevor Hanson at 1232 Crescent Dr, Albany, OR 97321.

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

The Rev. Dr. Donald Szantho Harrington, 91, died Sept. 16, 2005 in Szepsi–St. George, Romania. He served churches in Hobart, IN; Chicago; Darien, CT; and Community Church in New York, which named him minister emeritus. He was a leader in civil rights, social justice, theology and politics, and a co-founder of the Center for the Advanced Study in Religion and Science, and the American Committee on Africa. He served on the AUA and UUA Boards, the Unitarian, Universalist, and UU Service Committees, and the IARF. He helped found BAWA, (Black and White Action) He received the Holmes-Weatherly Award in 1983. Harrington authored several books. He married Vilma Szantho, the first woman to be ordained in Central Europe. She died in 1982. In 1984, he married Vilma’s niece, the Rev. Aniko Szantho. Surviving are his wife; two children, Loni Hancock of Berkeley, CA, and David Harrington of Santa Fe, NM; three stepchildren, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Mary Harrington

The Rev. Dr. Mary J. Harrington, 58, died at home October 26, 2010, after a courageous struggle with ALS. She attended Middlebury College and graduated from William James College of Grand Valley State University with a BS in Social Ethics and Social Relations. She was executive director of Home Hospice of Sonoma County (CA).

She earned her M. Div. from Starr King. She served UU churches in Santa Rosa, CA; Houston, TX; Marblehead and Winchester, MA. Her last congregation named her minister emerita. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, she co-founded and served as president of Gulf Coast Volunteers for the Long Haul. She led 14 trips to the area, many from a wheelchair.

Mary delivered the sermon at the Service of the Living Tradition at the 2009 GA in Salt Lake City. She was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Sacred Theology from Starr King for her outstanding service as a parish minister and her inspiring leadership as president of Gulf Coast Volunteers for the Long Haul.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 30 years, Martin Teitel, her children, Julia & Samuel Teitel, and her stepson, Jason Teitel.

The Rev. W. Edward Harris, 77, died on August 10, 2012. Rev. Harris was born in Tampa, FL on June 17, 1935 to Ira Walter Harris and Ruth Hope Duss. Soon after, his father remarried and he was raised by Mary Elizabeth (Smith) Harris, whom he referred to as his mother. He attained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Birmingham-Southern College in 1957. In 1968, he went on to earn a Master of Divinity from Tufts University’s Crane Theological School. He received a Merrill Fellowship from Harvard Divinity School in 1980.

Rev. Harris was called by the Arlington Street Church in Boston, MA in 1967 (where he was also ordained on November 3, 1968) and served as the minister there until 1970. He was then called to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana Champaign in Urbana, IL from 1970-1983. He experienced another long run as minister of All Souls Unitarian Church in Indianapolis, IN from 1984-1992. There, he was bestowed with the title of Minister Emeritus in 1992. He worked as an interim minister at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, MD from 1992-1993; the Unitarian Church of Evanston, IL from 1993-1995; the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Shelter Rock in Manhasset, NY in 1997; and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis, IN from 2003-2004. He also consulted on health care issues at the UUA from 1997-1998, and helped found the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Hendricks County in Danville, IN.

Rev. Harris was a passionate civil rights and political activist. He was a founder and president of the Alabama Civil Liberties Union and also served on the board of the American Civil Liberties Union. He pioneered voter registration campaigns in Birmingham, AL following 1964’s Civil Rights Act. He was a board member of the Birmingham Council on Human Relations and served on Birmingham’s first Anti-Poverty Committee. Rev. Harris also worked on both the Kennedy-Johnson and the Johnson-Humphrey campaigns of the 1960s. He was chairman of the Illinois Committee for Jimmy Carter, and also served on the Democratic National Committee on the Platform and Credentials Sub-committee.

A dedicated and engaging writer and poet, Rev. Harris published seven books: Life Will Never Be the Same (1989); A Religion of the Heart(1990); A Garage Sale of the Mind (1991); A Midwife’s Tale and Other Christmas Stories (1994); How You Can Have a Good Day Everyday (even if you made other plans) (1995); The Way It Happened: Five Christmas Stories (1996); Miracle in Birmingham: a Civil Rights Memoir, 1954-1965 (2004); and The Wine of Astonishment (2010). Four short articles by Rev. Harris can also be found in the Walt Whitman Encyclopedia (1998).

Known to many as an “impressive, yet humble, man,” Rev. Harris has been described as having “enjoyed the fine art of good conversation” with “wonderful humor and storytelling.” He was noted to be “an ideal model for ministers who wonder how to maneuver through emeritus status.” To some he was a “wise mentor and teacher,” and to many, he will be remembered as “a man generous with joy.” His wife of 56 years, Sandra, remembers him simply as “a magnificent human being.”

Rev. Harris is survived by his wife, Sandra (Gutridge) Harris; two sons, Mark Emory Harris and Phillip Stone Harris; three grandchildren, Tabitha Grace Camp, Ian Dougherty-Harris, and Maya Dougherty-Harris; a brother, James Tyra Harris; a sister, Ruth Reader; a son-in-law, Steven Camp; and former daughter-in-law, Deborah Dougherty. He was predeceased by a daughter, Edith Harris Camp.

A memorial service was held on September 8, 2012 at 2 p.m. at All Souls Unitarian Church, 5805 East 56th St., Indianapolis, IN 46226.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Sandra Harris at 5705 Crestview Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46220.

The Rev. Blaine Francis Hartford died on December 16, 2022, at the age of 91 (1931-2022).

Blaine is survived by his wife, Marie Gorman; daughters, Sally Kirby, Jennifer Hendry, and Deborah Williamson; stepbrother C. Robert Hartford; as well as five grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; spouses: Lorraine Fagerholm, Sharon Hartford, and Clarinda Hartford; brother Joshua Hartford; stepbrother Stewart Hartford; and daughter Tamara McFall Eddy.

A memorial service is being planned for the spring of 2023.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to a charity of one’s own choosing. Notes of condolence can be written here. A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.

Elizabeth “Betty” G. Haskell, widow of the Rev. Grant F. Haskell, died March 6, 2014 in Brooklyn, NY at the age of 91.

During their long marriage, the Haskells reared three children, as they served congregations in Milford, NH; Littleton, MA; Biddeford, ME; Medford, MA; and White Plains, NY. During summers in the 1940s the couple directed youth camps for the Unitarian Service Committee.

They enjoyed camping, hiking and square dancing.

Betty is survived by her sons, Richard A. Haskell of Alamogordo, NM and Jonathan F. Haskell of Newark, NY. She is also survived by her daughter Beth M. Haskell of Brooklyn, NY; and by grandsons, Kenneth Haskell of Brooklyn, NY and Grant W. Haskell of Baltimore.

Grant Haskell

The Rev. Grant F. Haskell, 94, March 3, 2010. He served congregations in Saco, ME; Medford, MA and White Plains, NY and helped start two UU fellowships. He also was youth and camping director for the YMCA. After his retirement in 1981, he was a school bus driver for ten years in the Central Bucks school district located in Eastern PA, and was president of the bus driver union. For individuals aspiring to become professional drivers just like him, apps like a driver qualification software can be incredibly helpful by streamlining the training, certification, and compliance processes. These apps provide a centralized platform for tracking essential qualifications such as driving hours, safety training, and regulatory requirements, ensuring that aspiring drivers meet industry standards. They often include interactive features such as training modules, practice tests, and real-time feedback to help users understand key driving regulations and best practices. With the ability to track progress and receive reminders for upcoming certifications or renewals, driver qualification apps help maintain a clear path toward becoming a qualified driver. Additionally, many apps include features that allow drivers to stay informed about job opportunities and industry updates, giving them a competitive edge in the job market. Ultimately, these tools help aspiring drivers stay organized, compliant, and prepared for a successful career on the road.

He loved camping, working with kids and teenagers and fixing things around the house. In addition to his wife, Betty, he is survived by his children Richard A. Haskell of Alamogordo, NM, Jonathan F. Haskell of Newark, NY and Beth M. Haskell of Brooklyn, NY, two sisters and two grandsons.

Marion Wood Hatt, 86, widow of the Rev. Roy J. Hatt, Jr, died in Utica, NY on November 4, 2008. She was an English teacher, who volunteered with Literacy Volunteers. She was also interested in environmental issues and protecting wildlife. From 1950-1960 she and her husband taught at the Proctor Academy in Andover, NH. In 1985 two of her students, who are brothers, established a scholarship fund at the school in her honor. Marion personally reviewed scholarship applications each spring until this past year. She is survived by two sons, Andrew J. Hatt and Christopher R. Hatt, and a grandson. Her husband died in 1999. Her memorial service was held November 15, 2008, at Acacia Village Masonic Care Community of Utica.

Kenneth Hawkes

The Rev. Kenneth C. Hawkes, 96, was our oldest living Universalist minister. He died July 26, 2009, having served at the parish, district and national level throughout his long career. He was a graduate of Gorham Normal School (now U of Maine) and Colby College. A board member of the Maine Council of Churches, he also was president of Massachusetts Universalist Convention, and a trustee of the UCA. He was the first executive minister of the Northeast District of the UUA, which encompassed Maine and the Maritime Provinces. He was proud that he was one of a very few State of Mainers who marched in Selma with the Rev. Martin Luther King. June Wheeler, his wife of 53 years, died in 1987. In 1989 he married Janet Hall Beiling, who survives. He is also survived by his children: Roland K. Hawkes, Carolyn Gaines and Margaret St. Pierre; a sister; two step-daughters, and 33 grandchildren, step grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

The Rev. Harold L. Hawkins, 96, died on August 29, 2016.

He is survived by his six children Donald R. Hawkins, Margaret Elaine Cox, James Alan Hawkins, Carolyn Blome, Harold Frederick Hawkins, and Joseph B. Hawkins; eleven grandchildren; and three great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife Margaret Ann Johnson.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to UUCT/Freethinkers Forum Fund and mailed to UUCT, 2810 N Meridian Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, October 1, 2016 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee, 2810 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32312.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Joe Hawkins at 217 Rhoden Cove Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32312.

[A more complete obituary is pending.]

John A. Hayes, age 79, spouse of the Reverend Susan LaMar, died at home 13 January 2021, after living with Myeloma for over ten years. Jack was born in Milford Massachusetts, attended Hopedale public schools, graduating from the high school in 1959.

Even before graduation, however, he had begun working to help support his family, as his mother’s health declined. In 1960 he began in the stock room of Worcester County Electric (later Massachusetts Electric.) He rose through several positions there, becoming Union Steward and a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Electric Credit Union. He also served as a Reserve Police Officer and as a volunteer member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

In 1973 Jack was elected to the Hopedale Board of Selectmen, and after successive re-elections became the town’s Administrator in 1983. He left that position and moved to Millbury several years later. In 1994 he became Chief Security Supervisor at Centrum, a public arena and convention center in Worcester, MA. Jack retired from that position in 2002 to follow Susan as her career developed. That led them to California and then to Ellicott City, Maryland. In 2016 they returned to Massachusetts and settled in Uxbridge.

Jack was a model railroader, finishing his most recent layout in 2019, despite his illness. He followed politics closely and to the end read the Washington Post daily, particularly his favorite columnists.

He is survived by Susan; his daughter Suzanne Hayes Lesch, her husband Will Lesch and their two children; his sisters Anne, wife of John Hogarth of Hopedale MA, and Barbara Sullivan of Medfield MA; several nieces and nephews and cousins; and his former wife, Marge Jensen of Braintree Vermont. 

There will be no public memorial service. Jack’s family requests that memorial gifts be directed to your local food bank.

The Rev. Dr. John “Jack” Frank Hayward, 92, died on September 24, 2012. Rev. Hayward was born in Winthrop, MA on May 8, 1918 to Catherine and Frank Hayward. He graduated with an A.B. from Harvard University in 1940. He went on to attain a B.D. from Meadville Theological School in 1943 and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Divinity School in 1949. Finally, in 1968, he earned a D.D. from Meadville Lombard Theological School.

Rev. Hayward was ordained on June 10, 1943. He served as a military chaplain in the United States Naval Reserve and later, in the Marines, from 1943-1946. He was called to serve as minister of the First Unitarian Church in Columbus, OH from 1948-1951. He then began his career in higher education at the University of Chicago, serving as an Assistant Professor of Religion and Art from 1951-1956 and as an Assistant Professor of Philosophical Theology from 1956-1961. He went on to work as an Associate Professor of Theology at Meadville Lombard Theological School from 1961-1968. In the years spanning 1968-1983, he served as the Chair of the Department of Religious Study at Southern Illinois University. He retired in 1983.

A passionate writer on the power of the ongoing relationship between art, mythology and religious life, Rev. Hayward’s words were published in Through the Rose Window: Art, Myth and the Religious Imagination (Skinner House, 1980), a collection of sermons that span over 30 years. Earlier in his career, he also wrote Existentialism and Religious Liberalism (Beacon Press, 1962).

Rev. Hayward was a proud, founding member of Prairie Group. He served as the Scribe for over 20 years, and received Emeritus status from them upon his retirement from the group after 54 years.

Rev. Hayward’s chief delight while at Harvard University was being in the Harvard Glee Club. He sang in public concerts, including a few with the Boston Symphony. A life-long devotion to the arts – specifically classical music – led Rev. Hayward and his first wife, Muriel Sternglanz Hayward, to establish the Southern Illinois Chamber Music Society, which still performs at the Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship today.

Regarding a performance of Hamlet that he attended when he was much younger, Rev. Hayward once wrote,

“I can still see in my mind’s eye an almost totally dark stage where an invisible Hamlet was speaking with the equally invisible ghost of his royal father. All of heaven, hell, life, and death had to be visualized by the movement of Hamlet’s two small hands. Nevertheless, the eloquence was there to prove it possible that each of us, before we die, may hope to believe that life is beautiful, terrifying, and self-justifying, and that gratitude for life itself is our best way of saying farewell.”

Rev. Hayward is survived by his loving wife, Lois Hayward; daughter, Miriam Hayward and her husband, Rick Herbert; son, David Goodward and his wife, Margaret; grandchildren, Megan Hayward, Zachary Hayward, Joseph Herbert, Gina Hayward, Gavin Goodward, and Jenna Goodward; and great-grandson, Jaden. He was predeceased by his sons, Peter Hayward and Steven Hayward; and his beloved first wife, Muriel Sternglanz Hayward.

A memorial service took place on November 3, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. at the Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship, 105 North Parrish Lane, Carbondale, IL 62901.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any of the following organizations:

Southern Illinois Chamber Music Society, School of Music, Altgeld Hall, Mail Code 4302, Southern Illinois University, 1000 S. Normal Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901;

TIP Hospice of Southern Illinois, 707 Walnut St., Murphysboro, IL 62966;

Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, 1231 Lincoln Drive, Mail Code 4429, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901;

Good Samaritan Ministries of Carbondale, 701 South Marion St., Carbondale, IL 62901.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Lois Hayward at 1020 Villa Ct., Carbondale, IL 62901.

The Rev. Diana Marie Heath died on September 7, 2021, at the age of 79.

Diana is survived by her sisters: Georgia Heath Linam, Cheri Heath Fuller, and Marilyn Heath Morgan; her brother: George F. Heath Jr.; her daughters: Judith Tiller Meine, Wynne Tiller Terlizzi, Anne-Marie Niemeck Miller, Jennifer Diane Niemeck, and their spouses; her grandchildren: James Tiller, Clint Meine, Matthew Meine, Domenico Terlizzi, Elona Terlizzi, Giacomo Terlizzi, Madison Miller, Ryan Miller, William Miller, Sara Natasha Luz, and Darius Georgaras; and great granddaughter: Amelia Marie Tiller.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 9, 2021, at the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, 4015 Normandy Avenue, Dallas, TX 75205. (RSVP is required due to limited attendance and COVID protocols; kindly RSVP to her daughter Anne-Marie Miller at 281-788-7545 by October 1st.)

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Genesis Women’s Shelter. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences can be sent to Judy Meine, 1804 Tartan Drive, Carrollton, TX 75006.

A more complete obituary will follow.

Phyllis Helligas, widow of the Rev. Byrd Helligas, died August 14, 2016 in Arcata, CA at the age of 92. She was born of parents Hazel and Irvin Carlson in Isle, Minnesota in 1924. Phyllis married Daniel Brant in 1946 when he returned from military service. In 1952 they moved to Arcata CA, when Dan Brant started to teach at Humboldt State College. They divorced in 1968 after their three children were raised.

Phyllis had graduated from the University of Minnesota 1945, with a B.S. degree in Home Economics Education. She later went back to college and received a B.S. degree in political science from Humboldt State and an M.S degree in Public Administration from the University of California at Berkeley, then began a long career in Personnel Administration for the City of Sunnyvale.

She married Byrd Helligas in 1971 and they converted a potato chip factory into a Bed and Breakfast. When they left that, they started a business filling in for other Bed and Breakfast proprietors.

She returned to Arcata in 1989 after her retirement from Sunnyvale. Phyllis was active in local community activities, having been a charter member of the Humboldt County League of Women Voters and of the Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Her later years were devoted to population control movements including Planned Parenthood. Phyllis was an outspoken atheist who was proud of her life membership in the Freedom from Religion Foundation. She also appreciated her women’s group, other affinity groups who kept her engaged with life, and especially the Unitarian Universalists.

Phyllis designed the house that she and Dan built with their own hands in Arcata and enjoyed designing and remodeling homes and cabins with Byrd in later years. She spent many happy hours with family and friends and by herself at her cabin at Big Lagoon and served on the Board of Directors for the Big Lagoon Park Company for over 20 years.

She is survived by her two sons, Peter Brant and his partner Denise Hisel of Arcata, Bruce Brant and his wife Roseanne from South Lake Tahoe; her daughter, Susan Brant Ruderian and husband Harvey Ruderian from Malibu; stepson Byrd Helligas, Jr. of Olympia, WA; stepson Aron Helligas and wife, Beth, of Portland, OR; and grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins in Minnesota and California.

Memorial gifts should be sent to the Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Box 506, Bayside, CA 95524, or to Six Rivers Planned Parenthood, 3225 Timber Fall Court, Eureka, CA 95503.

The Rev. Kenneth “Ken” Helms died on December 12, 2020 at the age of 84.

Ken is survived by his wife of 49 years, Anne Adams Helms. He is also survived by three sons, Jeffrey Brian Helms, Nathan Brent Helms, and Drew Brandon Helms; three step-daughters, Virginia Mayhew, Alison Jaques, and Sylvia Desin; six grandchildren and four step grandchildren, and many friends who loved and enjoyed spending time with him. He will be missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Monterey Bay Area or Black Lives Matter. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Anne Helms, 25350 Camino de Chamisal, Salinas, CA. 93908-8926.

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

The Rev. Dr. Ralph Norman Helverson, 95, died April 25, 2007, at Carleton-Willard Village, Bedford, MA.  He was minister emeritus of the First Parish in Cambridge, MA, which he served as minister from 1959 to 1977.  He also served UU congregations in Ithaca, NY, and N. Palm Beach, FL, as well as being interim minister for San Diego, CA, W. Hartford, CT, Naples, FL, and Dedham, MA.

He was a graduate of Anderson College (B.A.), Garrett Theological Seminary (B.D.) and Cornell University (M.A.), and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1969.

A distinguished preacher, thinker and writer, he was also a beloved pastor and colleague. He had served on several boards and committees of the UUA and related organizations, and was the author of several collections of prayers and meditations.

A memorial service celebrating Ralph’s life and ministry was held on Wednesday, May 9, at 1:30 p.m. at The First Parish of Cambridge (in Harvard Square). Letters of condolence may be sent to his wife of 67 years, Wynanda Helverson, 88 Falmouth Court, Bedford, MA 01730-2912.

Wynanda Helverson, 93, died peacefully on June 9, 2012, just a week shy of her 94th birthday. Wynanda was the wife of the late Rev. Ralph Helverson, Unitarian-Universalist minister of First Parish in Harvard Square.

She was the mother of Donald Helverson of California and the late John Norman Helverson, and grandmother of Rebecca Byors of Maine, Sophia, Hope, and Annika Helverson, all of California, and great grandmother of Katlyn Byors. She is also survived by her sister, Betsy Hauser of Illinois, and several nieces. A private Memorial Service was held at Carleton-Willard Village, Bedford, MA. (This information is from the Anderson-Bryant Funeral Home).

Bob Hemstreet

The Rev. Robert M. Hemstreet  — UU Humanist, creator of the Thanksgiving cider and cornbread communion, and lifelong searcher — died on February 11, 2015 at the age of 84.

Church life and work were early influences in Bob’s life. His grandfather was an Episcopal priest, with a ministry to the deaf. Mentored by a local Episcopal priest, Bob served as an altar boy in the church. But he was also was exposed at a young age to broader theological education, being raised in Canton, New York, where his grandmother rented rooms to students at the nearby St. Lawrence University Theological School. Ever curious and eager to learn, the story goes that young Bob spent many evenings with his ear pressed to a bedroom door, intently listening to the students’ theological discussions, all of which no doubt influenced his later religious journey.

Robert Merrill Hemstreet was born on May 25, 1930 to Albert B. and Beatrice Merrill Hemstreet. He earned a B.A. from New York University in 1952, and was drafted into the U.S. Army, receiving an honorable discharge in 1955. He went on to study at Crane Theological School of Tufts University, graduating with a M.Div. degree in 1964.

Ordained by the First Unitarian Church at Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 1964, he served there from 1964 to 1968. From 1969 to 1972 he served as Minister-at-Large to the Greater Wilmington Council of Unitarian Universalist Societies, ministering half-time to fellowships in West Chester, PA and Newark, DE. Moving to full time ministry in Newark from 1972 to 1975, he also served as weekend minister in York, PA in 1973-74. He went on to serve as minister to the UU Church of Flushing, NY from 1976 to 1995, where he was elected Minister Emeritus in 1999.

Always active within the wider community and UU movement, he served as President of three UUMA Chapters (St. Lawrence, Joseph Priestley, and Metro NY), member of the Board of the Metro NY District, Trustee of the St. Lawrence Foundation for Theological Education, and member of the Flushing Interfaith Clergy Group. He founded and was elected President (1988) of Unitarian Universalists for Socialism, and was a faithful attendee at the annual Institute for Religion in an Age of Science at Star Island. The Thanksgiving Cornbread and Cider Communion that he wrote has been widely anthologized and is now a feature of many UU congregations across the continent.

Bob got his start in the anti-racist and socialist movements in his mid-teens, as a follower of C.L.R. James, an activist and author from Trinidad and Tobago, remaining an activist for the disenfranchised for his whole life. When the call came from Dr. Martin Luther King in 1965 for clergy to go to Selma, a former congregant of Bob’s felt it was so important for him to go that he emptied the cash register in the store he owned and gave Bob the $300 — Bob answered the call.

He was also dedicated to bettering his community and the world as an active member of the International Association for Religious Freedom, serving as the IARF American Chapter President from 1981 to 1984, and traveling to Europe several times.

Closer to home, he founded the original Queens chapter of Amnesty International during the 1970s, and served on the boards of the Queens Historical Society, the Queens Council of Churches, and the Queens Network for Intergroup Harmony.

Olav Nieuwejaar remembers Bob as “a wonderful man with a keen intellect and a great sense of humor, especially in the form of a practical joke.” Once, in an attempt to prove the uselessness of the self-proctored psychology test then used by the UUA for screening prospective ministers, he and some fellow Crane students together took the test as one person, creating a character with a real name but a totally fictionalized history. Olav recalls, “…before very long, the test was removed from the list of hoops we had to jump through and the Department [of Ministry] got serious about psychological screening.”

Bob’s interests were deeply embedded in his work. He found joy within social justice work and preaching; was an avid article-clipper; and appreciated reading, writing, and music. His wife Wendy remembers Bob as one who was “always searching,” even in his final days.

He is survived by his wife, Wendy Moscow, to whom notes of condolence may be sent at 25-18 Union Street, #5E, Flushing, NY 11354. His memorial service was held on March 21, 2015 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Queens. Contributions in his memory are encouraged to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, 689 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA  02139-3302 (http://www.uusc.org).

The Reverend Al Henriksen—parish minister, anti-racist activist, lover of dance, jazz, theater, and travel—died on 24 June 2017, aged 95.

Early in his ministry the Rev’d Mr. Henriksen showed himself to be a hands-on pioneer in “walking the talk” of social justice rhetoric. During his ministry in Iowa City in the mid-1950s, Al is remembered for accompanying African-American college students to local barber shops that practiced segregation.

Alfred James Norman Henriksen was born in Boston on 21 January 1922 to James and Anna Syversen Henriksen and grew up in nearby Quincy, MA. He attended Baptist and Lutheran churches as a child but in his teens discovered Quincy’s Wollaston Unitarian Church. After a B.A. from Tufts in 1945, he completed his ministerial degree in 1947 at Crane Theological School with a thesis on religious humanism.

In 1946 Mr. Henriksen was called to All Souls Church of Augusta, ME, where he was ordained on 10 October 1946 and served until 1951. He was then settled at the First Unitarian Society of Iowa City, followed by the Unitarian Fellowship of Corpus Christi (TX), and finally at the Pacific Unitarian Church in Rancho Palos Verdes (CA), where he would remain for 24 years. The congregation named its auditorium in his honor and elected him Minister Emeritus in 1987. In retirement, the Rev’d Mr. Henriksen capped his parish career with four interim ministries (1987-91).

Al Henriksen is survived by his second spouse (of 23 years) Georgianne Declercq, three children, six grandchildren, two stepdaughters & their children, and four great-grandchildren. His first spouse, Ruth Baxter Henriksen, died in 1987.

The Reverend Dr. Richard Henry—parish minister, scholar of Czech Unitarianism, avid sailor and mountain climber, and vigorous social activist—died in Seattle on 6 August 2018, aged 97.

In retirement, Dick traveled to Prague six times for research in the Čapek archive at the Unitarian church, eventually publishing Norbert Fabián Čapek: A Spiritual Journey (Skinner House Press, 1999), the first book-length biography of that liberal religious martyr. His second book was Eleanor Roosevelt and Adlai Stevenson (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010).

Besides scholarship, the Rev’d Mr. Henry was actively engaged throughout his parish career in social service causes, including Planned Parenthood and the Clergy Council on Abortion. He was an active leader in mental health issues and was twice a delegate to international mental health congresses in London and Toronto. In Denver, CO, he was the founding president of the Good Death Fellowship, promoting death with dignity.

Richard Henry was born on 5 February 1921 in Boston to Richard Henry and Dorothy Miller. He earned an A.B. in philosophy at Harvard University in 1943 and a B.D. at Union Theological Seminary (NY) in 1946. Mr. Henry was ordained on 17 February 1946 by the First Unitarian Society of Brooklyn, NY, where he served as assistant minister (1945–49) under the Rev’d John Howland Lathrop. He moved on to senior ministries at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Church (Knoxville, 1949–57), the First Unitarian Society of Denver (1957–77), and the First Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City (1977–86), from which he retired on 1 August 1986 as Emeritus Minister, having meanwhile, in 1979, been awarded a D.D. by Meadville Lombard Theological School.

At his death, Dick Henry was survived by his wife Pat, and his sons Seth and Evan. A Celebration of Life was held on 15 September 2018, at Horizon House, Seattle, WA.

The Rev. Ronald “Ron” A. Hersom died on April 22, 2022, at the age of 71.

Ron is survived by his daughter, Tamara Young of Iowa; his brother, Eugene F. Hersom, Jr.; his nephew, Eugene F. “Fred” Hersom III; and a grandniece of Maine.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 29, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville, 7405 Arlington Expressway, Jacksonville, FL 32211.  All are welcome.  The service will be steamed on Zoom.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to any agency supporting people who have fled the violence in Ukraine or to the UUSC‘s Emergency Response Fund. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences can be written here.

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

The Reverend Philip Hewett—as passionate about Unitarian history in both modern Canada and 16th-century Poland as he was dedicated to hiking, skiing, and mountain climbing—died on 24 February 2018, at age 93, vigorous in mind and body to the end. His refined demeanor, thoughtful intelligence, and sly wit were the marks of a gentleman and a scholar.

During his long ministry (1956–91) at the Unitarian Church of Vancouver (Canada), the Rev’d Mr. Hewett helped to start three new local congregations, wrote multiple books on Unitarian theology and history, including Unitarians in Canada. All the while he advocated for reproductive rights, sheltered Vietnam War draft resisters, promoted LGBT rights, and helped to found the BC Memorial Society and the BC Civil Liberties Association. For his final book, Racovia, he acquired respectable competence in Polish.

Phillip’s physical stamina was legendary. The Rev’d James Kubal-Komoto recalls, as a 29- year-old intern, accepting Phillip’s invitation to hike up a local mountain: “I thought, ‘How hard could it be with this 70-something-year-old man?’ Nobody had told me that Phillip had hiked across Scotland the previous summer. Phillip practically flew up the mountain on those long lanky legs of his. Several times, huffing and puffing, I asked him if we could stop for a few minutes to admire the view, and he reluctantly agreed.”

Austin Phillip Barton Hewett was born in 1925 in Dorset County, England. He earned a B.A. (1949) and M.A. (1951) from Oxford University, and an S.T.M. from Harvard Divinity School (1953). In 1951 he married Hilda Margaret Smith, with whom he raised two children, Barton and Daphne. Later honors included an honorary doctorate in Sacred Theology from Starr King (1969) and distinguished service awards from the International Association for Religious Freedom’s American chapter (jointly with his wife Margaret, 1983) and from the UUA (1992).

Phillip’s life was celebrated at the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, on 23 March 2018.

Margaret Hewett, 82, wife of the Rev. Phillip Hewett, died March 26, 2006 in Vancouver, BC. She was a birthright Unitarian in England, where she was national president of the Unitarian youth organization. A teacher and pre-school educator, she was active in peace, disarmament and international understanding, and received an outstanding service award from IARF. She was secretary to the board of the Vancouver Chamber Choir. She was a strong contralto, and also a vigorous hiker. For the last 25 years of her life she struggled courageously with the increasing ravages of rheumatoid arthritis. Margaret is survived by her husband of 55 years, two children and four grandchildren.

The Reverend Dan Higgins—military officer and chaplain, beloved parish minister,  community servant and activist—died on 9 June 2017 at the age of 90.

Daniel Greeley Higgins Jr. was born in Easton, Maryland, on 27 February 1927 to 
 parents Anna and Dan Higgins. After high school Dan served in the army (1944-46) and 
 was graduated with a B.A. in political science by the University of Maryland in 1951. 
 He went on to Temple University (PA), earning an S.T.B in 1954.

With what he called a “religious instinct” since childhood, Dan preached his first sermon at his family’s Methodist church at age 15. After Methodist ordination in 1955, he returned to army service as a chaplain in post-war Korea (1956-59), followed by brief parish service in Methodist churches.

In the early 1960s the Rev’d Mr. Higgins sought UU affiliation, returned to Temple University for an S.T.M. in 1965, and was settled (1965-69) as associate minister to (and ordained a second time by) the First Parish in Lexington, MA. In 1969 he took a call to Lubbock, TX, but left in 1972 to work as BAWA’s programming director (Black and White Alternative/Action, UU). In 1975 Dan was called to the First Parish in Malden, MA, serving there until formal retirement in 1987, when he was named Minister Emeritus. Meanwhile he completed study for a D.Min. at Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1977.

Post-retirement, Dan moved back to the Chesapeake Bay, began pulpit and pastoral work at local UU congregations in Easton and Salisbury (MD) and helped start a new congregation—UUs of the Chester River (MD). A former president of that congregation remembers him as “the most unassuming person, perhaps the most humble person I have ever known. But his presence and dignity immediately filled a room.”

Dan is survived by children Daniel G. Higgins III, Cynthia Westlake, Ann Spicer, and Kim Clark, four grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

Jean Higgins

Jean L. Higgins, 85, wife of the Rev. Dr. Daniel G. Higgins, Jr., died January 9, 2014, with her family by her side. She was born August 4, 1928 in Baltimore, MD, to Eugene and Pearl Scheufele. She attended the University of Maryland, earning a degree in social work, and later served as a social worker in Baltimore. While at the university, she met Dan and they were married September 11, 1954. They were married 59 years.

The Higginses served congregations in Lubbock, TX; Malden, MA; Easton, MD; and Salisbury, MD. In addition to parenting and church work, Jean enjoyed reading and art appreciation. She also was a bird watcher.

After retiring in 1987, they moved to Georgia, to be closer to their daughters, Cynthia and Ann. Jean lived at a memory care facility and Cynthia took Dan to see her every other day, since he no longer drove.

In addition to her husband, Jean is survived by her sister, Leslie Everheart of Kensington, MD; and her children: Cynthia Westlake of Marietta, GA; Daniel G. Higgins III of Milton, MA; Ann Spicer of Atlanta, GA; and Kim Clark of Houston, TX. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Shane and Aubree Clark, Caitlin Higgins and Skyler Westlake. She was predeceased by her parents; her brother, R. Wayne Scheufele; and her grandson, Austen Westlake

Jean donated her body to medical research. A celebration of life was held this past summer in Easton, MD.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggested that donations be made to: Cure Alzheimer’s Fund (www.curealz.org), Anatomy Gifts Registry (www.anatomicgift.com), or the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Easton, 7401 Ocean Gateway, Easton, MD 21601.

Condolences may be sent to: Dan Higgins, 100 Whitlock Ave., Sullivan #1220, Marietta, GA 30064.

Stewart Hild

The Rev. Stewart E. Hild, who devoted a life of service to parishes, local communities, and the wider UU movement, died on July 12, 2014 at the age of 90, after a brief illness.

Stewart E. Hild was born in Wilmington, Delaware, on March 3, 1924 to Edward and Grace Hild. He earned a B.S. degree at the University of Delaware in 1948 and an M.Div. degree at Drew University in 1951. He served in the Army Specialized Training Program during World War II.

Mr. Hild was ordained to the Methodist ministry in 1952 and served the Community Methodist Church in Massapequa, Long Island, from 1951 to 1956. After shifting to Unitarian ministerial fellowship in 1956, he filled two long pastorates, first at the Unitarian (now UU) Congregation of Franklin, New Hampshire (1958-75) and then at All Souls UU Church in Watertown, New York (1975-89), where he was named Minister Emeritus upon retirement in 1989.

The Rev. Mr. Hild served the larger UU movement in several capacities: on the board of the UUA’s New Hampshire/Vermont District, as chairman of that district’s Extension Department, and as Selma Presence Representative for the UUA.

During his parish ministries, Mr. Hild was actively devoted to the work of many local and regional agencies. While in Franklin, he served as vice president of the New Hampshire Council on World Affairs, co-chair of the Mayor’s Committee on Drugs and Drug Abuse, director of the Lakes Region Mental Health Association, and assistant at the Peabody Home for the Aged. In Watertown he served on the boards of the Family Counseling Service of Jefferson County, the Women’s Center of Jefferson County, Project Children North in Watertown, the Urban Mission, and as president of the Community Action Planning Council of Jefferson County.

Stewart enjoyed travel, reading, and sports. While living in New Hampshire, he taught several classes in the History of Religion at Proctor Academy.

He is survived by his wife, Alma H. Hild, sons Edward and Thomas, grandchildren Jared, Cora, and Wyatt, and many cousins.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Alma H. Hild, 274 Schley Drive, Watertown, NY 13601.

The Reverend Christine Hillman — student, teacher, mentor, lover of learning, religious educator, chaplain, preacher, feminist, Facebook frequenter, Canadian curling enthusiast, social justice promoter, and “a colleague’s colleague”—died peacefully from colon cancer on August 7, 2015, in Royal Oak, Michigan. She was 65.

Christine was curious, studious, and truly learned; conscientious, with a soul that ached at injustice; courageous and empathetic, having been schooled in the heartbreak of her own losses; kind, encouraging, and generous of heart and mind.  The Rev. Richard Nugent declared, “Ministry was in . . . [her] blood years before her ordination.”

Christine Edith Morr, born in Kokomo, Indiana, 29 September 1949, was the eldest child of Melba and Eugene Morr.  Initially drawn to nursing, Christine discovered she was meant to teach.  Following marriage to Arthur Hillman, and the arrival of their children, Christine brought her passion as an educator to motherhood, raising three “teacher’s kids.”  As a UU religious educator she led Renaissance Modules, was a trainer for the “Cakes for the Queen of Heaven” thealogy curriculum, and served on the RE Committee of the UUA’s Michigan District.  She also worked as a chaplain and adjunct professor before earning her M.Div. in 1999 at age 50.  Thereafter, as a parish minister, Christine served the UU Church of Olinda (Ruthven, Ontario) from 2001 until her death.  She served on the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Unitarian Council, and she chaired the Council’s Theological Education Funds Committee.

Christine is survived by her husband, Arthur Hillman, daughters Courtney, Lee, and Blythe Wood; granddaughters, Kaylee and Anaka Wood; sisters, Anne Morr and Susan Bienz; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services were held at Northwest Unitarian Universalist Church, Southfield, Michigan and the UU Church of Olinda, Ruthven, Ontario.

The Rev. Donald Manning Hinckley, 88, died October 13, 2008 in Augusta Maine. He served parishes in Waterville, Pittsfield, West Paris, Auburn, Houlton and Worcester, MA, and most recently All Souls UU Church, Oakland, ME. He played tennis into his 84th year and was a student of opera and classical music. His wife, Rosalyn (Ingalls) Hinckley of Augusta, ME survives, as does a daughter, son, grandson and four granddaughters.

Rachel Hoagland

Rachel Thorpe Hoagland, 92, widow of the Rev. Robert S. Hoagland, died November 30, 2010. She was a lifelong Unitarian. Rachel attended the Rhode Island School of Design. She shared her talents by teaching art classes to neighborhood kids, by sewing her family’s clothes, running her business Individuality (custom-made clothes), and designing outfits for her beloved modern dance group. After Robert died, the adventurer in her came out. Her travels took her camping and canoeing throughout the US and Canada and cruising around the world. She lived vigorously and with immense curiosity and wonder. Rachel was a role model for her many friends and colleagues, young and old alike. She was preceded in death by her husband and their daughter, Martha Hoagland. She is survived by her other three children: Alice Erickson, Anna Hoagland and Evan Hoagland and their spouses; by five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

The Rev. James “Jim” Alfred Hobart died on May 2, 2023, at the age of 88 (1935-2023).

Jim is survived by his wife Nan Hobart; children: Robin, Peter, and Christopher Hobert; stepchildren: Suman and Janak Paranjape; grandchildren: Ezequiel, Lucille, Sarah, Sumana, Morgan, and Connor; sister Barbara Hobart Mathews; and his former wife Rosamond Williams Hobart.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, August 25, 2023, at the First Unitarian Church of Chicago, 5650 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago IL 60637.

Memorial donations may be made to The Living Legacy Project
<https://www.livinglegacypilgrimage.org/donate.html>, 1248 CarMia Way #1015, Richmond VA 23235. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence can be sent to Nan Hobart at nanhobart@gmail.com or at 5201 S Ingleside Ave, Chicago IL 60615.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

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 Reverend Bill Holden, parish minister, social worker, civil rights activist, youth advisor, and consultant to countless Unitarian Universalist congregations, died on August, 22, 2014, aged 83.

William L. Holden was born to William L. and Gladys Holden in Boston on June 2, 1931. Generous and outgoing even as a child, his teachers commented on his unselfish outlook. He was graduated from Boston English High School in 1949 and summa cum laude from Springfield College in 1954 with a B.S. in Youth Group and Recreational Leadership.

After U.S. Army service (1954-57), he earned an M.S.W. from the University of Connecticut (1959). Before completing his B.D. at Crane Theological School in 1967, Mr. Holden served youth ministries in the Massachusetts UU congregations of Stoneham and Medford. His work with youth extended more widely to professional social work and administration in several public youth agencies in California, Delaware, and Minnesota. He was ordained by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Minnetonka, MN in 1980.

After a near-death experience while waiting for a heart transplant in 1985, Bill co-founded the Second Chance for Life Foundation, mentored many transplantees, and often drew upon these personal stories in his preaching.

The Rev. Manuel R. Holland died on August 2, 2022, at the age of 92.

Manuel was born on May 9, 1930, in Hazleton PA to Raleigh Lee Roy Holland and Pearl Shook Holland. He spent his early childhood in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and California. When he was nineteen, he received his local preacher’s license from the Methodist church and later had a Methodist charge consisting of four small rural churches in western North Carolina. For a year and a half (1949–1951), Manuel assumed responsibility for the complete programs of these churches, preached an average of three times a Sunday, conducted funerals, marriages, and baptisms as needs arose among the parishioners, and at the same time carried a full course at college.

Subsequently, Manuel served as a Youth Counselor for six months at the Congregational Unitarian Church, Littleton MA, working with Rev. Palmer Clarke. Since then, his pulpit experience changed. Theologically, he could no longer agree with the Methodist Church; he had found a spirit of freedom, a dedication to truth, and a concern for the welfare of humankind in the Unitarian Church. He soon realized that the kind of ministry he wished to pursue would be most meaningful and successful among the Unitarians.

In 1951, Manuel left for the Army. After receiving an honorable discharge in 1954, he went to college graduating with two degrees in 1960: a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Sociology of Religion from Boston University, MA, and a Bachelor of Divinity from Tufts University, MA.

Rev. Holland was ordained by the First Parish Unitarian, Groton MA on June 17, 1956. His tenure at First Parish (1955–1960) marked increased Sunday morning service attendance and growth in the religious programs. With the new facilities of the Youth Center and the installation of a library and bookstore, excellent education programs were developed. The new youth choir was added to the worship service. 

In 1960, Rev. Holland accepted a call from the First Parish in Framingham MA where he would serve until 1966. He played the most active role in the support, growth, proliferation, and maturation of the congregation. Under his leadership, a series of adult courses were offered, and the church school enrollment increased. People looked to the church for leadership in Education, Social Action, and Service.

From 1966 to 1970, Rev. Holland served as the first District Executive of the Thomas Jefferson District of the Unitarian Universalist Association. These years were formative in establishing the identity and functional character of the district of 47 churches and fellowships. His responsibilities included extension ministry, ministerial settlements, religious education, fundraising, communication media liaison, pulpit supply, and many others. 

Thereafter, Rev. Holland served the UU Church of Greensboro, Jamestown NC (1971–1973); the UU Fellowship of Winston-Salem NC (1973–1974); and the UU Congregation of the Lowcountry, SC (1981–1986). His ministry and endeavor made churches a dynamic force in the community, as he was passionate about social justice and strove to uplift the oppressed, impoverished, and voiceless. He helped strengthen the moral and spiritual needs of the members of the parish and community. His genuine and dynamic concern for the welfare and well-being of his fellow human beings made him one of the truly outstanding ministers. 

In 1986, the Lowcountry congregation honored Rev. Holland as their minister emeritus. His last message to the congregation and the community asked that we love one another, for, in the end that is all we have.

Rev. Holland’s integrity, industry, loyalty, devotion, and dedication to the UU movement were of the highest caliber. He was the winner of the Clarence R. Skinner award (1958) for the best sermon that most expressed the social implications of Universalist principles. Furthermore, Rev. Holland took an active role in the Central Massachusetts District of UU Churches serving as Vice President and Chairman of Denominational Affairs. He was a member of the UU Committee on Camps and Conferences and chaired the UUA Committee on Lay Leadership. 

He also served on the board of the Church of the Larger Fellowship (1958–1962); was Chairman of the Star Island Religious Education Institute (1961) and Southern N.E. Social Relations Committee (1961–1962). From 1962 to 1965, he provided his services as Vice President of the Central Massachusetts District, and as Chairman of the Southeast UU Summer Institute in 1968.

In Framingham MA, Manuel served as Vice President of the Framingham Ministers Association, as a founding member and Director of the Framingham Fair Housing Practices Committee, and as a member of the Framingham Chapter. He was an executive committee member of the Framingham-Ashland United Fund (1962–1966).

He had a broad range of interests, some of which included woodworking, biking, camping, and graphic arts.  He also had several of his works published including, “If We Had Given a Damn” (Universalist Leader, Sept. 1959) and the UUA Pamphlet, “Salvation From What?”

Manuel is survived by his stepson David Lowe; his granddaughter, Jessica Lowe; and his three children from a previous marriage: Charles Holland, Elizabeth Holland, and Robert Holland. He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Olive Holland.

A memorial service was held on Sunday, August 7, 2022, at the UU Congregation of the Lowcountry, 110 Malphrus Rd, Bluffton, SC 29910. Memorial donations can be made to The International Rescue Committee, P.O. Box 6068, Albert Lea, MN 56007-9847, or Feeding America. Notes of condolences can be sent HERE.

Mr. Robert Holler, life partner of the Reverend Thomas Anastasi, died on October 30, 2016 at the age of 71. Bob made many friends at the congregations they served, especially at Shoreline, Washington and Goleta, California, where he and Thomas were married in August, 2013 — exactly 32 years after they met.

[A more complete obituary is pending.]

 The Rev. Barbara E. Hollerorth, 82, died April 14, 2009. A pastoral counselor and therapist, she studied sociology at the University of Iowa and University of Chicago before earning a master’s degree in theological studies from the Federated Theological Schools of the University of Chicago. She served with her husband, the Rev. Hugo J. Holleroth, as co-minister of education at the Union Church of Hinsdale, IL. She was serving the Lexington, MA church, when she created the well-known The Haunting House curriculum. She earned her D.Min.at Andover-Newton Theological School. She helped create the UU Pastoral Counseling Center of Greater Boston and became its first director. The Center provided a resource for UU ministers to refer parishioners for long-term therapy. She was a therapist at the Homophile Community Health Service and the Gender Identity Service. After retiring she studied photography and exhibited her work in the Boston area. Barbara is survived by her husband, and her daughters, Rachel Buerlen and Rebecca Hunter, and three grandchildren.

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. Olivia Holmes died on December 11, 2023, at the age of 79 (1944-2023).

She is survived by brothers Sidney Holmes (and spouse Ruth) and Leonard Holmes (and spouse Louiselle), nephew, Nicholas Holmes and spouse Mary Katherine, nieces: Sarah Tucker, Danielle Gianesgro, Melissa Holmes, several grandnieces, and her beloved cat, Wiley.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. at the Peterborough UU Church, 25 Main Street, Peterborough NH. Information on a celebration after the service will be forthcoming.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the UUA Living Tradition Fund, P.O. Box 843154, Boston, MA, 02284. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s  ministry.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Sidney Holmes, 2344 Hunt Club Drive, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48304.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Ray Hopkins

The Rev. Dr. Raymond Charles “Ray” Hopkins, a Universalist minister who worked tirelessly for Unitarian and Universalist consolidation and served the merged Unitarian Universalist movement in several capacities thereafter, died peacefully in his sleep, aged 93, at his home in Saco Maine, on April 21, 2013.

Deeply devoted to his liberal religious tradition and beyond, Ray Hopkins served on every merger-related committee from 1946 until AUA-UCA consolidation was finally formalized in 1961, when he was appointed executive vice president of the newly created Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), serving in that position until 1974. During these years he was heavily engaged in the anti-war, feminism, and civil right movements, and served briefly on the Executive Committee of the International Association for Religious Freedom in 1969. His work on consolidation and later tenure at the UUA offered him the opportunity to meet some of his heroes, including Albert Schweitzer, John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Raymond Charles Hopkins was born in Danbury, CT on July 29, 1919 to Clarence and Mary Halstead Hopkins, and was raised in the Universalist church there. He began teaching Sunday school at age 15 and soon rose to local, statewide, and then national youth leadership positions. Drafted into the army as a conscientious objector in 1942 and honorably discharged with disability in 1944, Ray immediately began ministerial study at Tufts University. There he became a charter member of the Humiliati, a somewhat “maverick” but eventually influential group of Tufts students and recent alumni, who gathered in 1945 for study, fellowship, and Universalist renewal. Sometime after the group disbanded in 1954, Mr. Hopkins joined the Fraters of the Wayside Inn, an older study group of Universalist clergy on which the Humiliati had modeled their own organization.

Mr. Hopkins was graduated from Tufts with a B.A. in 1947 and S.T.B. in 1949. While still a student, he served ministries at Universalist churches in Canton (1944-45), Medford (1945-46), and Brockton, beginning the latter in 1946 and continuing on after graduation, where he was ordained in 1949 and served until 1961. In 1964, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate by Starr King School for the Ministry.

Ray Hopkins at Ferry Beach

Ray Hopkins began a new chapter in 1974, when he became executive director of the Ferry Beach Park Association in Saco, Maine, providing that center for retreat and renewal with skillful leadership for ten years. (The image at right was taken there in 2012.) The Rev. Mr. Hopkins also served as minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Saco & Biddeford from 1975 to 1984. He was honored with the title of Minister Emeritus upon his retirement in 1984.

A memorial service was planned to be held in the summer of 2013 at Ferry Beach. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the Ferry Beach Park Association, 5 Morris Ave, Saco, Maine 04072.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Linda Hopkins at 8 Morris Ave., Saco, Maine 04072.

The Rev. Dr. C. Leon Hopper, whose deep institutional dedication to liberal religion and social justice undergirded a 39 year career that embraced parish ministry, local community service, leadership in national UU youth organization, ministerial education, and international interfaith work, died on June 19, 2016, aged 89, after many years of living with Parkinson’s disease.

As he moved out from local parish and community service to continental and international UU arenas over the years, the Rev. Mr. Hopper earned wide and beloved praise as a “minister to ministers.” He was long a dedicated supporter of the International Association for Religious Freedom. He served terms as a UUA trustee and as president of the continental UUMA, and was instrumental in conceiving and setting up the UUMA’s CENTER program (Continuing Education Network for Training, Enrichment, and Renewal). 

Unable to attend the pivotal Selma march, Mr. Hopper later spent two weeks in Selma living with a young black Presbyterian minister, working on voting rights and registration, participating in rallies, and allying himself with other movement ministers and leaders.

In local community service during his parish settlements, Leon helped establish the human service agency, Jeffco Support Inc. (now the Action Center) in Jefferson County CO. Later, in the Seattle area, he served as board member and president for the East King Council of Health and Human Services, president of Eastside Human Services Council, board member of Eastside Domestic Violence Program, and board member of the Center for Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence (now King County Sexual Assault Resource Center).

For his extensive and tireless devotion to these and other causes, the Rev. Mr. Hopper received two honorary doctorates: a 1981 D.D. from Meadville Lombard and a 1993 S.T.D. from Starr King School.

Charles Leon Hopper, Jr., was born on February 21, 1927 to Charles Leon and Ethol [sic] Peterson Hopper. During his teen years as a Boy Scout, Leon developed a love of the outdoors, and his introverted character was nurtured by the solitude and immersion in nature that he found working as a fire lookout in the Cascade Range. After graduation from Seattle’s Roosevelt High School and 18 months of service in the Navy, he returned to the Pacific Northwest for undergraduate study. 

While there, he attended Seattle’s University Unitarian Church and participated in the Channing Club youth group, where he met his future wife, Dorothy, and first heard a call to the ministry. In 1951, he received his B.A. from the University of Washington, he and Dorothy were married, and they headed off for Leon’s ministerial study at Harvard Divinity School, where he completed his S.T.B. in 1954.

Mr. Hopper’s parish service began in 1953, while still a seminarian, at the First Congregational Parish, Unitarian, of Petersham MA, where he was ordained the next year. He moved to Boston in 1957 to become Executive Director for the newly formed Liberal Religious Youth (LRY). 

Drawn back to the parish, he accepted a call to the Jefferson Unitarian Church of Golden CO, serving there for the 13 years (1963–76). Some years later the congregation named their sanctuary in honor of his service there. Returning to Boston in 1976, the Rev. Mr. Hopper took an appointment as the UUA’s first Ministerial Education Director, a role he held for five years. In 1981, he accepted a call to East Shore Unitarian Church of Bellevue WA, and spent 11 years there before retiring from parish ministry in 1992 as their Minister Emeritus.

Leon was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2002, and the next year he and Dorothy moved into Horizon House Retirement Community in Seattle, where tiered care would be available when needed. Never one to take illness as an excuse for idleness, Leon served at Horizon House on the Residents’ Council, chaired its Committee on Committees, and co-chaired the Hospitality and Opera Committees with Dorothy.

With mobility becoming more severely limited, Leon stayed connected with colleagues, friends, family, and the wider world through letters, emails, and visitors. He cherished friends who came regularly to read to him and help with email correspondence.

Leon was held in high esteem worldwide for his sincere collegiality, gentle honesty, and infectious optimism, which sustained many colleagues through difficult times both in their ministries and personal lives. He was truly surprised to learn of the far-reaching effect he had on people’s lives. In hearing letters of his profoundly positive impact, he would shake his head in humbled amazement, saying, “I never imagined.”

Leon is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy; daughters, Sheridan Botts and Rachel Tucker; son, Chuck Hopper; and five grandchildren. His life was honored and memorialized on July 26, 2016, at the East Shore Unitarian Church in Bellevue WA, in a service co-led by his colleagues, the Rev. Barbara ten Hove and the Rev. Elaine Peresluha.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Dorothy Hopper, 900 University Street, Horizon House, 4C, Seattle WA 98101, or to clhopperjr@aol.com.

Patricia Ann (McTigue) Houff, 81, died on September 16, 2012. Patty was born September 24, 1930. She was a life-long resident of Spokane, born as the first of three children to Mary and Tom Meagher. A graduate of Lewis and Clark High School and Stanford University, she worked as a fundraiser for Eastern Washington State College and as a residential realtor.

Patty was a persistent advocate for civic engagement and environmental preservation. She was active for many years with the League of Women Voters, the Spokane Mountaineers, the Spokane Unitarian Universalist Church, the Peace and Justice Action League and the Inland Northwest Land Trust, as well as many other civic associations. For nearly thirty years she was an active volunteer with the Dishman Hills Conservancy, and one of her proudest accomplishments was assisting in the creation of the “Dream Trail” in preservation of the Dishman Hills.

Patty was effective far beyond what her modesty admitted. She cultivated deep, enduring friendships; she was an exceptional mother and grandmother; and she was profoundly beloved.

Patty was married to James E. “Jim” McTigue for 21 years and the Rev. Dr. William “Bill” Houff for 36 years. She is survived by her husband, Bill Houff; her four children, Peggy McTigue, Kathleen McTIgue, Mike McTigue and Tom McTigue; sons-in-law David Miller and Nick Nyhart; three granddaughters, Hannah and Maris Nyhart and Annie McTigue; stepsons Greg and Rob Houff; her siblings Michael Meagher and Dr. Mary Meagher, sister-in-law Joan Meagher, niece Shannon Meagher and nephews Colin and Sean Meagher.

A Memorial Service in Patty’s honor was held on Friday, October 26, 2012, at 3:00pm at the Spokane Unitarian Universalist Church, 4340 W. Fort George Wright Drive, Spokane, WA 99224. Memorial gifts in Patty’s honor may be made to the Dishman Hills Conservancy for extension and preservation of the Dream Trail.

Bill Houff

The Rev. Dr. William “Bill” Houff, dedicated parish minister, activist against war and racism, devoted husband, and lover of the farming life and land from his youth, died, aged 85, on 26 January 2014 in hospice care at the Rockwood South Hill retirement facility in Spokane where he and his late wife, Patty, had lived for several years.

Growing up in very modest circumstances on a Shenandoah Valley farm during the Great Depression, Bill could remember his boyhood allowance of one penny a month and the coming of electricity to his family’s farm as a memorable event. In a very conservative religious environment, he recalled that there was little display of family affection or emotion and that his father was “a man of few words.” At his graduation from an unaccredited high school, Bill began driving a local school bus, having no clear sense of direction for his life. But when he heard by chance about a state-wide competition for a four-year chemistry scholarship at the College of William & Mary in “far away” Williamsburg, a native curiosity and a sense of adventure led him to enter . . . and to win! Against the hope of his parents that he would inherit the farm, they reluctantly helped him pack up his modest belongings in the family Hudson and drove him 160 miles to his new college home. Bill plaintively recalled that the moment when his parents said goodbye and headed their Hudson west back across the Blue Ridge to their farm was the moment when he became an “orphan.” Years later he spoke to a future ministerial colleague of the pain he still felt for the despair of his parents, who were sure that their son’s adult religious path had doomed his soul to eternal hell.

Even after breaking away from his austere boyhood environment, moving on through eighteen years of study and work in the field of chemistry, and finally serving thirty-five years in Unitarian Universalist parish ministry, Bill never lost the sense of deep connection to the land and to the life of self-sufficient independence. When the opportunity came in his forties to recover some of his childhood pleasure in farming and carpentry, Bill acquired acreage near Spokane, which he named “Still Point Farm,” and on which he constructed, by his own hands, a main house and several other outbuildings—work and ownership in which he took great pride and joy.

William Harper Houff was born on 27 April 1928 near the village of New Hope, Virginia, the only son of Harper P. Houff and Anna Elizabeth Wilberger. He took a B.S. in chemistry with Phi Beta Kappa honors from the College of William and Mary in 1950, earning living expenses by working all four years as a waiter at the Travis House, one of the colonial-style restaurants operated by Colonial Williamsburg, Inc. Despite a strong academic record, he always said he learned more in his Travis House experience than in his college course work. A brief marriage during his undergraduate years ended when his wife Lucille returned to the New Hope area with their infant son, Konrad, never more to be a part of Bill’s life. Mr. Houff went on to Michigan State University for graduate study in chemistry, earning an M.S. in 1952 and a Ph.D. in 1955. In Michigan he met and married Donna Hall, who became the mother of his second and third sons, Gregory and Robert.

Bill Houff

Eschewing an academic career for the better-paying corporate world, Dr. Houff stayed on in Michigan for a first job out of school, but then took a new position in Albany, New York, where, driving around one day, he chanced upon a “Wayside Pulpit” sign in front of the local Unitarian church. Intrigued by its liberal message, after having had no church involvement since leaving home ten years earlier, he made some Sunday morning visits, quickly joined, and soon became an active lay leader. By the early 1960s, he had moved on to a research job with Shell Oil in the San Francisco Bay Area and to membership in the Mount Diablo UU church in Walnut Creek, where the ministerial leadership of the Rev. Aron Gilmartin and the proximity of a UU seminary led him toward serious interest in parish ministry. Mr. Houff earned his B.D. from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1964. Meanwhile his marriage to Donna ended in divorce.

Ordained to the Unitarian Universalist ministry in 1964, the newly Rev. Mr. Houff served the UU Fellowship of Redwood City, California, from 1964 to 1968, the UU Church of Shoreline, Washington, from 1968-1973, and then the UU Church of Spokane, Washington, in his longest settlement from 1973 to 1988, during which the congregation’s membership doubled. It was in Spokane that Bill finally met his soul mate, Patricia “Patty” Meagher McTigue, to whom he was married for more than thirty-five years until her death in 2012. In retirement, Bill and Patty enjoyed world travel.

Leaving the Spokane congregation as Minister Emeritus at age sixty, Mr. Houff moved on to a series of interim ministries at the First UU Church of Winnipeg, Manitoba (1988-89), the UU Church of Greensboro in Jamestown, North Carolina (1989-90), the UU Congregation of Asheville, North Carolina (1990-91), the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, British Columbia (1991-93) and the University Unitarian Church of Seattle, Washington (1997-99), having along the way qualified himself as an Accredited Interim Minister in 1992.

Mr. Houff was also active with the wider Unitarian Universalist network and with his colleagues in the UUMA. In 1964-65 he served as president of the Bay Area Ministers Association and as chair of the Pacific Central District Personnel Committee, and from 1967 to 1970 he chaired the Student Affairs Committee at Starr King School. In the early 1970s he served as the Ministerial Settlement Representative for the Pacific Northwest District, in which role he so impressed the ministerial search committee of the Spokane church that, at their request, he resigned that position to become their candidate for the Spokane pulpit.

In his Spokane ministry, he began preaching about spiritual growth and mysticism in what he called a “theological metamorphosis”—not abandoning but expanding his earlier scientific humanism—a journey on which he became a frequent workshop leader for ministerial colleagues and laypeople over the years. It was as a theme speaker for the Eliot Institute in 1984 with the title “Through the Eye of the Needle: Toward Oneness” that he began thinking about putting these insights into writing. The resulting book, Infinity in Your Hand: A Guide for the Spiritually Curious (Melior Publications, 1989), was republished under the UUA’s Skinner House imprint in 1990 and was widely used for adult study in UU congregations.

Bill Houff had a deep and long-standing commitment to social justice, which he in time came to see in a profoundly spiritual perspective. Early in his ministry he joined a huge turnout of Unitarian Universalist ministers in traveling to Alabama for the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery. Later he marched in a San Francisco protest of the Vietnam War and the use of napalm on Vietnamese civilians. In 1984, at the Spokane church, Bill delivered a sermon titled, “Silent Holocaust,” in which he described life-threatening negligence in the nuclear industry. The sermon served as a catalyst for his founding and leadership of the Hanford Education Action League (HEAL), a grassroots nuclear concern group, focused especially on dangerous practices at the nearby Hanford nuclear facility.

In later years, Bill and Patty were both active in community activities and Bill was honored for his service as a volunteer chaplain for Hospice of Spokane. For a time they shared a home with Patty’s mother, making it possible for her to live out her years, to the age of nearly 100, in the daily embrace of family.

The Rev. Marvin Evans, a long-time friend, offers this perspective:

“Bill at the Unitarian Church of Spokane and Bill at the Still Point Farm were in a very real sense not the same Bill Houff. When he spoke from the pulpit at the church and when he spoke at the feed store in Newport, you were experiencing two very different versions of William Harper Houff. These two versions blended together made for one of the most interesting people I have ever known.”

Bill Houff is survived by sons Konrad Crist, and Gregory and Robert Houff, by grandchildren Torin, Marina, and Trevor, and by several stepchildren, one of whom, Patty’s daughter Kathleen McTigue, is also a UU minister. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Anna Lee, and his wife, Patty.

A memorial service for the Rev. Dr. William Houff was celebrated on February 12, 2014, at the Unitarian Church of Spokane. Memorial gifts may be made to the Inland Northwest Land Trust, 33 W. Main Ave. Spokane, Wash, 99201-1017. Notes of condolence may be sent in care of Greg Houff, 1002 Golden Hills Drive, Cheney, Wash. 99004.

[Editor’s note — Some of the material in this obituary is drawn from a memoir written by the Rev. Marvin D. Evans, one of Bill Houff’s closest and longest-time friends. Mr. Evans’ full memoir may be found at this link.]

The Rev. Carl Arthur Hover died on August 15, 2024, at the age of 88 (1936-2024).

Arthur is survived by his wife, Ellen Dionna; his two children: Carla Hover and Carl Hover; and five step-children: Jonathan Wolf, Carol Wolf, Pamela Wolf MacMahon, Adam Wolf, and Franklin Wolf. He was preceded in death by his two sons: Kenneth Arthur and Carson Monroe.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at the UU Congregation of York, 925 S George St, York PA 17403.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the UU Congregation of York PA, or the Unitarian Universalist Society for Ministerial Relief, c/o Rev. Susan Suchocki Brown, 80 Mill Glen Rd., Winchendon, MA 01475.

Notes of condolences may be written here
<https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/c-arthur-hover-obituary?id=56218038#guestbook>.

A more complete obituary will follow.

The Rev. Stephen Davies Howard, 78, died July 15, 2009, in hospice care, following a brief illness. Born in western Massachusetts, he was educated at American International College and Harvard Divinity School. He served churches in MA, then worked as an interim consultant for more than 18 UU churches. He was recently honored by the UUA for his 50 years of service. Stephen delivered his last sermon to his congregation in Palmer, MA on June 21, Father’s Day. His family says he was an avid reader, writer and outdoor enthusiast. He enjoyed local libraries, bookstores, and loved the beauty of the local countryside. Throughout his years, he enjoyed hiking with his dogs at Highland Pond, Notch Mountain, and the Warwick Swamp. He was inspired by reading the writings of Thoreau, Robert Frost, and Emily Dickinson. An ardent football fan, he followed Greenfield High School, local college and Patriots games. More than anything else, he said he loved having time with his grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, Ann, to whom he was married for 50 years, their three children, Catherine Howard Nicholas, Elisabeth Davies Howard, Matthew Anson Howard and his wife, by five grandchildren, and his brother and sister-in-law, and a nephew and a niece.

Ann Howe, 99, of Raleigh and spouse of the late Rev. Dr. Charles A. Howe, died peacefully on August 14, 2024, after a brief illness, surrounded by family. Ann Elizabeth Clark was born in Richmond VA on October 18, 1924, to the late William Baker Clark and Louise Graham Clark. 

Ann grew up on the family farm in Buckingham County VA. She entered college at age 16 and graduated from Westhampton College, University of Richmond, Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. She also earned a master’s degree in organic chemistry at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

She met Charles Howe at UNC after he returned from service in WWII and they were married in 1947.

Ann was an instructor in chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez, worked as a research assistant at UNC, and then spent a decade at home with her children. She was an elementary science teacher at the Lab School at the University of Chicago while her husband was a seminary student.

Ann then received a Ph.D. in science education from the University of Texas at Austin in 1970. She was a Professor of Science Education at Syracuse University, the head of the Department of Math and Science Education at North Carolina State University, and the head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Maryland. She was the first woman to hold a faculty position in her department at both Syracuse and N.C. State.

Her professional accomplishments are too numerous to detail here but included leadership roles in professional organizations, including President of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (1983–84), a Senior Fulbright Scholar in Chile, editorial roles with professional journals, and the author of numerous journal articles and two books. In retirement, Ann became a painter and was a member of Cary Gallery of Artists. 

She was a longtime member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh NC, where she served in various leadership roles. A person of great energy, curiosity and optimism, Ann balanced her professional achievements with a full family life, a love of travel, nature and gardening, and enjoying her many friends. 

She was predeceased by her husband, Charles, and her brother, William B. Clark Jr. She is survived by daughter Judy Howe (Robert Harangozo) of Yonkers NY, daughter Margie Chenery of Raleigh, and son David Howe of Albany NY; grandchildren Patricia Chenery, Sally Howe, Nora Howe, and Caroline Harangozo; her sister, Martha Bell; her sister-in-law, Jean Clark; and several nieces and nephews. 

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, October 18, 2024 at the UU Fellowship of Raleigh, 3313 Wade Avenue, Raleigh NC. 

Contributions in Ann’s memory may be made to Planned Parenthood South Atlantic or a charity of your choice. 

Charles Howe

The Rev. Dr. Charles A. Howe, 88, died August 10, 2010. He earned an AB in chemistry at UNC, Chapel Hill. He served in the US Marine Corps, then returned to UNC to earn his MA & PhD in chemistry. He worked for Merck and then taught at Clarkson College in Potsdam, NY. There the Howes became active members of the Universalist Church in Canton, NY. He went on to earn his BDiv at Meadville Lombard, which later awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Divinity. He served churches in TX, NY, NC. He was named minister emeritus by the Wilmington, NC church. He was interim minister for churches in VA, NY and FL. After his retirement, he was a member of the Chapel Hill and Raleigh, NC congregations. He served on the Commission on Appraisal and was a member of the UU Historical Society. He wrote a number of books, including The Larger Faith: A Short History of American Universalism. He was a lifelong advocate for social justice. He is survived by his wife, Ann Howe, his children, Judith Louise Howe and Marjorie Ann Howe Chenery (and their spouses) and David Darrow Howe and four granddaughters.

Carolyn Howlett

Carolyn Chance Howlett, 89, widow of the Rev. Duncan Howlett, died Sept. 29, 2004 in Fryeburg, ME. She was one of only three females in her class at Yale Law School in 1938. She practiced law in New York City until she married. She was the first woman president of the International Association for Religious Freedom, making a number of trips including communist countries in Eastern Europe. She was honored for this with an honorary doctorate from the University of Chicago. She was active in community affairs in Center Lovell, ME. Her husband of 60 years died in 2003. She is survived by a brother, R. Robinson Chance; four children, Susan Hasty of Portland, ME; Albert of Falls Church, VA, Richard of Burke, VA, and Carolyn ‘Lynn’ Korth of Center Lovell, ME; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Marilyn Blitzstein Hromatko, 68, wife of the Rev. Dr. Wesley V. Hromatko, died of cancer Oct. 31, 2015 at Morningside Heights Care Center in Marshall, MN. She was born to Leland and Ellinore Blitzstein in Chicago on Dec. 17, 1946. She attended Bradwell Elementary and graduated from South Shore High in 1965. The city of Chicago gave her a citizenship award. Some of her most enjoyable experiences were at Camp Pinewood, MI.

Following graduation, she studied at Roosevelt University, then at Northern Illinois University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. At NIU she had poetry — some in Latin — published in the literary journal Towers.

Marilyn received a master’s degree in English two years later, then studied at Kent State where she was a resident assistant during the campus disturbance there. Her role, as part of the residence hall team, was to help restore calm. Marilyn held a variety of jobs; her favorite was working at a summer camp in the Rockies. Marilyn loved the outdoors.

She enjoyed selling lamps, records, and books at Carson, Pirie Scott, & Company, where her grandmother, Emma Solomon, worked. She was a Girl Scout executive in the Chicago area and later was a YWCA program director. Marilyn then studied at Meadville Lombard Theological School and the University of Chicago. She met the Rev. Dr. Wesley Hromatko, while he was serving First Unitarian Church of Hobart, IN. They were married September 17, 1978.

Religion interested her but preaching didn’t. She taught church school and was involved with the Central Midwest District religious education library. Marilyn was one of the organizers of the Tri-State UU Gathering. Toward the end of her life she returned to studying Biblical language. She was widely read in many subjects. She helped edit a physics book Conceptual Physics by Paul Hewitt. She was also an amateur radio operator and she had a great interest in the natural sciences.

In Illinois, Marilyn visited Abraham Lincoln sites museums and the homes of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and author Ernest Hemingway. She was a member of the Chicago Art Institute and active in Independent Voters of Illinois. Sometimes she would meet Wesley at Chagall’s “American Windows.” While the Hromatkos lived in New England, they visited many historic sites, such as Robert Frost’s home in Derry, N.H.; the Freedom Trail with Old Ironsides, Plymouth, MA, Starr Island, Strawberry Bank, and Mystic Seaport, home of the last wooden whaler. They also visited the House of Seven Gables, Longellow’s birthplace and Cambridge home, Herman Melville’s farm, William Cullen Bryant’s farm, President Adams’ boyhood home and farm, and Concord where Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, and Henry David Thoreau lived. Marilyn loved the woods by Walden Pond. In high school she kept a picture of Walden in her room.

She came to the farm at Lake Wilson in 1990 when she and Wesley decided that they should stay to help his parents, A.J. and Maybelle Hromatko. The farm became home for her. She was active in the Grange there. She said it was the longest time that she had stayed in any one place. They went to Illinois to visit and help her mother several times. She is survived by her husband; her sisters Rabbi Ann Folb, Arlington, VA; Bonniejean (Mike Gualandi) Gualandi, Arizona City, AZ; her niece Leah and nephew Joshua; and brother Alan (Ellen) Learner, Tyler,TX; and a number or cousins.

Services were held Nov. 4 at Chandler Funeral Home, Chandler, MN. Interment will be at Mount Pisgah Cemetery in Hanska, MN, at a later date.

Notes of remembrance may go to Wesley Hromatko at 752 121st St., Lake Wilson, MN 56151.

Michael Hubner

Michael K. Hubner, the wife of the Reverend Dr. David Hubner, died peacefully at home on April 6, 2018, surrounded by family and friends. She was 70. 

Having grown up in New York and Albuquerque, Michael graduated with a B.A. in French from Smith College in 1969; obtained an M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School in 1974; and returned to Smith for an M.S.W. where she was elected class speaker in 1980. She also received a certificate in health care administration from Simmons College. 

She tried other employment, but found her calling in social work. As an oncology social worker for more than 30 years, Michael dedicated herself to providing material and psychosocial support for cancer patients and their families through diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and end of life. She worked at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center from 1982-2001, then served as director of social work at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute from 2001-2013, where an annual lecture is named in her honor. 

Michael and David met at Harvard Divinity School in the fall of 1971, and were married in June of 1972. In 1974, David was called to serve the Unitarian Church in Hudson, MA, so that became their home. In Hudson, Michael was attendance officer for the local school system. They moved to First Church and Parish in Dedham, M.A. in 1980, and their son Benjamin was born there in 1985. Michael participated in the life of the congregations David served, and particularly liked singing in the choir. Although her own work was quite demanding, she made time for rehearsals and Sunday services every week.

In the last three years of her life, Michael faced the challenges presented by A.L.S. with exceptional grace and courage. She found that the physical limits it imposed on her had given her the gift of time and mental space to meditate on the nature of existence, truth, goodness, and beauty. Most importantly, she wrote: “I have time to love and be loved.”

Michael deeply loved her “small but important family,” her friends and colleagues, gardening, art, music, travel, language, and thinking seriously about life and how to live it with purpose and meaning.

Memorial gifts may be sent to Compassionate Care ALS (www.ccals.org), P.O. Box 1052, West Falmouth, M.A. 02574.

The Rev. Dr. James ‘Peter’ Hughes died on April 17, 2024, at the age of 71.

Peter was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on September 29, 1952, to Arthur A. Hughes and Joanne Little Hughes. He was the eldest of seven siblings and attended churches of the Anglican religion in childhood. He went to various grade and elementary schools in multiple cities in Canada, ultimately graduating from Macdonald High School in St. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec. In 1973, Peter received his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge MA. In the same year, he married Lynn Gordon, a fellow student at M.I.T. He then worked as a computer programmer for eight years before following his call to ministry.

In his late twenties, Peter began to explore the spiritual and intellectual horizons to find an institutional home. He felt that there was a need for a religion that could bring together ancient wisdom and modern knowledge; one that would respect people’s varying strengths, needs, and dispositions in a true religious pluralism. He became involved as a layperson in the UU Society of Stamford, CT from 1980 to 1982, immersing himself in the history and culture of Unitarianism and Universalism. He began to see the church in a more critical light. He wanted to develop plans for helping liberal religion explore new areas, and help religious liberals more fully live their religious principles. This vision kindled his thoughts of ministry. In 1984, he earned his Master of Arts in Divinity from the University of Chicago IL, following which he received his Doctor of Ministry from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1986.

Rev. Dr. Hughes was ordained by the First Universalist Church, Woonsocket RI on April 26, 1987, where he served for 13 years (1986–1999). During his tenure, in addition to his pastoral duties, he was instrumental in the transcription of documents in church history and wrote a history of the period of the church’s first minister, John Boyden (1840–1869). He wrote, directed, and participated in several services that consisted of the congregation members’ dramatic performances. Rev. Hughes, along with his wife Lynn Gordon Hughes, were the founders of the First Universalist Food Pantry, and their work sustained this effort for over 10 years. In 1999, he retired from the ministry on disability, due to post-polio syndrome. In 2000, the First Universalist Church honored him as their minister emeritus.

After retirement, Rev. Dr. Hughes focused on research projects, mainly on the history of American Universalism and the Reformation roots of Unitarianism. He launched the Dictionary of UU Biography and served as its founding editor for nine years. He was a frequent contributor to the Journal of UU History and other publications. He also helped the UU Historical Society to develop a publishing program and an online discussion list. Furthermore, he was president of the Universalist Church of Rhode Island and vice-president of the UU Historical Society.

Always active in community service, Rev. Hughes was on the boards of Adopt-a-Family, Woonsocket Shelter Community Action Program, and Family Resources. He was also active in the Greater Woonsocket Clergy Association. He received the Paul Dempster Award in 1997 for contributions to community service. He was a champion for the rights of the disabled. In 2008, he was forced to crawl downstairs to a polling station in a church basement. This motivated him to take on Elections Canada where he won in a landmark Canadian Human Rights Case in 2010, Hughes v. Elections Canada. The result was nationwide changes to all Canadian polling stations to ensure accessibility for disabled voters.

In his leisure time, Peter enjoyed listening to music and collecting records (classical and film music), playing the recorder and other woodwind instruments, watching old movies, going to the opera, reading, and reading aloud. He enjoyed the challenge of arranging music for unusual combinations of instruments and was usually involved in some sort of music ensemble, often as a leader.

Peter is survived by his wife Lynn; children Paul (Caolan) and Logan (Jae); grandchildren Jane and Alice; as well as his siblings: Jan, Kate, Mary Jo, William, and Sarah Beth. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Wendy.

A memorial service was held on June 8, 2024, at the University of Toronto, Canada. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Princess Margaret Cancer Center <https://www.uhn.ca/OurHospitals/PrincessMargaret>, 610 University Ave., Toronto ON, M5G 2M9.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Lynn Hughes at lynnghughes@gmail.com or mailed to Lynn Hughes, 312-24 Wellesley St. W., Toronto ON, M4Y2X6, Canada.

James Hunt

The Rev. Dr. James D. Hunt, 79, died January 12, 2011. He was a graduate of Tufts, Boston and Syracuse Universities. His first career was as a Universalist minister. The parts of being a minister he liked the best were studying and preaching. This led him to pursue a second career in teaching. He was a professor of ethics and religion at Shaw University, Raleigh, NC for nearly 30 years. His first major publication was a comparison of the lives of Martin Luther King and Mohandas K. Gandhi. He went on to write about the early life of Gandhi, an interest which culminated in the publication of four books. Jim had a passion for fairness and justice. He worked with Amnesty International, ACLU, Witness for Peace, Peace Action, CITCA, People of Faith Against the Death Penalty, and CORE. A devoted family man, Jim found time to enjoy cycling, reading, hiking, folk dancing, playing the recorder, singing and traveling. He is survived by his wife, his children, their partners and grandchildren.

Hollis Huston

Hollis Wilburn Huston, Jr., the spouse of the Reverend Carol Huston, died peacefully at home in his Manhattan apartment on 2 August 2018. His wife, Carol, daughters Vanessa and Linnea, and Linnea’s fiancé Scott Will, were there with him in the last days. He is also survived by his mother, Annie Laura Cotten, sisters Becca and Laura, and nephew and nieces

He was born on 10 April 1947, in Durham, North Carolina. His family relocated frequently during his youth. After attending Loomis School in Windsor, CT, he attended Oberlin College and graduated with honors in June 1968.  Hollis earned a Master’s Degree in Theatre from Tufts University and a Ph.D. from Ohio State University.

Hollis and Carol were married in 1968. Carol pursued careers as a teacher and a Unitarian Universalist minister. Hollis taught acting and theater courses at several universities, and was also active as a producer, director, and performer.

In St. Louis, he founded the Holy Roman Repertory Company (“Not holy, not Roman, just damn good radio”). In collaboration with others, he produced radio programs featuring performances of historical writings and music. The programs were recorded in live performance and then broadcast on NPR. 

After moving to metro New York, where Carol served as minister of Community Unitarian Church in White Plains, Hollis followed his own call. He earned a Masters of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 2006. Even before graduation, he began work as a hospice chaplain. He is fondly remembered for his 13 years of work as a chaplain through early April 2018. He also preached at local UU churches, and maintained a blog entitled “The Next Circle.”

Hollis had been treated for prostate cancer in 2007, but his symptoms reappeared in 2015. He was able to keep working, reading and writing, but the disease worsened in 2018. He fractured his hip at the end of May, which led to hospitalization and rehab. On 21 July, he returned home for hospice care.

Memorial donations are encouraged to the Living Legacy Scholarship Fund, to support participation of people with limited funds in a Pilgrimage to Civil Rights Movement sites.  Send contributions to John W. Harris, Treasurer for the Living Legacy Project, 9050 Fathers Legacy Unit 253, Ellicott City, MD 21042-5195.

Notes of condolence can be sent to Carol Huston, 940 St. Nicholas Ave SE, New York, NY 10032  revcarol@earthlink.net

The Rev. Kenneth R. Hutchinson, 95, died April 21, 2005. He served congregations in Edwards, NY; La Crescenta, Pasadena, and Santa Monica, CA; Brattleboro, VT; Dexter, ME; and Cincinnati, OH. Upon his retirement in 1979, the UU Church of the Verdugo Hills in La Crescenta named him minister emeritus. He is survived by his son Stanley of Temecula, CA, and a daughter, Kimberley. He was predeceased by his wife, Pearl Knott Hutchinson, in 2004.

The Reverend Dr. Mwalimu Imara—UU parish minister and Episcopal priest, distinguished academic, pastoral counselor and hospice chaplain, teacher, mentor, and activist for racial justice—died on 6 October 2015, aged 85.

Mwalimu Imara was born Renford G. Gaines on 21 April 1930 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the only child of Blanche Irene Allen and Cyril Gomez.  Moving to Montréal with his family at the age of 5, he was raised in the Episcopal Church, served as an acolyte for many years. and developed a close and formative relationship with church elders who were instrumental in guiding his faith and infusing him with a deep and personal spirituality.  After graduation at the top of his class from the High School of Montréal in 1947. Mr. Gaines worked in the printing industry for six years before moving to Cleveland, Ohio in 1953, where he met his spiritual soulmate, Saburi, whom he married in 1960.  With her support he was able to pursue his education full-time.  He earned a B.A. from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland in 1964 and, despite his Anglican background, chose Meadville Lombard Theological School for further study, taking a D.Min. there in 1968.

While in seminary, Mr. Gaines worked closely with Dr. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, eventually publishing widely in the area of death, dying, and bereavement, as well as lecturing and leading workshops on health and religion, meditation, bereavement, counseling the seriously ill, and exploring the spiritual foundations of counseling, and working in these fields with the University of Illinois, Department of Psychology, Brandeis University Psychological Counseling Center, and the (Kübler) Ross Medical Associates.

“Rennie” was one of four black seminarians to attend an emergency conference called by the Rev. Homer Jack in 1967 in response to widespread racial riots and protests.  This pivotal gathering led to his continued activity in the UUA’s ensuing Black Empowerment Controversy.  He was a member of the Black Affairs Council and the Greater Boston Black UU Caucus.

Mr. Gaines was ordained in 1968 by the UU Church of Urbana, Illinois, where he served for two years as senior minister before accepting a call in 1970 as senior minister of Boston’s Arlington Street Church.  It was during his turbulent and controversial four-year ministry there that he and his wife moved more strongly to reclaim their African heritage and he adopted the name Mwalimu Imara.  In 1974, he began to shift his working focus to community ministry and was voted Minister-at-Large to the Benevolent Fraternity of Unitarian Churches (now the UU Urban Ministries).  That same year he founded the Boston Center for Religion & Psychotherapy, serving as its Executive Director until 1979.  In recognition of that work, he was named a Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors in 1975.  Dr. Imara moved on to create a hospice program at the Methodist Hospital of Indiana in 1979, where he served as director, program developer, trainer, and pastoral counselor until 1982.  During these years he was drawn back to his Anglican roots and was ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in the Indianapolis Diocese.

The Rev. Dr. Imara’s academic career was extensive.  From 1978 to 2009 he served on the faculty of the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, conducting post-graduate training programs, teaching organizational methods, and leading workshops on grief and loss. From 1983 to 1988 he chaired the Department of Counseling Services and directed the program in Human Values in Medicine at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta with joint professorial appointments in the Human Behavior in the Department of Psychiatry and the Family Medicine Department, including service as institutional chaplain.  He continued service in the Episcopal priesthood during his academic career, serving as Priest-in-Charge at St. Stephens’ Episcopal Church in Griffin, Georgia, from 1984 to 1991.

Of the motivation for his life’s work, Dr. Imara, wrote:

“My interest in ‘spiritual intelligence’ is directly connected to my efforts to communicate my transcendent experiences, especially those experiences connected to my working with terminally-ill persons and their families.”

Mwalimu Imara was instrumental in adopting the principles of Maulana (Ron) Karenga’s Nguzo Saba, the seven principles of Kwanzaa. He was a revolutionary leader in the Kazana extended family of Philadelphia, and led his family and community in special celebrations for birthdays, Kwanzaa, births, and deaths.

His daughter Sala Hilaire calls her father “the greatest man I ever met. He was able to meet people where they were at. He was able to sit down with someone and make them feel like they were the most important person in the world.”

Mwalimu Imara is survived by his wife, Saburi, children Sala Hilaire, Hiari Imara, and Akosua Davis, grandchildren Kidist Getnet, Aminah Hilaire, Nzinga Davis, Emeka Davis, Ashe Davis, Amirah Jabbie, and Kabiyesi Davis, nephews Michael Van Smith and Marcus Smith, sister-in-law, Nia Latimore, cousins Bobbie and Charles Pearson, and countless friends and loved ones.

A Celebration of the Rev. Dr. Imara’s life was held on 13 October 2015 at Atlanta’s Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip.

Memorial donations are encouraged to the Imara Center’s Mwalimu IPD Mentorship Program.  The Imara Center LLC is a behavioral health agency that provides quality behavioral health services and utilizes a trauma informed approach to empower individuals and their communities.  The Mwalimu Imara IPD program provides mentorship to youths in the transition from adolescence to adulthood.  The program was created in 2015 as a tribute to Dr. Imara.  Please make checks payable to the Imara Center, with “Mwalimu IPD Mentorship Program” in the memo line, and mail checks to The Imara Center, LLC, 3915 Cascade Road, SW, Suite 205, Atlanta, GA 30331.

Condolences may be sent to Saburi Imara, 4550 Orkney Lane SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30331.

The Rev. John Branch Isom, 94, died April 23, 2004 following complications from surgery for a broken hip. He served congregations in Louisville, KY; Wichita, KS; and Des Moines, IA; and as an US Army chaplain during World War II. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Elien Newsome Isom; two daughters, Rose E. Bowser; Mary Elizabeth Isom; two granddaughters; and a sister Annabelle Garrison.

Inge Jack

Ingeborg Jack, 88, widow of the Rev. Homer Jack, passed away peacefully in her sleep at Kendal at Longwood, in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, January 17, 2016.

Inge, as she liked to be called, was born in Stuttgart, Germany, but spent her adult years living in the USA, Belgium, Switzerland, and Thailand. Her early memories are of hikes in the Black Forest, and singing folk songs with her family. Inge had a beautiful voice and was often asked to sing by school and town officials.

Before retiring, Inge worked for UNICEF in New York City. She helped establish two chapters of Amnesty International, and worked tirelessly supporting the work of her late husband, peace and human rights activist, Homer Jack. Upon Homer’s passing, she devoted her time lobbying for children living in war ravaged areas, and trying to eradicate the use of land mines (a cause she worked on with the late Diana, Princess of Wales); she was also concerned about global warming.

She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Homer Jack; her parents, Ernst and Auguste; a twin sister, Majella; a younger sister, Helma; as well as her beloved brother, Herbert. She leaves behind her daughter, Marianne, married to Chris Thatcher; as well as two other daughters, Renate and Sigrid; and five grandchildren, Annemarie (Georg), Mark (Jen), Robert (Karoline), “Mac”, and Jasmine. She also has five great-grandchildren: Sophie, Alastair, Julian, Edward, and Emily. She is survived by a sister, Majella Kolb.

The family of Ingeborg would like to thank the staff at Kendall for welcoming Inge like a family member, for the past ten years, and for the respect and loving care they gave her.

A Celebration of Life was scheduled for Sunday, January 24, 2016 at Kendal at Longwood, Kennett Square, PA.

Arrangements are by the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home, Kennett Square, Pa. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.griecocares.com.

The Rev. Donald J. Jacobsen, Sr., 85, died on January 6, 2013. Rev. Jacobsen was born in Brooklyn, NY on November 17, 1927 to Mina and Frederick Jacobsen. He attained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Hamilton College in 1950. In 1952, he went on to earn a Master of Arts from Columbia University. Finally, he received his Master of Divinity from St. Lawrence Theological School in 1955.

Rev. Jacobsen was ordained at the Unitarian Church of Fort Worth, TX on October 18, 1955. He was first called to serve the Unitarian Church of Fort Worth in 1955 and he stayed there until 1957. From 1962-1965, he served the Neighborhood Church of Pasadena, CA as their Minister of Education. He was then called to the First Universalist Society of Chicago, IL and served as their minister from 1954-1970. Lastly, from 1970 until his retirement in 1987, he served as Minister of Education to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, GA.

Proudly dedicated to the denomination, Rev. Jacobsen was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers’ Association (UUMA), the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA), the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation (UUWF), the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF), and the friends of Religious Humanism FRH). He also served as Chairman of the Social Responsibility Committee of the Central Midwest District.

Throughout his life, Rev. Jacobsen played an active role in the civil rights struggle. He worked as a volunteer with the NAACP and the American Friends Service Committee Job Opportunities Program; and served as the Chicago Area Coordinator for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. He was also a member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Abortion Rights Action League.

In addition to his ministerial career, Rev. Jacobsen taught elementary school, worked in psychiatric hospitals, and served in the Hospital Corps of the United States Navy.

In an autobiographical piece entitled, “Religious Odyssey,” Rev. Jacobsen writes:

What is important for me religiously is intelligent caring concern – attempting to love more fully and more helpfully to empower others to fulfill themselves, and to attempt to find ways where this kind of caring becomes more of a force in our congregation, in our community, in our nation, and in our world.

Rev. Jacobsen is survived by his wife, Ann Ehrlich; daughter, Karen Jacobsen-Mispagel; son, James Jacobsen; and grandchildren, Heather Mispagel Ganio, Benjamin Mispagel, and Elizabeth Jacobsen. His son, Donald Jacobsen, Jr., predeceased him.

A memorial service was planned for Saturday, March 2, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, 1911 Cliff Valley Way NE, Atlanta, GA 30329.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Dr. Karen Jacobsen-Mispagel at 1120 Cherokee Circle, Athens, GA 30606.

The Rev. William Richard Jacobsen, 74, died Nov. 2, 2006. As a teenager, Bill began studying to become a Lutheran Minister, and graduated from Concordia College. By then he had found the Unitarian tradition and attended Meadville Lombard. He served churches in Brooklyn, NY, Pittsburgh, PA, Canton, MA, and Bloomington, IL; and Palo Alto, CA. He was executive director of the Humanist Community in Palo Alto. Bill had a keen sense of humor, a true joy for life, and an ongoing enthusiasm for knowledge. He was an avid reader and enjoyed sharing his extensive knowledge. He was a gifted speaker. Bill believed in social change as a way to benefit all of humanity. He loved nature and hiked all over the Bay Area. He was particularly fond of Mount Montara in Pacifica. He is survived by his children, Juli Jacobsen of San Lorenzo and Eric Jacobsen of Pacifica; and by his former wife and dear friend, Dianne Jacobsen, of Palo Alto. A memorial service was held Nov. 19, 2006 at the UU Church, in Palo Alto.

The Rev. James “Jim” A. Jaeger died on May 16, 2024, at the age of 75 (1948-2024).

Jim is survived by his sons: Andy (Muugii) and Jesse (Natalie); grandchildren: Lorn, Misheel, Mars, Saraa, and Temujin; as well as granddaughter-in-law Fiona. He was preceded in death by his wife Karen. 

A memorial service will be held at 4 pm on June 22, 2024, at the First Unitarian Society of Madison, 900 University Bay Drive, Madison WI 53705. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the River Food Pantry, 2201 Darwin Rd, Madison WI 53704. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Jesse Jaeger, 2532 Arcadia Dr., Missoula MT 59803.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. Arthur Jellis, 80, died May 28, 2004 of a cerebral aneurysm. He served congregations in Northborough, Concord, and Grafton, MA; Philadelphia, PA; Rockville and Lutherville, MD; Houston, TX; and Ottawa, ON. Survivors include five children: Julie Anne Medjanis of Harvard, MA; Jennifer J. Burke of Ayer, MA; Cassandra J. Werthman of Jackson, TN; Joshua C. Jellis of Freeport, ME; and Susan J. Veligor of Portland, ME; four stepchildren; eight grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; a brother, Leonard Jellis of Peabody; and a sister, Christiana E. (Betty) Kirkland of Concord, MA.

The Rev. Patricia “Patty” Jiménez died on November 14, 2021, at the age of 74.

She was predeceased by her husband, Krishna Seshan.

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

Notes of condolences can be written here.

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

The Rev. Cynthia Barnes Johnson died on November 13, 2023, at the age of 81 (1942-2023).

Cynthia is survived by her husband Albert Johson; her children: Bruce Johnson, Tad Johnson (Beth Von Ohlen), and Ellen Willmore (Charlie Willmore); and her grandchildren: Alexander, Lucinda, Netta, and Wyatt.

A memorial service will be held in December.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Unity Hospice
<https://www.unityhospice.com/>, the UU Fellowship of Door County <https://uufdc.org/>, the Door County Land Trust
<https://www.doorcountylandtrust.org/> or your favorite Door County cause.

Notes of condolence can be sent to Al Johnson, 7455 State Highway 57, Baileys Harbor WI 54202 or amjohnsonbhwi@gmail.com.

A more complete obituary will follow.

Janet Johnson

The Reverend Janet Boykin Johnson, social worker and activist, chaplain, spiritual director, and parish minister, died at age 72 on March 25, 2015.

Janet was born on 4 June 1942 to Thelma and Hubert Dallas. She earned a B.A. from Hunter College in 1966 and an MSW from the University of Chicago in 1972. In a first career, Janet was a social worker in the Chicago Public School System for 18 years. During that time, Janet was also an active member of the First Unitarian Society of Chicago, and caretaker to two grandsons, whom she adopted, Jason Johnson and (the late) Justin Johnson.

Janet was very involved in community affairs, and ministered to the public long before receiving fellowship. While living in Chicago, she was on the Board of Directors of the River Oaks Towne Houses Cooperative and was a member of Amnesty International. Also during this time, from 1975 to 1992, she served as host and program coordinator of the international nonprofit, Experiment in International Living. Her duties included hosting exchange students from Germany, Japan, Mexico, and Brazil. After moving to California, Janet sat on several pastoral care hospital boards, and co-managed a clothing store operated by the Chaplaincy for the Homeless.

She went on to attend Starr King School for the Ministry, and graduated with a Master of Divinity in 2002. Ms. Johnson was ordained in 2002 by the First Unitarian Society of Chicago, Illinois. Subsequently, she served as a chaplain to cancer patients at a hospital in Richmond, CA. She left the hospital in 2004 and started a private spiritual direction practice. From 2004 to 2007 she worked in the practice and as a part time minister to the Mt. Diablo Church of Walnut Creek, CA. In 2008 she took a position as consulting minister to the UU Church of Cortland, NY, serving there until her retirement in 2013.

Janet enjoyed camping, knitting, crocheting, reading poetry, and listening to music

Janet is survived by her two daughters, Kimari Johnson and Kairis (Boykin) Bonella; her grandsons, Jason Johnson, Joseph Clayton, Jr., Johann Curry, Nieko Bonella, Angelo Bonella and Anton Klinnert; a son-in-law, Valentin Klinnert; step-children, Michele Freeny and Teren Johnson; first cousin, Thelma Williams and many distant cousins.

A memorial service was held at on Saturday, 4 April 2015 at the First Unitarian Church of Ithaca NY. For more information about where to send cards, flowers, and/or donations, please e-mail johnsonklinnert@yahoo.com.

The Rev. Yielbonzie Charles Johnson died on June 2, 2023, at the age of 70 (1952-2023).

Yielbonzie is survived by his brother: Claude Johnson Jr. (Danielle); sister: Mary Outland; nieces: RoShona Anderson, Stephanie Johnson, and Shelly Johnson; nephews: Claude Johnson III (Christelle), Sterling Johnson (Liz), and Eric Henderson; his very dear friends: Carlton E. Smith and Francine Campbell (Yusuf); grandnieces and nephews; as well as his other relatives, friends, colleagues, and students.

A celebration of the life of Yielbonzie will take place at 2 p.m., on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 S. Peoria Ave., Tulsa OK 74114. The service will also be live streamed for those who are not able to attend.

Memorial donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Society for Ministerial Relief, c/o Rev. Susan Suchocki Brown, 80 Mill Glen Road, Winchendon MA 01475. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence can be written here.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. Walter S. Jonas died on November 10, 2023, at the age of 80 (1943-2023). Walter is survived by his children, son Jacob and daughter Rachel. 

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

Notes of condolence may be written here.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Eliza Jones, spouse of The Rev. Walter Royal Jones, died June 3, 2004 of complications following surgery. Roy and several family members were at her bedside in her last moments. A memorial service was held in early in July at the Foothills Church in Fort Collins, CO.

The Rev. Elizabeth S. Jones, 79, died April 14, 2006 of hepatoma. She received a Master of Divinity at Starr King and a Doctorate of Ministry at San Francisco Theological Seminary. She was ordained by the Unitarian Church, Santa Barbara CA, and served the UU Church in Idaho Falls, ID. She was named minister emeritus by the UU Church of Livermore, CA. Surviving are her husband Jeffrey P. Lambkin, and four children: Stephen, Nancy, David and Susan, all of California. A memorial service was held April 25 in the Atrium of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkley, Kensington, CA.

Walter Royal Jones

The Rev. Walter Royal Jones, Jr., 90, died April 30, 2010. He earned degrees from Brooklyn College and Union Theological Seminary. As a conscientious objector, he served a year in prison rather than go to war. His ministry included churches in MA, NY, VA and CO. Among his many accomplishments he chaired the UUA Commission on Religion and Race and participated in the civil rights March on Washington and in Birmingham and Selma, AL, and McComb, MS. Roy chaired the UUA’s Committee on Purposes & Principles. He was given the Award for Distinguished Service to the Cause of UUism. His volunteer work included ACLU, Planned Parenthood. He loved music, and trains. He was predeceased by his first wife, Mary Elizabeth Lyons, and his second wife, Eliza Craddock East, and two children, Catherine Ellen and Thomas Philip. He is survived by four children: Walter Royal Jones III, Christine Elizabeth Jones, Carol Ann Jones Conley, and Linda Susan Jones Bothe, their spouses, three stepsons, ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

William Ronald Jones

The Rev. Dr. William Ronald Jones died on July 13, 2012 at the age of 78. Rev. Jones was born in Louisville, KY on July 17, 1933 to Henry and Lannie (Brogsdale) Jones. Rev. Jones attained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Howard University in 1955. He then went on to earn a Master of Divinity from Harvard University in 1958, and a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Brown University in 1969.

Rev. Jones was ordained by the Unitarian Society of Wellesley Hills, MA on June 15, 1958. From 1958-1960, he was the Assistant Minister and Director of Religious Education at the Church of the Mediator (now the First Unitarian Universalist Church) in Providence, RI. From 1977-2012, he served as a community minister at Florida State University. Notably, he was a member of the UUA Board of Trustees from 1993-2000, and worked with the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) to develop resources for professional religious educators.

Rev. Jones authored articles regarding oppression and the church’s role in social change. His work has been the subject of a vast number of newspaper and journal articles as well as dissertations. In 1978, he co-edited Black Theology II, and in 1973, Beacon Press published Rev. Jones’ controversial piece, Is God A White Racist? A Preamble to Black Theology.

In his seminal work, Is God A White Racist?, Rev. Jones introduced the thesis for his life’s work:

“It has often been said that asking the right question is as important as supplying the correct answer. Whether correct or incorrect, this generalization describes the purpose in the following pages. To paraphrase Kant’s admonition, my objective is to force the black theologians and their readers to pause a moment and, neglecting all that they have said and done, to reconsider their conclusions in the light of another question: Is God a white racist? My concern throughout is to illuminate the issues this pregnant question introduces into the arena of black theology and religion. The black theologian, I contend, cannot avoid this issue of divine racism, because it is implicit in his theological method, purpose, and content.”

An internationally recognized and celebrated activist, scholar, philosopher, theologian, and educator, Rev. Jones dedicated his long career to the analysis and methods of oppression, and to working with others in their anti-oppression initiatives. A fundamental part of his work was the exploration of religious humanism and liberation theology.

William Ronald Jones

Rev. Jones’ academic and professional endeavors were broad and vast. He helped found and became the Director of the Department of African-American Studies as Florida State University. He was also an associate professor at Yale Divinity School, a visiting lecturer at Howard University, and a visiting professor at Brown University, Princeton University, and Union Theological Seminary, among others. Some of his professional affiliations included the American Academy of Religion, the American Humanist Association, the American Philosophical Association, the Religious Education Association, the Society for the Study of Black Religion, the Society for the Study of Christian Ethics, and the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (UUMA).

Rev. Jones received a vast number of awards over the years including the Urban League Family of the Year Award (1963), the Richard Allen Award (1972), Yale’s A. Whitney Griswold Award (1974), the Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Scholar Award (1986), the Bragg Humanist of the Year Award (1989), the American Humanist Association Humanist of the Year (1992), the UUA’s Holmes Weatherly Award (1995), and the African American Culture and Philosophy Award (1996), to name just a few.

Rev. Jones is survived by his former wife of 35 years, Lauretta H. Jones; sons Jeffrey Jones, Esq. and Darrell Jones; brother, Cecil Jones; sister, Gilmer Jones Callender; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A celebration of the life of the Rev. Dr. Jones was held on August 19, 2012 at 2 p.m. at the Nancy Smith Fichter Theatre in Montgomery Hall at Florida State University, 130 Collegiate Loop, Tallahassee, FL 32306.

Notes of condolence may be sent to The Jones Family, 2410 Limerick Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32309.

The Rev. Dr. Jones is, perhaps, most lovingly remembered for a principle by which he lived: “You show your love through actions, not words alone.”

The Reverend Dr. Kay Jorgensen—beloved and dedicated community minister, professional street & theater performance artist—died peacefully on 15 January 2018 in Berkeley, CA, aged 86.

Walking through San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, Kay was led, at age 66, to her deepest and truest calling. With Carmen Barsody, OSF, she founded the Faithful Fools, inviting thousands of others to make “street retreats,” walking through the neighborhood, open to the homeless and marginalized people they encountered.

Kathryn Alice Johnson was born on 9 January 1932 in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Detlof Emanuel Johnson and Alice Otilia Palmquist Johnson. She earned a B.A. in 1953 from St. Olaf’s College (Northfield, MN). Turned down as a woman for Lutheran ministry, she married Ronald Leland Jorgensen, a medical student, in 1955 and they had three children.

After a divorce in 1974, Kay moved to Minneapolis, discovered the First Unitarian Society there, and plunged more deeply into mime and theater. This led her to California for further work and study in mime and clowning. But by the 1980s she once again felt the pull of ministry, now as a UU, and received her M.Div. from Starr King School in 1987.

Ms. Jorgensen was ordained on 16 October 1988 by the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis shortly after beginning extension ministry (1988–93) to the nearby Northwest UU congregation. By 1996 she had returned to California, later secured ministerial affiliation with the San Francisco UU Society, and in 1998 began the Faithful Fools ministry for which Starr King School awarded her an S.T.D. honoris causa in 2004. In 2010 Kay was named minister emerita by her church and in 2015 she received the Patti Lawrence Distinguished Service Award from the UUA’s Pacific Central District.

At her death, Kay was survived by her children Andrea, Joel, and Erik, and her Faithful Fools co-founder and partner in ministry, Carmen Barsody. A memorial service, complete with clown noses, was held on 11 March 2018 at the First UU Society of San Francisco.

The Rev. Alfred D. Judd, 81, died February 6, 2007 of a heart attack. He spent three years in the Army in Europe during World War II before graduating from St. Lawrence University and Theological School. He served churches in Fall River, MA; Clarklake and Horton, MI; Claremont, NH; East Greenwich, RI, and Lubbock, College Station and Houston, TX, where he was named Emeritus in 1985. Al and Patricia moved to Santa Fe, NM in 1987. Al is remembered as a man of moderation, good will, good cheer, and simple goodness. He loved steam trains and for many years worked as a volunteer on the Cumbres and Toltec Restoration Project in the Southwest. He built model trains, a creative designer and builder. One of Al’s great pleasures was being a mentor at the Cesar Chavez Elementary School in Santa Fe. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; three children: Karen, Rebecca and Taylor; three stepsons: David, Jeffrey and Gregory White and their families; four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. A Memorial Service was held March 2.

Hvezdon Kafka

The Rev. Hvezdon “Don” Kafka, 86, died at his home in Marlborough, MA March 16, 2008. As a child, he attended the Rev. Norbert Capek’s church in Prague where Rev. Capek celebrated the first flower communion, a ritual now practiced widely throughout our denomination. Don was a scholar and a gifted pastor whose extraordinary life experience helped him to assist others through difficult times. The Rev. Tom Rosiello, who serves the Stow and Acton church, described him as a real inspiration, saying, “In spite of the many physical challenges Rev. Kafka faced over the last several years, he remained positive in spirit and strong in his faith and always offered words of support and encouragement to me for my ministry at the church.  It was an honor for me to learn from him and get to know him.”

Vera Kafka

Vera Kafka, 86, widow of the Rev. Hvezdon Kafka, died February 28, 2010. Born in Prague, she survived the Nazi occupation and emigrated to the US in 1945. The Kafkas embodied the American Dream, coming to this country with just their suitcases. With hard work and a frugal lifestyle they were able to put their sons through college. She managed the school lunch program in Stow, MA, and managed a women’s clothing store, ran the ladies section in a department store, and was once the nanny to the family of Dr. Edward Teller (father of the A-bomb). She deftly managed the responsibilities of being a mother, a minister’s wife, and a wage earner. She was an active member of the First Parish Church of Stow & Acton. After retiring she enjoyed traveling, golf, bridge, knitting, sewing and needlepoint. She is survived by her sons, Jason and Thomas Kafka, a daughter-in-law and three grandchildren.

Charles Kahn-Schneider, 86, husband of the Rev. Joan K. Schneider died in early August, 2006. Charlie was a chemist who worked for Mead Paper Co. before changing careers to become a college science teacher. He followed Joan in her ministries, finding jobs where she went: Farmington, MI; UUA Director of Ministerial Education in Boston; Mentor, OH, Albany NY, and interims in NH, CT, TN, and SC. He leaves his wife and six children, Sandy Uhrig of CA; Carol Peindl of NC; Dave Friedman of CA; Jim Friedman of OH; Robin Guethlein of KY; and Jerri Menaul of FL.

The Reverend Joan Kahn-Schneider—religious seeker, family counselor, parish minister, and organizational consultant—died on 18 June 2017 at the age of 86.

Joan Kahn was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on 13 September 1930 to Emanuel “Jerry” Kahn, Jr. and Selma Andorn Kahn. In the Cincinnati area Joan owned and ran a small book store and later took up counseling in private practice. After a mid-life phase that she called her “Madalyn Murray O’Hair Period,” she found a new spiritual home in 1971 at the Northern Hills UU Fellowship (now “The Gathering”) in Cincinnati.

Joan wrote, “My life leading to ministry and beyond came together more like a patchwork…” Studying psychology at Antioch College (OH), she found herself drawn increasingly toward theology and philosophy and enrolled at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH. In earning an M.Div. in 1981, she came to “the realization that everything I had done had led me to the parish ministry.” Ms. Kahn-Schneider was ordained in 1981 by her home congregation. She served congregations in Michigan (1981-85), Ohio (1987-89), and New York (1989-97), with a “hiatus” at the UUA during which “I discovered that I was definitely not a bureaucrat, but rather a parish minister.” With another degree (M.Ed. in organization and management) she took up a series of interim ministries in New Hampshire (1997-99), Connecticut (1999-2000), Tennessee (2000-01), and South Carolina (2001-2002), a settlement in Savannah (2004-09), and a final interim at her old home congregation (2013-14). Along the way she rendered service in multiple roles to the UUA and UUMA.

Joan’s spouse Charlie died in 2006, following a stroke. She is survived by children  David Friedman, Jim Friedman, Robin Guethlein, and Jerri Menaul, eight grandchildren,  and sister Lu Cohen.

A memorial service took place on 29 July 2017 at the UU Fellowship of Hendersonville, NC. Memorial donations are encouraged to the UUA Living Tradition Fund or to a charity of one’s own choosing. Notes of condolence may be sent to Jim Friedman.

The Rev. Mary M. Kapper died on November 25, 2011. She was 86 years old. Rev. Kapper was born in Brooklyn, NY on June 11, 1925 to Willard B. and Genevieve (Brady) Kapper. She graduated from St. Joseph’s College in 1947, and attained her Masters of Social Work from Case Western Reserve University in 1978. She received her Masters of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1988.

Rev. Kapper was ordained by the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists on May 14, 1989. She was called to serve the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Mankato and the Nora Unitarian Universalist Church in Hanska from 1990-1991. She was a community minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley from 1991-2001. She also served as a hospice chaplain for Pathways Hospice and Home Health in Oakland, CA. In 2002, Rev. Kapper became a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron and served as the church’s Social Justice Chair from 2006-2007.

Rev. Kapper was involved in many social causes, working tirelessly to promote the civil rights of women and minorities. She helped to establish Akron Women Against Rape in 1974.

Rev. Kapper is survived by her son, John Barry and his wife, Rosemary; her son, Tom Barry; her son, James Barry; her daughter, Mary Ann Seiberling; her son, Matthew Barry and his fiancé, Chris; her son, Daniel Barry; her daughter, Jeannine Marks and her husband, Steve; her daughter, Maureen Rocha and her husband, Rodrigo; ten grandchildren; and seven great- grandchildren.

Rev. Kapper was preceded in death by a son, Mark Barry; and a daughter, Claire Simpson.

Family and friends paid their respects to the memory of Rev. Kapper on November 30, 2011 at Fairlawn West United Church of Christ in Akron, OH. Donations in Rev. Kapper’s memory may be made to Summa Hospice and Pallative Care Center, Founda- tion Office, P.O. Box 2090, Akron, OH 44398-6453.

The Reverend Eileen Karpeles—parish minister, creative writer, teacher, liturgist, skilled conflict mediator, and free spirit, who came to UU ministry in midlife—died on 25 October 2018, aged 93.

Eileen had a lifelong interest in writing, with pieces appearing in both secular and UU publications. Her 1951 poem, “Postwar Panorama: Europe, 1945,” won second honors prize at Ohio University.

Eileen Julia Botsford was born on 8 June 1925 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Grace Alnora (Tong) and Laurence Calvin Botsford. After her parents’ separation when she was two and her mother’s death six years later, she was raised by Christian Science grandparents.

By 1960 the family, now with three daughters, had settled in Maryland, and Eileen took a part- time position on the English faculty at Towson State College. Both she and Leo became active in the Towson UU church, and eventually Eileen, “drawing on her love of writing, music, and theater…developed a collection of sermons that she delivered from guest pulpits around the mid-Atlantic region,” daughter Tamia recalled.

She earned a Ph.B. from the University of Chicago (1947) and then went to Ohio University (Athens) for a B.S.Ed. (1950) and a M.A. in English (1951). Eileen headed out to Seattle to teach high-school English and discovered University Unitarian Church, where she met a young medical student, Leopold Karpeles, whom she married in 1951.

After separation from Leo in 1970, Eileen expanded her UU involvement, finding an outlet for her creative teaching ideas in planning, staffing, and directing youth camps at Murray Grove. Somebody commented, “You ought to become a minister.” She took the cue and in 1977 finished work for her M.Div. from Starr King School.

Ms. Karpeles was ordained on 28 September 1977 by her “home” congregation, the Towson UU Church in Lutherville MD. After settlements at All Souls UU Church, New London CT. (1977–80) and the Orange Coast UU Church, Costa Mesa CA (1980–83), she turned to interim ministry, serving over the next decade in Albany NY, Springfield MA, Eugene OR, Sarasota FL, Boca Raton FL, Sacramento CA, Miami FL, and Williamsburg VA, before retiring from the active ministry in 1993.

Daughter Tamia looked back: “In many respects, my mom was fearless with an independent spirit that could be both terrifying and inspiring, For example, she loved to drive, and continued to hit the open road on solo trips well into her 80s, visiting friends around the country and car- camping at night in Wal-Mart parking lots. Her life was an adventure…”

At her death, Eileen was survived by daughters Katherine Maeda, Robin Magdalene, and Tamia Karpeles, and a granddaughter, Kendra Maeda.

A family remembrance was held in Maryland on 15 December 2018. Memorial donations were encouraged to a charity of one’s own choosing as well as to UURMaPA.

The Rev. charles “charlie” g. kast died on July 18, 2022, at the age of 81.

charlie is survived by his sisters and his loving friends and colleagues.

A celebration of charlie’s life was held on Saturday, August 20, at 11:00 am at the Community Church of Chapel Hill, Unitarian Universalist, 106 Purefoy Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.

Memorial gifts may be made to the National LGBTQ Task Force, P.O. Box 96415, Washington, DC 20077-9763. Notes of condolences can be sent to the Community Church of Chapel Hill, Unitarian Universalist (address above).

Bob and Arlene Kaufmann

Arlene Shaw Kaufmann, 86, widow of the Rev. Robert F. Kaufmann, died Sept. 1, 2013, in Bellevue, WA. Her health had started to decline last December. The Kaufmanns served churches in CA, FL, MN and NY.  Bob was a parish minister and also served several interim ministries. Arlene is survived by her children, Susan S. Kaufmann and Richard Kaufmann, by her two grandchildren and her daughter-in-law.

Her daughter described Arlene as a “perpetual student.” She studied nutrition and nursing. She enjoyed playing bridge and participating in her book club. She was a serious walker, who clocked four miles a day.  The Kaufmanns became interested in patent medicines. They donated their extensive collection of elixirs and “fake cures” to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.  Arlene was also an avid postcard collector.

She and Bob were active in UURMaPA and enjoyed the occasional get-together. Arlene was a very social person.  One friend says, “Arlene was a bright, charming, and racious woman who collected many things including friends and bracelets of all sizes and descriptions. I will miss her.”

Notes of remembrance may be sent to Arlene’s daughter:  Susan Kaufmann, 13825 SE 60th St., Bellevue, WA 98006. A memorial service to celebrate Arlene’s life was held on Sunday, October 27, 2013 from 2:30-5 p.m. at East Shore Unitarian Church, 12700 SE 32nd St., Bellevue, WA.

Bob Kaufmann

The Rev. Dr. Robert F. Kaufmann, 89, died December 21, 2010 of bone cancer. He joined our ministry in midlife having been a comic book writer, a school registrar, a motion picture promoter and a diamond cutter in his teen and early adult years. He also was a comedy writer. For thirty years he served UU congregations across the country and around the world as both a settled and interim minister. He was named minister emeritus by the Long Beach, CA church. Bob also worked tirelessly to support the Ethical Culture Charter School Foundation in New York City. He called the last year of his life his most productive. At the time of his death he had just completed a book entitled I Love You, I Think, Or I Would If I Knew What It Meant: 27 Chapters of Wit & Wisdom on Life, Laughter, and Love (www.whatifpublishing.com). He is survived by his wife Arlene Kaufmann, their children Richard and Susan Kaufmann, their daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

The Rev. Margaret A. Keip died on October 16, 2024, at the age of 86 (1938-2024).

Margaret is survived by her husband Fred F. Keip, and her children David Keip, Jeffrey Keip, and Kristen Cunningham. 

A memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Universalists of Grant Pass OR in 2025. (Date to be decided.)

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalists of Grant Pass, PO Box 1602, Grants Pass OR 97528. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.” 

Notes of condolence may be sent to Fred Keip, 1700 Kellenbeck Ave., Apt 107, Grants Pass OR 97527. 

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. Byron E. Kelham died in Pueblo, Colorado, on April 14, 2013, at the age of 86. Devoted to community service and the larger cause of social justice, Mr. Kelham found meaning in serving on the boards of the Danbury, Conn, branch of the NAACP and the Human Relations Council. He also chaired the Chaplains’ Association of the Carnegie Institute of Technology.

Of the roles of minister and congregation, the Rev. Mr. Kelham once wrote:

“. . . it is the prime function of the church to help its members find a core of meaning around which the various fragments of their lives may be unified. Ideally, the minister should exemplify such a unified, “whole” life. Out of the strength and experience this gives him, he should, by means of ritual, preach- ing, and counseling, help others to achieve the same. . . . In so doing, the church and minister must at times vigorously protest and seek to correct those elements in our society, those demands, which are truly incompatible with such wholeness; prejudice, injustice, etc.”

Byron Elwood Kelham was born in Troy, Idaho, on February 28, 1927 to Edward and Alva Cartwright Kelham. He earned a B.Sc. from Lewis & Clark College in 1952 and a B.D. from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1955, and was ordained at the First Unitarian Church of Dallas on October 17, 1955. Among the churches he served before retirement in 1992 were the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburg (1964-68) and the First Unitarian Society of Pueblo, Colorado (1981-88).

Byron Kelham is survived by his wife, Ethyl Kelham; daughters, Rebecca Claussen, Cara Henderson, and Leslie Kelham; seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Society for Ministerial Relief, c/o Glen Snowden, Secretary, 34 Meeting House Lane, #201, Stow, Mass, 01775.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Leslie Kelham, 135 Vernon Pl., Pueblo, Colorado 81004.

The Rev. Richard A. Kellaway died on March 21, 2021 at the age of 86.

Richard is survived by his children: Ronald Kellaway and Andrea Kellaway; his grandchildren: Ethan Kellaway and Angela Stites; and his former wife Jean Dickinson Kellaway. He was the oldest brother of John Kellaway, Joanne Kellaway, Susan Creeden, the late Ken Kellaway and the late Patricia Kellaway. He was preceded by his parents: Arthur K. and Bertha (Sturtevant) Kellaway.

A memorial service was planned for October 23, 2021 at 2:00 pm at the First Parish Church in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The service will be in person and broadcast on Zoom.

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.

Notes of condolences may be sent to John Kellaway, 27 Gulf Rd., Derry, NH 03038.

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

The Rev. Richard W. Kelley died on Feb 8, 2020, at the age of 93.

Richard is survived by his wife Mary Ann Kelley; his children Susan, Tara and Tina; his ten grandchildren; and his seven great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Association or to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.

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

A memorial service is being planned.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Mary Ann Kelley at 201 Dennis Ct, Oakley, CA 94561.

A more complete obituary will follow.

Doris McBride Kellison, 94, widow of the Rev. Walter E. Kellison, died February 19, 2011. The Kellisons served congregations in ME, MI and IA while they reared three children. A graduate of the Rochester Business Institute, Doris used her secretarial skills, first doing church work and then transcribing medical records. She went on to become the secretary for an internal medical practice for many years. She was a reader, who enjoyed good conversation. She also loved to walk. She liked to cook and was an avid recipe collector. She enjoyed growing basil and parsley in her garden to add her own touch to meals. Late in life she took up doing crosswords and double crostics. She was predeceased by her husband and by her daughter, Judith. She is survived by her children, Walter and Kathy, her daughter-in-law, two granddaughters and a great granddaughter.

The Rev. Bruce Edmund Kennedy died on October 22, 2020 at the age of 70.

Bruce is survived by his wife, Susan Drumm Kennedy, and son J. Byron Kennedy. He was predeceased by his parents, James C. and Rae Kennedy; his brother, Robert N. Kennedy; and his sister Rebecca N. Kennedy

A private family memorial service will be held.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Sutter Care at Home (Hospice), 110 Stony Point Road, #220C, Santa Rosa, CA 95401, or to the Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund  in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Susan Kennedy, 5337 Corbett Cir., Santa Rosa, CA 95403.

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

The Reverend Bill Kennedy—remembered by Judy Welles as a “cherished colleague [with] a warm heart [and] acerbic wit” and by Thomas Anastasi as “the best intern minister you could ever have”—died on 28 April 2019, aged 69. Bill’s colleague in chaplaincy, Theresa Hardy, recalled him as “a joy [who] welcomed you, encouraged you, made it feel like somebody was thrilled you were there at the moment for that event, large or small.”

The Rev. David P. Keyes died on September 13, 2022, at the age of 77.

David was born on January 21, 1945, in Kansas City MO to G.J. Keyes and Carolyn Keyes Ellis. He spent his childhood years in Kansas City and Gallatin MO, mostly with his grandparents. His own Parish Minister, Dr. Jack Wilson (Baptist) was a strong role model for him. David led his high school church youth group but soon became alienated by small-mindedness and began wandering. He could no longer stand the Baptist literalism; in 1960,he joined All Souls Church in Kansas City. (Dr. Wilson later became an Episcopalian.) From the first Sunday at the Kansas City church, David felt that the Unitarians took him in and showed a larger world, one filled with tolerance, new ideas, and a love of knowledge, art, culture, and music. He felt a sense of gratitude and a sense of belonging.

Shortly after joining All Souls, he was off to the University of Missouri, graduating with his Bachelor of Science in Education (1966) and earning a Master of Arts in Journalism (1971). He worked for fifteen years as a teacher, journalist, editor, and public relations executive before following his call to ministry. In 1985, he received his Master of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry. In 1997, he earned his Doctorate in Ministry from San Francisco Theological Seminary. His doctoral dissertation is titled: “Global Partnership: Mission and Identity for Congregations.”

Rev. Dr. Keyes was ordained on May 5, 1985, by All Souls in New York. He served his first settled ministry at the First Parish Church in Taunton MA (1986–1987). His ministry marked significant gains in membership, Sunday attendance, Church School enrollment, and pledge income. He organized a youth group and choir and initiated a long-range planning process. 

From 1987 to 1988, Rev. Dr. Keyes was an interim minister at Boise UU Fellowship, ID. He developed a program that led to the construction of a new church building. Next, Rev. Dr. Keyes served his second settled ministry at the Skyline Community Church, Oakland CA (1990-1994). He helped rebuild the Religious Education program and provided leadership for several community programs, including tutoring and violence prevention. All his subsequent ministries were interim, while he maintained his home in San Francisco.

At the Congregational Community Church in Sunnyvale CA (1995–1997), Rev. Dr. Keyes helped the congregation to turn itself around and learn to trust. The pledging doubled in his first year and the congregation became a full-service church. The UU Fellowship of Santa Cruz County, CA (1997–1998) widely appreciated Rev. Dr. Keyes for his courage in naming conflictual congregational issues and creating the necessary congregational momentum and structures to address them.

Likewise, Rev. Dr. Keyes guided the UU Church Davis, CA (1998–2000) through the interim tasks. He was very diligent in pastoral care and reimagined church governance adopting a modified version of the John Carver Model. He provided valuable insight, advice, and necessary goading to All Souls Church Unitarian, Washington DC (2000–2001). He reorganized lay leadership that had drifted, worked with lay leaders to reshape church governance, and tackled an array of programs including a declining church school. 

Subsequently, he served the First Unitarian Church of Rochester NY (2002–2003) and made significant progress in the exploration of new models of governance, initiation of a small group ministry program, and a major overhaul of the canvass.

From 2003 to 2004, Rev. Dr. Keyes served the Neighborhood UU Church of Pasadena CA and then the UU Congregation of Atlanta GA from 2005 to 2007. At the Atlanta congregation, he elevated the needs of Youth Religious Education (YRE), encouraged YRE to be more vocal about its needs, and advocated strongly for them during the search process for a new minister. He did it in a way that strengthened the connection between YRE and leadership. Thereafter, he provided his interim services to the following congregations: the First UU Congregation of Ann Arbor MI (2007–2008); the First UU Church of Houston TX (2008–2010); Eliot Unitarian Chapel, MO (2010–2012); the UU Church of Arlington VA (2012–2014) and Foothills Unitarian Church, Fort Collins CO (2014–2015). He retired in 2016.

Rev. Dr. Keyes’ mission in ministry was to strengthen congregations in times of transition. In every interim ministry position he held, he made notable progress in raising awareness of the importance of R.E., recruiting teachers from a wider cross-section of the congregation, and having children and youth be more visible in worship. He encouraged and empowered new lay leadership. In 1998 he earned the Accredited Interim Minister (AIM) designation. He was also a marvelous preacher and brought a depth of faith rooted in the history and traditions of the church.

Rev. Dr. Keyes served as an associate faculty of Starr King School for the Ministry (1991–2002). In 1993, he spent his sabbatical leave among Unitarians of Hungary and Transylvania lecturing on UU history and theology at the seminary in Kolozsvar, Transylvania. He was also active in international church relations, visiting congregations in Hungary, India, and the Philippines. 

In addition, he was the Founding President of Project Harvest Hope, a UUA-affiliated foundation for economic justice and development (1995–2001) and was President of the UUMA Pacific Central District Chapter (1997–1998). He was a trainer of interim ministers of the UUA (1999–2003) and chaired the UUA Interim Ministry Steering Committee (2001–2002). In 1997, he delivered the Minns Lecture titled, “A Global Vision for Unitarian Universalism,” out of which came his book “Most Like an Arch: Building Global Church Partnerships.” In 2013, the UU Partner Church Council awarded Rev. Dr. Keyes the Louis C. Cornish Living the Mission Award for Outstanding Contribution to International Partnership.

In the community, David served as a Disaster Service Volunteer for the American Red Cross; a founder of the Oakland Coalition of Congregations Violence Prevention Project (1993). In his leisure time, he enjoyed baseball, opera, and hiking.

David is survived by his wife of 52 years, Judy Droz Keyes, their daughter Tracy Droz Tragos, son-in-law Christian Tragos, and grandchildren Charlotte and Sam Tragos; his daughter Tanya Mackenzie, son-in-law Ian Mackenzie, and grandchildren Ian and David Graham, and Leah Patrick; and his son Paul Keyes and daughter-in-law Christina Keyes.

A memorial service was held on Thursday, November 3, 2022, at Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St, San Francisco CA 94108. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to WRAAP, 2633 Lincoln Blvd., #338, Santa Monica CA 90405, or to a similar organization. Notes of condolences can be written HERE

Lorna Jean Kimball

Lorna Jean Kimball, spouse of the Reverend Dr. Bob Kimball, died 26 May 2017. She was born 8 December 1929 in Bombay, India and spent most of her childhood in India. Her father was a missionary and her mother taught in a school for the deaf. Lorna came to the U.S. as a young woman to attend Oberlin College in Ohio.

While attending college, she met Robert Kimball, and they were married 25 August 1951. They had four children , who kept her very busy while Bob completed his education, became ordained, and began his career. When his career took him to Starr King School for the Ministry and the family was established in California, she returned to university and earned her credentials to teach special needs students. That became her career, which she pursued for many years.

Lorna had many interests which sustained her, aside from her work and family. She loved to play music and for most of their lives together always had a piano or keyboard standing by. Another passion was bird watching. Lorna loved growing things, and had a special gift for growing orchids and getting them to bloom.

After she left her school and Bob retired from Starr King, they moved to Alameda and settled into a quiet life. They took frequent walks and often took their meals in local establishments. They were a team and attended to each other. This became more difficult when she developed Alzheimer’s and struggled with dementia. Her final months were hard, but Bob and their children looked after her until the end.

Lorna is survived by her children; Seth, Jeanette, Amy, and Paul; six grandchildren; her brother, Owen Thomas; and sister, Patricia Becker.

The Rev. Richard G. Kimball, 72, died June 23, 2007. He served congregations in Hingham, Westborough, Somerville, Billerica, Fitchburg, Woburn, Boston, West Roxbury and Essex, MA. He also served the Stockport, England, Unitarian Church. He was named minister emeritus by Theodore Parker UU Church, West Roxbury, in 1985 and by the First Universalist Church of Essex in 2004. He was a member of the UU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns Committee, the Religious Arts Guild, the Interfaith Committee, the Visiting Nurses Association, and the Aids Action Committee among others. A gifted teacher, he was an instructor of Psychology at Bunker Hill Community College, Mass. Bay Community College, Newbury College and Berklee School of Music. His wife, Deirdre Kimball, and son Jordan Kimball survive him. A memorial service was held at Goddard Memorial Chapel, Tufts University, Medford, MA.

The Reverend Dr. Robert Kimball—Tillich scholar, seminary president, deeply thoughtful and visionary educator, and beloved mentor to a generation of UU ministerial students—died at age 88 on 29 May 2017.

Early in his career, Bob Kimball became a close student of the work of theologian Paul Tillich, who appointed him, at age 31, to be his literary executor, a role Bob filled for nearly thirty years.

Robert Charles Kimball was born on 6 June 1928 in Rochester, NY, to parents Frederick Booth Kimball and Marguerite Steinmiller Kimball. He earned a B.A. in psychology from Oberlin

College (OH, 1951), an M.A. in philosophy from Oberlin Graduate School (1953), a B.D. from Oberlin Graduate School of Theology (1955), and a Ph.D. in the history and philosophy of religion from Harvard Univ. (MA, 1960).

After service as a religious educator to United Church of Christ congregations while still a student, the Rev’d Dr. Kimball began nearly four transformative decades of teaching theology (but really a formational counselor) on the Starr King faculty (1959–98), including many years as the school’s president (1968–83) and dean (1983–97).

His profound personal influence is legendary in the memory of students. Michelle Tonozzi recalls “the radical YES [that he spoke] to each student for their most authentic self.” 

In individual student conferences, recalls Keith Kron, “Bob often saw two layers below the [surface] problem or question.” And Barbara Pescan adds, “He cut out the extraneous. He saw through lies, even when they were self-effacing, or denying some sadness: ‘Do you always laugh when you mean to cry?’”

Robert Kimball is survived by children Seth, Jeanette, Amy, and Paul, plus six grandchildren, and is revered by scores of Starr King School graduates.

Dorothy Wilson Kimble

The Rev. Dorothy Wilson Kimble, 69, died at home July 1, 2011 from pancreatic cancer. First trained as an RN, she said she grew up between the era of June Cleaver and the expectations and opportunities available to women today. She worked on medical and surgical hospital floors, as a visiting nurse, school teaching nurse and psych nurse. Dot went on to earn her BA from Framingham State College and her M.Div. from Andover Newton. She served churches in Northboro, MA; Marlboro, MA; Augusta, ME and Groton, MA. She is believed to be the first UU woman minister to be called to a permanent settlement in the state of Maine. She also served several parishes as an interim minister. She wrote poetry, sermons, nursing articles and had her work Sacred Trust: Ministering to Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse published by the Alban Institute. Dot served as a Caring Network Contact for UURMaPA in our Connecticut Valley Region. She is survived by her husband, Stanley Kimble, and their daughters, Diane Kimble Willcutts and Laurie Kimble, and three grandchildren.

The Rev. Dr. Webster Lardner Kitchell, 71, died on February 9, 2009 of complications from Parkinson’s disease. He served churches in NYC, Kirkwood, MO, Houston, TX, and Santa Fe, NM. The Santa Fe congregation named him minister emeritus. He was active in the UU Historical Society. His community activities included The Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy, the Kirkwood, Missouri Ministerial Alliance, and president of the Committee for Responsible Citizenship. He loved cars from his first, a ’34 Ford convertible which he got when he was 19, to his last, a convertible Mustang. He was preceded in death by his wife of 23 years, Nancy Gay Mottweiler Kitchell. He is survived by his children Catherine, David and Benjamin, three stepchildren, three grandchildren and one step-grandchild, his companion, Nancy Driesbach, and his eldest brother, Frank.

The Reverend Bjarne (“Ben”) Kjelshus—parish minister, public servant, and a life-long activist and advocate for civil rights, mental health, environmental and food sustainability—died on 9 November 2018, aged 95.

Mr. Kjelshus remarkably found his deepest calling in retirement, pursuing what was essentially an environmental ministry as a co-founder of the Kansas City Greens in the mid-1980s. He worked toward replacing the industrialization of the world’s food supply with a community food system, with sustainable agriculture and cooperation between local growers and consumers embodied in the Kansas City Food Circle. The Circle grew under Ben’s leadership from its first “Expo” in 1999 to a community of 100 member farmers and by 2015, a regular annual Expo attendance of about 2,000.

Bjarne O. Kjelshus was born on 9 March 1923 in Hanska, Minnesota, to Benjamin and Ovidia Kjelshus. Returning from US Army service (1942–45), he earned a B.A. at the University of Minnesota in 1949 and a B.D. at Meadville Lombard in 1954.

Mr. Kjelshus was ordained on 1 May 1955 by the Universalist Church of Webster City IA while serving there for two years (1954–56). Following that, he was settled at the First Universalist Church in Junction City KS (1957–62) and the UU Church of Kent OH (1962–65). “The main task in life,” he wrote in 1964, “should be to encourage the ways of love and diminish hate.”

At his death, Ben was survived by his wife of 68 years, Carol, children Jon, Karen, and Eric, grandchildren Letty, J.R., Amber, Mikkel, Kristin and Jennifer, and great-grandchildren Lauren, Brian, Emma, Annie, Wyatt, Lachlan, and Sterling.

A celebration of Ben’s life took place on 17 November 2018 at All Souls UU Church in Kansas City MO

The Rev. Ronald “Ron” Wayne Knapp died on October 21, 2024, at the age of 90 (1934-2024).

Ron is survived by his wife of 71 years Anne Knapp; his brother Dale Knapp; children John Knapp (Jacki), Kyle Knapp (Gail), Ronda Strimple (Hank), Forrest Knapp, Corellen Allendorfer (Phil)’ brother-in-law Alvin Doerfler (Duffy); sister-in-law Lillian Knapp; nine grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held on November 9, 2024, at the First Unitarian Church of Omaha, 3114 Harney St, Omaha NE 68131.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Unitarian Church of Omaha NE. UURMaPA will contribute 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. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Ruth Gregory Knapp, 82, widow of the Rev. Calvin Knapp, died in a motor vehicle accident June 8, 2007 on a family vacation to the Grand Canyon. The Knapps had served congregations in Quincy and Waltonville, IL, and Evansville, Terre Haute and Danville, IN. Ruth supported her husband’s ministry behind the scenes with everything from proofreading to research. She oversaw major church fundraising dinners and council of churches events. The family ran a travel agency and Ruth’s passion was planning and running motorcoach tours across the US and Canada with passengers from Nashville, through Kentucky and Evansville. Her favorite tour of them all was the New England Fall Foliage trip, which she directed for more than 25 years. She also enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles. She is survived by their children: Gregory, Steven and Scott Knapp and Jane Knapp Walling; and by three grandchildren.

The Rev. Mary L. Knight died on May 22, 2019 at the age of 64.

Mary is survived by her mother Sara Lou Knight; her brothers Bill Knight, Tom Knight, Joel Knight, Dee Knight, David Knight, and Jim Knight; her cousin Susan Knight, nephew Tim Knight, and niece Julie Knight Iwayama; as well as several cousins, nieces and nephews throughout Pacific Northwest, Alaska, California and Utah.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of one’s own choosing, as well as to the PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society), PO Box 1037, Lynwood, WA 98046.

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

A celebration of Mary’s life will be held at 2 pm on Sunday, July 14, 2019 at the First Unitarian Church of Portland, 1211 SW Main St, Portland, OR 97205.

Notes of condolences may be sent to The Knight Family at PO Box 17761, Seattle WA 98127.

A more complete obituary will follow.

The Rev. Jan V. Knost died on August 22, 2021 at the age of 86.

Jan is survived by his wife of 60 years, Lorna Ruth; his son, Keith William Knost; his daughter, Kristan Beth Knost McCarthy and her husband Mike; his daughter, Jana Marcy Knost Battiloro and her husband Chris; and his daughter, Amy Kathryn Knost Connor and her husband Patrick Jr.; as well as his nine grandchildren: Anna Brielle Butler, Jonah Nathaniel Butler, Jensen Cole Butler, Katherine Jan McCarthy, Linnea Faith Battiloro, Christopher Zachary Battiloro, Meghan Elizabeth Battiloro, Haley Bridget Connor, and Patrick Michael Connor III. He is also survived by his brother, Dr. Peter Noel Knost.

A Celebration of Life Service will take place at the First Church and Parish in Dedham, 670 High Street, Dedham, MA 02026 (date to be determined).

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the charity of your choice. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences can be written here.

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

Virginia Knowles

The Rev. Dr. Virginia Perin Knowles, 87, died January 23, 2011 in Mitchellville, MD, following a long decline. She was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University. She also studied at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. The CIA recruited her to work with refugees and ex-patriots in Eastern Europe. Ginny worked in RE in Mt Vernon, VA and Bethesda, MD. She then worked with the Office (now Department) of Education as an international specialist. She went on to study for her D.Min. at Meadville Lombard and to serve churches in CA and PA. She became an accredited interim minister and served churches in IL, KY, NY, WI and MD. After retiring in 1992 she served the Lynchburg, VA congregation part-time for six years. She served on the governing board of the UUUN Office, Collegium and UUs for Social Justice. She is survived by her twins: Christopher (Kit) and Catherine Perin Knowles, of Tucson. She was predeceased by her son, Jeffrey.

Margaret Kolbjornsen

Margret H. Kolbjornsen, widow of the Reverend John M. Kolbjornsen, died February 3, 2018 at the age of 94. She was born in Hannover, Germany in 1923, and came to New York City with her family in 1926. She attended Staten Island schools and earned a BS in Mathematics from Douglass College in 1946. She loved the outdoors and began working with the Girl Scouts of America.

Margret had first met John Kolbjornsen during a neighborhood snowball fight when they were children. In 1948 they married and moved to Copenhagen, where he served in the American Embassy, and where their first child was born. In 1952 they returned to the US, as John attended Harvard Divinity School, and they welcomed a second daughter. Two sons were born in the next few years.

After John’s ordination to the Unitarian ministry they served churches in Sharon, Massachusetts; Williamsville, New York; Norwell, Massachusetts; Sioux City, Iowa; and Springfield, Vermont. Margret contributed her beautiful singing voice to the choirs of every church her husband served, and also sang with the Buffalo Schola Cantorum, the Scituate Choral Society, the Morningside Singers in Sioux City, the Seacoast Singers in Durham, and the Monadnock Chorus from which she retired two days before her 93rd birthday.

In 1971 Margret earned an MEd and began teaching 6th grade math and science in Durham, NH, where she remained until her retirement and relocation to Peterborough. Her summer vacations were spent visiting her German cousins and traveling in Europe. In several trips she sailed the Danube from its source to the Black Sea. Star Island, a UU Conference Center off Portsmouth, was part of her summers as well; she attended the Natural History Conference, beginning in 1974, and volunteered in the Island Gift Shop. She was an accomplished gardener, and kept her hands busy knitting “comfort dolls” that physicians took on medical missions to third-world countries.

A Memorial Service was held March 24, at the Peterborough Unitarian Universalist Church. At her request, memorial donations in her name may be made to the Church and to Summerhill Assisted Living.

The Rev. Brian S. Kopke died on December 31, 2022, at the age of 77.

Brian was born on March 6, 1945, in Newton, MA to Walter F. Kopke Jr. and Blanche K. Kopke. He attended Duxbury High School (MA), and graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Geology from Colby College (ME) in 1964. While at Colby, he was president of the Inter-Faith Association. During his tenure, a coffee house was inaugurated. 

Following graduation, Brian felt called upon to make a decision that would have a bearing for the rest of his life. Back in childhood, he knew that the minister was a respected man with responsibility for the respect bestowed upon him. The cumulative experiences of life led him to believe that he could do the greater good by becoming a minister. With confidence in his sense of responsibility and sincerity, he entered Harvard Divinity School, earning his Bachelor of Sacred Theology in 1970.

Rev. Kopke was ordained on June 21, 1970, by the church he grew up in, the First Parish Church at Duxbury MA. He served the First Parish as a Religious Education Director for two years, contributing to the development of the Church School Curriculum. With new enthusiasm he helped revise programs for the upper grades, inspired the teachers to try out new methods, and conducted chapel services for the entire Church School every Sunday. He was very well received by the children and had a great rapport with the youth. 

In 1972, he accepted a call from the First Universalist Church of Southold NY where he would serve until 1977. From 1977 to 1984, Rev. Kopke served as settled minister for the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia PA. During his service of seven years, the deep financial deficits diminished, the sanctuary was restored, the Parish Room was refurbished, the roof replaced, and staff rebuilt. Pledges rose by nearly 60 percent, and membership increased by 10 percent. The building became a true community center with the great commitment of the laypeople. 

Subsequently, in 1985 Rev. Kopke was called to the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa ON. He served there until 2007, introducing the congregation to larger thinking that made headway in acceptance of the philosophy and design for growth. There was development in the church campus including U House, River Parkway Preschool, the congregation, and the meditation gardens as a center.

In addition to his parish ministry, Rev. Kopke was equally active in denominational affairs serving as a chair of the Joseph Priestley District Religious Education Committee; as a secretary of the ABSUURD UUMA cluster; and as a board member of the UU House Steering Committee. He was a member of the Canadian Unitarian Council and the UU Ministers of Canada. He served on the nominating committee of the Canadian Unitarian Council (1989–1991) and was a group facilitator and participant in the UUA Theological Education Plenary (1989). Furthermore, he provided his services as a UUMA Chapter leader (2004–2009), and as a member of the UUMA Convo Committee (2005).

In community, Brian advocated for a fair police complaint procedure and fair promotion and hiring practices in the Police Department. He served on the board of the Horizon House (MA). He was a passionate voice for social justice, a leader with great social sensitivity and the highest ethical convictions who believed human relations as sacred and holy.

In his leisure time, he enjoyed watercolor, drawing, sailing, racketball, jogging, woodworking, campaigning, hiking, gardening, movie making, and reading.

Brian is survived by his wife Margie Kopke; three children, Ben Kopke (Caddie), Sarah Kopke (Ben), and Sam Kopke; three brothers Cris Kopke (Jean), Kent Kopke (Colette), and Joel Kopke (Drew); one sister, Sara Harvey (John); two grandchildren Eleanor and Eamonn Kopke; and several nieces and nephews.

Two celebrations of life are being planned, one in the US and one in Canada (in the summer and fall respectively). UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to support rebuilding the First Universalist Church of Southold <http://firstuniversalistsouthold.org/connect-2/donate/>. Checks may be mailed to PO Box 221, Southold NY 11971, with “Restoration Fund” in the memo line.

Notes of condolence can be sent to Margie Kopke at m.saxon.kopke@gmail.com or written here: <https://www.remembering.ca/obituary/brian-kopke-1087232660/guestbook>.

The Rev. Frederick “Rick” Turner Koyle died on March 15, 2024, at the age of 79 (1944-2024). Rick is survived by his cousins: Alice Kaseberg and Pete Bluett; Deerfield Academy classmates; as well as his colleagues and friends.

A graveside service will be held at 1 pm on Monday, March 25, 2024, at Elmhurst Cemetery, 1510 Dale St N, St Paul MN 55117.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one’s own choosing. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry. Notes of condolence can be written here.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Reverend Gene Kreves—greatly admired for passionate preaching on humanistic liberalism and social justice and remembered by his daughter Joy for his “impish sense of humor”—died on 11 December 2017, at the age of 96.

Eugene William Kreves was born on 24 May 1921 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Mary and Joseph Kreves. While at Ohio Wesleyan University he met fellow student Corrine Strong, to whom he was married in 1942. He earned a B.A. in English in 1945 and a B.D. from Hartford Theological Seminary in 1949, and was ordained in the United Church of Christ.

During his service to the First Congregational Church in Lisle, IL, the church became riven by debates over “Freedom of Conscience” and its records report “disunity becoming rampant in the church.” In early 1955 the Rev’d Mr. Kreves resigned, having meanwhile been admitted to American Unitarian Association ministerial fellowship. He took with him a substantial number of “followers” who chartered a Unitarian congregation (now the DuPage UU Church) in the nearby town of Naperville. Gene served that church for 24 years, was active in both the local ACLU and the DuPage Valley Peace Center, and was a proud signer of the second Humanist Manifesto (1973). On retirement he was named Minister Emeritus; in 1994 the church dedicated its new Kreves Hall in his honor.

At the time of Gene’s death, survivors included children Tim, Dawn, and Joy, four grand- children, and two great-grandchildren. Spouse Corinne died in 2000. Memorial donations are encouraged to the Lakota People’s Law Project and Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Mary Sage Mackay Kring, 80, widow of the Rev. Walter Donald Kring, died August 20, 2011. She served as DRE at All Souls Church in New York City. A history buff, she enjoyed editing her husband’s books. Sage, as her family called her, was also a proponent of alternative medicine.

The Rev. Dennis G. Kuby died on April 23, 2019 at the age of 84.

Dennis is survived by his wife Jeanne Kuby and his son Paul “Scott” Kuby.

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.

Rev. Kuby had a pre-planned memorial service attended by friends and family on his 60th birthday in Bratenahl, OH. Another memorial service will not be held.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Jeanne Kuby or Scott Kuby, at 1250 Queens Rd, Berkeley, CA 94708.

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

Roger Kuhrt

The Rev. Roger Otis Kuhrt, 70, died January 17, 2012. A native of Seattle, he earned his BA from Whitworth College, his MA from the University of Washington, and his PhD from Columbia Pacific University. He also studied at Washington State University. Originally ordained by the Disciples of Christ, he was called to serve the UU Congregation in Olympia, WA. He also served the Tahoma UU Congregation in Tacoma, WA. During his ministry, he was a consulting minister to several congregations in the Pacific Northwest District. Colleagues described him as a “lover of knowledge and seeker of truth.” He was a member of a number of professional, community, and religious organizations over the years, serving on the boards of many. Roger is survived by his wife, Pam Gill-Kuhrt; his daughters, Sharene Kuhrt-Nelson and Stacey Kuhrt; and a grandson.

The Rev. Barbara Jean Kulcher died on February 20, 2024, at the age of 92 (1931–2024).

Barbara was born on June 26, 1931, in Winnipeg, Manitoba to James M. McClughan and Edna May McClughan. She was an only child and raised in the Anglican tradition. Her family frequently moved and for a while lived in a rural section of Ontario, Canada. Barbara did quite well in school, completed her high school education at a fundamentalist school in Saskatchewan (1948), and received her RN in psychiatric nursing in 1953. 

She then took a position as the sole clinical person in an isolated power station in northern Manitoba. Over the years Barbara worked in orthopedics, obstetrics, and neurosurgery. She moved to Ontario with her husband and had four children before their separation.

While in Ontario, Barbara became active at the First Unitarian Hamilton, Ontario. She served the church, first as a church school director from (1965–1968) and then as a church administrator (1969–1974). As a church administrator, she served a key role in the life of the church as she bridged the gap between the departure of the minister Rev. Bob Hemstreet, and the development of the church into a dynamic fellowship. She worked closely with the church service committee to provide meaningful Sunday services which blended people from the church and the larger community with visiting UU ministers. She went beyond the role of administrator, initiated several groups in the church, and kept abreast with new RE developments.

Over years of growth and transformation into a warm, caring religious community, her function became more pastoral than administrative, and she was able to acknowledge her desire to serve as a minister. Unitarianism offered her a chance to grow, as she was exposed to an affirming, reconciling, religious experience. In 1979, she received her Master of Divinity from Bangor Theological Seminary.

Rev. Kulcher was ordained on September 28, 1980, by the First Unitarian Church of Hamilton, Ontario. From 1980 to 1981, she served the UU Congregation of Jamestown NY, and then spent her predominant years as a chaplain at the following institutions: Ontario Correctional Institute, ON; Huronia Regional Center, ON; Hamilton Wentworth, ON; Toronto Jail, ON; Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital, ON; and Brantford Jail, ON. In a newspaper

article (Hamilton Spectator) in 1985, she was quoted as stating the importance of “befriending the forgotten and offering words of grace and hope to the frightened and often lonely inmates.”

Rev. Kulcher was a strong supporter of the denomination. She was extensively involved with the Canadian Unitarian Council, St. Lawrence UU District, the UU Women’s Federation, and Unicamp of Ontario (1977).

Barbara was famous for her pies, specifically apple and lemon meringue. She was an avid reader, enjoying history, historical fiction, and science fiction. She was a prolific writer, who spent many hours revising and perfecting her heartfelt and deeply engaging papers, articles, and sermons. She greatly valued the act of saying kind or funny things to bring a smile to someone’s face.

Barbara is survived by and loved and remembered by her four children: David Kulcher, Lisa Kulcher-Heaney (Kieran Heaney), Laurie Kulcher, and Kelly Kulcher (Lori Kulcher); six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A graveside service took place on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at the First Unitarian Church of Hamilton, 170 Dundurn St S, Hamilton, ON L8P 4K3, Canada.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Peter’s Residence at Chedoke, 125 Redfern Ave, Hamilton, ON L9C 7W9, Canada.

Notes of condolences may be sent to lkheaney50@gmail.com.

The Reverend Kenneth LaFleur, gifted preacher, pastor, and parish minister, talented musician and teacher of history, died in the care of Gosnell Hospice in Scarborough, Maine, on 5 December 2015, aged 81.

The Rev. Mr. LaFleur earned particular praise for his thirteen-year healing pastorate at First Parish Church (the “Old Ship Church”) in Hingham (Mass). The Rev. Ken Read-Brown, Old Ship Church’s current minister (as of 2017), spoke of his predecessor’s tenure there as a time of healing and strengthening for our congregation, “[He was] one of the finest preachers in our or any denomination, and even more importantly, he was a fine, good, and gentle man.“

Kenneth Gordon LaFleur was born in Waterville, Maine, on 14 December 1933, son of Daniel LaFleur and Louise Pelletier LaFleur, and grandson of the Rev. Isaac LaFleur. He was valedictorian of his 1951 high-school graduating class. Musical talent and church life were significant parts of Kenneth’s young life. In his high school years, starting at age 15, he served as a church organist in Waterville, and after graduation, began his church career at age 19 with summer ministries at nearby Maine churches.

Without any formal study, Mr. LaFleur was ordained in 1954, at age 21 by the First Parish Unitarian Church (now UU) of Castine, Maine, where he served until 1958 and then again for one year in 1961. In between (1958-60) he was minister to the First Parish in Northborough, Mass. He finally received a B.A. from the University of Maine and his B.D. from Bangor Theological Seminary, both in 1961. He moved on to First Parish in Wayland, Mass (1962-69) and then to a yoked ministry with the First Universalist Churches of Norway and South Paris, Maine (1970-72), while earning an M.A from Brandeis University in 1970. In 1972 he was called to First Parish (UU) in Hingham, Mass, where he served until 1985 and was named Minister Emeritus.

In retiring back to Maine, Ken served as the organist of two nearby churches, helped found the AIDS support group of central Maine, wrote a weekly column for Waterville’s Morning Sentinel newspaper, and served as part-time minister to All Souls Universalist Church of Oakland, Maine. Although he had requested no formal memorial service, a celebration of life was held on Saturday, June 18, 2016, at the Friends Meeting House in East Vassalboro.

Ken outlived all six of his siblings. He is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Helen Myrick LaFleur, daughter Margaret LaFleur Asadoorian, sister-in-law Deborah Myrick Martin, several nieces and nephews, and many other family and friends. Notes of condolences may be sent to Helen LaFleur, P.O. Box 110, East Vassalboro, Maine 04935.

Ed Lane

The Reverend Edwin “Ed” A. Lane—dedicated parish minister, bold and passionate activist for truth and social justice, supporter and volunteer for humanitarian causes, and devoted servant of liberal religion—died in hospice care on July 19, 2017, in Columbus, Ohio, at the age of 89.

The Rev. Mr. Lane was socially active throughout his life in a multitude of causes, ranging from civil rights to the environment. He protested against the Vietnam War and joined many of his colleagues in the 1965 Selma march. He actively supported women’s rights, abortion rights, and same sex marriage, and fought for income equality and environmental protections. His piece on gun control legislation won the Skinner Award for “Most Significant Sermon of Social Concern” in 1967. Twice he travelled to Africa to build houses with Habitat for Humanity. “Life is a gift of grace,” Ed Lane once wrote, “not something we have earned. We have a responsibility to use it with wisdom and to share it with love.”

Edwin A. Lane, born to Lester and Vera Lewis Lane on June 19, 1928, grew up on a hog farm in Kingman, Ohio. After graduation from Kingman High School in 1944 in a class of eight students, he went on to earn a B.A. from Wilmington College in 1951. Raised in the Methodist church, Ed pursued ministerial study at Drew University Divinity School but found and embraced Unitarianism while there, took his divinity degree in 1954, and was ordained on 12 May 1957 by the Church of the Unity (now UU Church of Winchendon, Mass) while serving his first ministry. He accepted a call as the first minister to the UU Church in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and in nine years there (1958-67) he helped the small fellowship grow into a thriving church with over 400 members, twelve acres of land, and four congregational buildings. The Rev. Mr. Lane went on to settlements at UU churches in Westport, CT (1967-78?), Cambridge, MA (1978-87), an interim year in Bellingham, WA, and a final call to First Parish Waltham, MA (1987), where he was named Minister Emeritus on retiring in 1996.

Mr. Lane gave broad service to the wider UU movement. He chaired the editorial board of the Register Leader (now UU World) from 1957 to 1963 and sat on the board of Beacon Press for ten years (1962-72). It was during his term as chair of that board (1969-71) that the momentous decision was made for Beacon Press to publish the classified Pentagon Papers in 1971, detailing the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. During the subsequent controversy and lawsuit, his telephone was found to have been tapped. Other roles included membership on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (1965-1969), Ministerial Consultant to the UU Service Committee (1961-1964), and leadership in the Massachusetts Bay Chapter of the UUMA.

Ed Lane

Ed Lane wrote many articles for Church Management and edited the magazine from 1955 to 1957. As a public minister, his submissions of “letters to the editor” often appeared in The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Dedicated to the end, his final letter was published in the Times on 17 July 2017, just two days before his death.\

In retirement, as an active member of First Parish in Needham, MA, Ed often served as a guest preacher and congregational volunteer in adult religious education and on issues of social and racial justice. There he also became a model layperson, where his wildly popular homemade bread, key lime pie, and cheese pennies brought in many dollars for church fundraisers. In his spare time, Mr. Lane enjoyed acting, woodworking, bicycling, and hiking.

In their own obituary for Ed, family members recalled both his professional and personal character: “[Ed] was known as a caring, intelligent, wise, kind, loving minister with a great laugh and sense of humor. His sermons were memorable and thought-provoking. He helped nurture churches in their growth, and served as a cheerleader to those that needed it. … To his family he stands as a patient, loving, intelligent, kind, thoughtful, amazing and huggable husband, father, brother, uncle.”

Edwin Lane is survived by his wife of 28 years, Helen, two sons, four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

Memorial donations are encouraged to First Parish in Needham, 23 Dedham Ave, Needham, MA 02492.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, September 30, 2017, at First Parish Needham.

Notes of condolence may be sent to HelenBLane@gmail.com and to 66 Hastings St. Apt 106, Wellesley, MA 02481.

Helen B. Lane, 88, beloved mother, sister, grandmother, and friend to all, passed away suddenly on April 20, 2023.

Helen was born on Feb. 13, 1935, to Virginia DeCamp Beattie and William Douglas Beattie in San Francisco CA. She attended Pomona College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1956. She received a master’s in public health from UC Berkeley in 1960. Helen worked at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla CA, and Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston MA. 

She was very active at First Parish UU in Needham MA, participating in group leadership and fundraising activities. Lately she had been active in Vesper services at the church.

Helen adored gatherings with her mother and sisters to spend time together, where they laughed, told stories, and enjoyed each other’s company. Helen was married to Harry Lee Munsinger (divorced), John Baker (widowed) and UU minister Rev. Edwin Lane (also widowed).

She was preceded in death by her son Dennis Munsinger and her sister Ciele Tewksbury. She is survived by her sisters Genia Simpson and Cynthia Astor, her sons Douglas and David Munsinger, her stepsons Michael and John Lane, seven grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held on June 10 at the First Parish in Needham. 

Ruth Langhinrichs

Ruth Helen Langhinrichs, widow of Reverend Richard Alan Langhinrichs, died peacefully on 16 April 2019. Born 30 October 1922 in Chicago, Illinois to the late Susan Smith and Roy Imler, Ruth was the first in her family to graduate from college, receiving her Bachelor of Science in English from Northwestern University in 1944.

Upon graduation, Ruth set out for New York City. She was successful as a writer and editor, working for several magazines. Eventually, she moved to Philadelphia to become an Associate Editor of the Ladies Home Journal. Here she wrote a teen-focused advice column called “Dear Gay Head” that had an estimated 6 million readers in the 1950s.

Ruth was a poet, published author, and playwright. She wrote and produced, “Mermaids in the Basement,” “The Heart of the Limberlost,” “A Night on Walden Pond,” and “Feathers.” At the time of her death, she was working on her memoir, titled An Intricate Life: Almost One Hundred Years in the Making.

After coming to Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1965 with her husband and two daughters, Ruth worked tirelessly to promote art, music, movies, drama, and writing. She worked both as an Instructor of English on the Purdue Campus and as a writing consultant at the Writing Center. For many years she was on the editorial board of The Windless Orchard and City Limits. She was also a founding member of Cinema Center, the Fort Wayne Women’s Bureau, Great Women of Sunday Afternoon, and Sisters over Seventy.

Ruth was also a feminist and advocate for all women. She was a board member for the Women’s Center, and she was a proud delegate to the International Women’s Conference in Beijing, China. She served as the Mayor’s representative to the Area III Council on Aging. She participated actively on many other boards and never shied away from new challenges. She enrolled and graduated from clown school when she was in her 70s, bringing “Lottie” to life. Her lifelong interests included art, mental health, philosophy, religion, and women’s issues. Poetry, cinema, theatre, drawing, and contemporary literature were among her favorite pastimes.

Additionally, she has been deeply engaged with Unitarian Universalism for more than 50 years, and she regularly attended and served the UU Congregation of Fort Wayne in many capacities.

Ruth was the mother of two daughters, Julie (Ben) Langhinrichs of Cleveland, Ohio and Jenny (Marty) Langhinrichsen-Rohling of Mobile, Ala. She was blessed with six grandchildren, Her surviving friends, biological family, and family-by-choice members were abundant and essential to the full life she led.

Memorial gifts may be made to the UU Congregation of Fort Wayne, the Fort Wayne Cinema Center, or to the Women’s Center.

Regina Lapoint

Regina Cary Lapoint, 95, died October 12, 2008, in Spokane, WA. She was the widow of Rev. George M. Lapoint, who died in 1969. She was a librarian and an active church member well into her 80’s. In 1953 her advent meditation “Waters of Life” was published by the Universalist press. She spoke at the 1995 GA in Spokane and was interviewed at that time by the Rev. Janet Bowering. Her parents, Henry and Maude Cary, were both Universalist ministers and missionaries, whose work took them to Japan. She is survived by her sons Justin and Elwyn.

The Rev. Clarence “Pete” J. LaSonde died on March 29, 2022, at the age of 93.

Pete is survived by his son, Christopher LaSonde; daughters, Mallory LaSonde and the Rev. Andrea LaSonde Anastos; and son-in-law, the Rev. George C. Anastos; as well as three grandchildren and one great-grandson.

A memorial service was held on April 6, 2022, in Marlborough, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hudson Community Food Pantry, 28 Houghton Street, Hudson, MA 01749. 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. Andrea LaSonde Anastos, 6842 Pine Arbor Lane South, Cottage Grove, MN 55016.

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

The Rev. Robert T. Latham died on June 14, 2024, at the age of 92 (1931-2024).

Robert was born on December 10, 1931, in Wichita Falls TX to Floyd Charles Latham and Artie Thelma Latham. He grew up in the Southern Baptist tradition, began preaching at 13, led revival meetings during his mid-teens, and was ordained at 18. Robert received his Bachelor of Arts in Religion and History from Baylor University in Waco TX in 1954, a Master of Divinity from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1963, and a Master of Theology from Southeastern University in 1966. 

His seminary education exposed him to the concepts of mythology and historical and literary criticism, which led to a disaffection with Christianity. Furthermore, his experience as a chaplain during the Vietnam War revolutionized his views toward religion; his cultural perspectives were transformed. In the wake of these transformations, he discovered Unitarian Universalism. Further study of the history, orientation, and social posture of UUism led him to believe that ministry within this body would be a personally gratifying experience. He wanted to use his skills, expertise, and knowledge in ministry to benefit liberal religionists and entered the UU professional ministry in 1969.

Rev. Latham served as a settled minister at the UU Congregation of the Quad Cities, IA (1970–1973); All Peoples Church UU, TX (1973–1976); and the UU Church West, WI (1976–1979). He was a special minister at the UU Church of Las Cruces NM from 1980–1981 and an interim minister at large for the Pacific Northwest District, WA (1981–1985). Subsequently, he served as an interim minister at the Community UU Church, TX (1985–1986); and the First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco CA (1986–1987). In 1988, Rev. Latham accepted a call from the Jefferson Unitarian Church, CO where he would serve until his retirement in 1997. 

After his retirement, he served in interim ministries at the First Unitarian Church of Oakland CA (2000–2002); the UU Congregation of Princeton NJ (2002–2004); the UU Church of Tucson AZ (2004–2006); and the First Unitarian Church of Wilmington DE (2006–2007). From 2011 to 2013, he served the Pacific Central District as an Interim District Executive. In 2015, the Jefferson Unitarian Church, CO honored him as their minister emeritus.

Rev. Latham was a compelling spiritual and intellectual leader of imagination and commitment stimulating vibrant, dynamic congregational life. His creation of the Committee on Ministry (as opposed to the former Ministerial Relations Committee) and shared ministry were revolutionary in effect, bringing about greater congregational engagement and notable growth. His interim ministry helped congregations transform and grow in membership while regaining the congregation’s spirited attention through the worship experience and advanced workshops.

Rev. Latham made a significant contribution to the denomination serving as a consultant and trainer for the UUA Extension Department. He was co-designer and speaker for the Unitarian Universalist Sunday morning radio program, in Milwaukee WI (1976–1980). During the 1980s, he served the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada districts as UUA International Minister at Large. Furthermore, he chaired the Mountain Desert District committee to create a District Leadership School and designed its program and curriculum. He served as a speaker at the Jefferson Unitarian Church Community Events Forum.

Robert was head of MYTHing Link Consulting which provided a variety of services to liberal congregations and organizations. In the community, he provided his services as a facilitator of a special training program for administrators, social workers, therapists, etc. on Disability and Sexuality for the Texas Department of Human Services. He participated in state, county, and Denver CO area Youth and Violence Program and was a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Davenport IA.

He also published several of his works including The Unitarian Universalist Extension Manual (1985), Moving On From Church Folly Lane (2006), A Tale of Boxes (2009), a chapter entitled “The Temptation to Rush the Search” in the book In The Interim (2013), and a brochure entitled “Lessons From Vietnam: Why Nothing Has Changed” (2011), and American Democracy: Suicide Or Revolution? (2020).

He enjoyed writing, travel, reading, hiking, biking, movies, art, music, sports, and poker in his leisure time.

Robert is survived by his spouse Cindy Latham; daughter Sherry Kay Latham; stepchildren Christy Le Lait and Harry C Green, IV; granddaughters Ture and Miranda Latham; step-grandson Samuel Pitts; as well as his great granddaughter Gemma Miller.

A celebration of Robert’s life was held on August 3, 2024, at Jefferson Unitarian Church, 14350 W 32nd Ave, Golden CO 80401.

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

Notes of condolences may be sent to cynthialatham@comcast.net.

The Rev. Dr. Spencer Lavan—parish minister, scholar, seminary president, and wise, friendly, generous mentor—died on 29 September 2016 in Brunswick, Maine, at age 78, after a long decline from Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Lavan’s full and varied career led him to service in the parish, the academy, community ministry, and public agencies. Students and faculty at Meadville Lombard School during his presidency there recall how Spencer and his wife Susan “took a personal interest in each of their students, creating a hospitality that drew the entire…community together” (Lee Barker).

Spencer Lavan was born on 31 December 1937 to Fay and Peter Lavan in New York City. He earned a B.A. in English from Tufts University in 1959, a B.D. from Harvard Divinity School

in 1962, and from McGill University (Montréal) an M.A. in Islamic studies in 1965 and a Ph.D. in comparative religions in 1970.

Ordained in 1962, Spencer served parish ministries in Charleston (SC) and Montréal, and as campus minister at McGill University during his graduate studies there. Soon thereafter he turned to academic work, first at Northeastern University (MA) for two years and then Tufts University (MA) for a decade. He organized and chaired the Department of Medical Humanities at the University of New England, Maine (1982-88) and then served Meadville Lombard Theological School as president and dean for eight years (1988-96).

Dr. Lavan received three honorary degrees and authored two scholarly books. He had a passion for teaching, enjoyed traveling, classical music, sailing, and playing the piano.

Spencer is survived by his spouse of 55 years, Susan Lavan, children Jonathan, Daniel, Timothy, and Joanna, six grandchildren, and a brother, Lawrence.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are encouraged to Meadville Lombard Theological School: www.meadville.edu/donate/. Notes of condolence may be sent to Susan Lavan at 11 Cascos Way, Harpswell, ME 04079.

Ruth Lawrence

Ruth Elizabeth Lawrence, age 76 died July 30, 2017, in Morrisville, VT. She was the widow of the Reverend Thomas Ahlburn.

Ruth grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and attended Connecticut College, where she majored in English. She was hired by the Providence Public Library as a children’s librarian and earned her Masters in Library Science. She remained a librarian throughout her professional life, mostly in the Woonsocket, Rhode Island school system. She and her husband collected a personal library of over 10,000 titles, which included religion, poetry, biblical archeology, zoology, and astronomy. They read every book.

While living in Rhode Island, they spent their summers in Vermont, where they bought some land and built a cabin. They spent two months every summer there for 20 years. They loved the peaceful life, grew a lot of their food, cooked on a 2-burner Coleman stove, hauled water, and used kerosene lanterns.

Ruth’s home was filled with animals in need, many of which were brought in by her elementary school. Over the years, she cared for a three-legged dog, goats, a squirrel, geese, a starling, a blue jay and an ancient box turtle named Gino.

Tom and Ruth retired to Greensboro in 2000. After Tom died in 2002, Ruth invented a new life for herself in Greensboro. She was active with the Greensboro Free Library and her many new friends became a family. She moved to the Craftsbury Community Care Center several years ago, and was happy there.

Ruth is survived by her stepdaughters, Heather Emerick and Megan Ahlburn, her son-in-law, Donny Emerick and her grandchildren Winnie, Charlotte and Phoebe Emerick. She is also survived by her sisters Marjorie Seabury and Virginia Buttrum and their children.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Craftsbury Community Care Center, 1784 E. Craftsbury Road, Craftsbury, VT 05827, or the Greensboro Free Library, 53 E. Craftsbury Road, Greensboro, VT 05841.

Marjorie Leaming

The Rev. Dr. Marjorie Newlin Leaming, 95, died March 19, 2010. A graduate of Meadville Lombard, she was ordained in 1967. A UUWF survey on the status of women in our ministry in 1974 found that of the 750 ministers in fellowship, just 40 were women and of these, and only five had pulpits of their own. Marjorie was one of these, and she was one of a kind. Her fierce commitment to the UU ministry and to seeing that the worth of women clergy was recognized and granted the same status as men, in those early and challenging years of women entering the ministry, demanded every bit of Marjorie’s brilliant mind and fiery spirit. She served congregations in Santa Monica, CA and then Santa Paula, CA, where she was named minister emerita upon her retirement.

Virginia Leavitt

Virginia Hay Leavitt, 97, widow of the Rev. Dr. Fenwick L. Leavitt, Jr., died July 12, 2010 in Rutland, VT. The Leavitts served Universalist parishes in Middletown, NY; Barre, VT; Germantown, PA, and Lynn, MA. They reared two daughters. Following her husband‘s death in 1967, she returned to Westbrook, ME, where she was an active volunteer. An avid reader and a fan of classical music, her greatest interest lay in the life of the Universalist Church and in her many friends there. She served as the organist for the Westbrook church for many years. In October 2003, she moved to Chittenden, VT, to be near her family. She accepted many losses during her long life with grace and dignity. Her younger daughter, Meredith and a granddaughter died in 1979, and by the time of her own death, Virginia had been predeceased by her entire family except for her older daughter, Joanne Leavitt Powers. She also leaves two grandsons, David Powers and Jon Powers, a granddaughter, Erin Teare Martin and seven great-grandchildren.

The Rev. Sandra Gillogly Lee died on June 23, 2017 at the age of 74.

She is survived by spouse Don Bell and sister Marsha Green.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to NARAL Pro-Choice America, or to the charity of one’s own choosing.

A memorial service will take place on Tuesday, October 31, 2017 in Grand Junction, CO, at a venue still to be determined.

Notes of condolence can be sent to Don Bell at 315 Ouray Ave, Grand Junction, CO 81501 and at DonWayneBell@gmail.com.

The Rev. Walter S. LeFlore died on August 12, 2024, at the age of 72 (1952-2024).

Walter is survived by his wife Yvette LeFlore; his two children Alison LeFlore and Eric LeFlore (Audrey); grandchildren Nicholas Inferrara, Joseph Inferrara, and Elias LeFlore; brother Ivens LeFlore; and his two sisters Loretta Wells and Pat Francois.

There will be two celebrations of life services for Walter. One will be held at 1 pm on August 24, 2024, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Roanoke, 2015 Grandin Rd SW, Roanoke VA 24015. Another will be held at 2 pm on September 14, 2024, at the First Parish Church of Stow, 353 Great Rd, Stow MA 01775.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Roanoke Reparations Group. Checks can be sent to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Roanoke, 2015 Grandin Rd SW, Roanoke, VA 24015. Please mention Reparations in the memo
line. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be written here:
<https://www.lotzfuneralhomesalem.com/tributes/Walter-LeFlore#share-a-memory>.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Polly Leonard

Anna “Polly” Leonard, 91, wife of the Reverend Richard Leonard, died on May 14, 2016, at Delmar Gardens in Lawrenceville, GA, after a seven year struggle with Alzheimer’s. Rev. Leonard is Minister Emeritus of All Souls Unitarian Church in New York City.

Born September 9, 1924, in Lancaster, PA, Anna Barr Leonard was married to Stanley C. Mason during WWII. After that marriage ended in divorce, she and Richard Leonard were married in 1970. Her three children and his daughters combined in an extended family of almost 200 persons, which included their parents, their siblings and families, seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, plus innumerable relatives and in-laws. Polly was the matriarch, delighting in the yearly family reunions.

She excelled in the banking world and conducted investigations for Citibank CEOs Walter Wriston and John Reed. She was a marvelous cook. Polly traveled the world together with Dick over the years, including trips to Mongolia, Nepal, Antarctica, Japan, China and Russia. At the same time, she was an active participant in church life.

Her daughter Helen Thilo Bigelow preceded her in death, but Polly is survived by her children, Kenneth Grant Mason and Martha Jean Mason, her stepdaughters, Suzanne Sykora and Elizabeth Leonard. Her winsome spirit is missed by her family, her friends, and her congregation. Her memorial service at All Souls on October 1, 2016 was attended by hundreds.

Donations in her name can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to All Souls Church, 1157 Lexington Ave., NY, NY 10075. Letters of condolence may be sent to Dick Leonard, 142 West End Ave, #15-V, New York, NY 10023-6112.

The Rev. David V. Leonard, 71, died on January 28, 2013. Rev. Leonard was born in Rutland, VT on January 8, 1942 to Katheryn (Campbell) and Richard Leonard. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1963. He then went on to attain a Bachelor of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary in 1967.

Ordained by the United Methodist Church in Trivoli, IL in June, 1967, Rev. Leonard eventually decided to make a change and, in 1975, he left the Methodist Church to begin a life as a Unitarian Universalist. He immediately took steps to become a Unitarian Universalist minister, and was called to his first position at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Smithton, PA from 1977-1984. He then went on to serve to First Unitarian Church of Lynchburg, VA from 1984-1992; the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Youngstown, OH from 1992-2002; the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton, NY from 2002-2003; and the First Unitarian Society of Plainfield, NJ from 2003-2008.

His wife, Linda, shared,

“David Leonard was an intensely private person who was happiest either chasing trains (in order to photograph a locomotive), or walking a trail in the woods. Classical music, the deep night sky, and a win by the Detroit Tigers or Chicago Cubs also moved him deeply. So did the affection of his cats, from the illegal seminary fur brother, to the orange and black companions on the hospice hospital bed.”

Hating ceremony, David much preferred jeans to a suit. Clergy and lay people alike sometimes wondered if he really was a minister since he only wore his “uniform” when absolutely necessary.

As a person most comfortable by himself, David was uneasy with many of the tasks and expectations of the parish minister. Over the years, he learned to wear two hats: the minister’s hat and the rail fan/photographer hat. He was an excellent photographer and good at keeping his own counsel. He was also superlative at counseling others and preaching on Sunday morning.

He read theology, philosophy, science (especially paleontology), and thrillers, with Tony Hillerman and Sue Grafton being two of his favorite authors. He also liked children’s books.

He was a good father. He loved his children, his animals, the natural world, and, of course, his trains. He had a wry, Mark Twain-Ambrose Bierce sense of humor that could find the ridiculous in almost any situation. He was politically green but not without snide remarks.

In Emerson’s sense, David Leonard leaves the world a better place.

Rev. Leonard is survived by his wife, Linda Wiltz; daughter, Elisabeth Anne Leonard and her husband, Adam Hill; son Marc Leonard; brother, Richard Leonard; sister, Lucy Hill; and grandchildren, Benjamin Sage and Jaden Liana.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Linda Wiltz at 16 Genesee Ave., Binghamton, NY 13903.

He would be pleased if, in lieu of flowers, donations might be made to: any Railroad Club, the Animal Rescue League (www.animalleague.org), or the Humane Society (www.humanesociety.org).

The Rev. Richard “Dick” D. Leonard, who died on November 25, 2022, at the age of 95.

Dick was born on September 24, 1927, in Detroit MI to Richard H. Leonard and Frances J. Leonard. Since early childhood, he had a love for classical music. He began his violin classes at the age of nine, attended the National Music Camp at Interlochen at 14, and was appointed as assistant concertmaster of the National High School Orchestra at 17.

In 1949, Dick received his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Yale University following which he graduated with his Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary, NY in 1952. After graduation, Dick carried out his ministry within the Congregational-Christian framework (1951–1959).

During these years, he found himself steering away from any creedal approach to religion. This made him explore Unitarianism. Soon he realized that he was more Unitarian in outlook than traditionally Christian. With this new direction, he aimed his ministry at teachers and church school families of the Community Church of New York UU and the wider fellowship in the Unitarian movement.

Rev. Leonard was called to serve the Community Church as a minister of religious education in 1959. His nine years of ministry at the Community Church marked the expansion of a church school and youth groups. He introduced new arts programs for Primaries and Juniors and added new curriculum materials. 

Furthermore, he was involved with the Social Action Committee and served as vice president of the Liberal Religious Education Directors’ Association. In 1965 he marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from Selma to Montgomery AL.

From 1969 to 1977, Rev. Leonard served as a part-time minister of the Flatbush Unitarian Church, in Brooklyn, NY. During those years he conducted services, delivered sermons, officiated weddings and funerals, and performed a large amount of pastoral counseling. Subsequently, in 1979, he was called to the Unitarian Church of All Souls in Manhattan, NY where he would serve until 1997. At All Souls, he chaired their Membership Committee, served as a fundraiser for their special music program, and taught church school. In 1997, he retired from his ministry, whereupon All Souls honored him as minister emeritus.

Rev. Leonard was an inspirational leader who won a place in the hearts of the church members and the community at large. He was Development Director for the Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School, at Walden School, and at the Horace Mann School and provided his services as treasurer of the Metro NY Stevens Scholarship Committee.

He also had several of his writing published including “Call to Selma,” “Ports of Call: Journeys in Ministry,” and “Wet Cement” (3 volumes), a collection of vignettes from his personal and professional life. In 2016 in his apartment near Lincoln Center, he founded “Project 142,” a unique concert series designed to support emerging musical talent of all sorts. Dick hosted 160 concerts during his leadership of Project 142, which continues today under the direction of a longtime associate.

Over his life, he learned to play ten musical instruments and was highly skilled in the violin and piano. In his spare time, Dick enjoyed travel and chess. He and his wife, Polly were avid world travelers and visited over 80 countries during their 46 years together.

Richard is survived by his daughters: Elizabeth Leonard, and Suzanne Sykora (Karl Walter Sykora); his step-son, Kenneth Mason (Mia Mason); step-daughter, Martha Mason (Bryce Sommerville); as well as grandchildren: Anthony Bellavia, Joseph Bellavia, Anna Mason Woodward, Lizzy Mason, Jennifer Thilo, Katherine Thilo, Pamela Thilo, and their partners, spouses, and children. He was predeceased by his wife Anna Mary “Polly” Leonard, and by his stepdaughter, Helen Louise Bigelow.

A commitment ceremony preceding cremation took place on Monday, November 28, 2022, at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. The memorial service will take place at 11 am on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the Unitarian Church of All Souls, 1157 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10075.

In lieu of flowers, donations can go to the Unitarian Church of All Souls (address above).

Notes of condolence can be sent to Elizabeth Leonard, 3 Cedar Street, Waterville, ME 04901, and emails to edleonar@colby.edu.

The Rev. Robert J. Lewis died on September 6, 2023, at the age of 92 (1931-2023).

Robert is survived by his wife of 64 years Sylvia; his children Janet Lewis (Wayne) and Drew Lewis; grandchildren Kelsey Strouse (Andrew), Lily and Lanni Solochek; great granddaughter Samantha Joy Litwin; brother Wilford Lewis; and many nephews, nieces, and cousins.

A memorial service was held on October 26, 2023, at the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6301 River Rd, Bethesda MD 20817.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one’s own choosing or the Greenbelt Community Foundation or Unitarian Universalist for Social Justice. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be written here.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

JEFFREY D. LIEBMANN

The Rev. Jeffrey “Jeff” D. Liebmann died on August 7, 2024, at the age of 68 (1956-2024).

Jeff is survived by his spouse, Jody Liebmann; children: Emily Lemke (Sean); Marcus Goleman; Ashley Stack; Tyler Liebmann; grandchildren: Wolfgane and Scarlett Lemke; brother: Jon Liebmann; as well as numerous nephews.

A celebration of his life will be/was held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Midland, 6220 Jefferson Avenue, Midland MI 48640.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one’s own choosing or the family of Rev. Jefferey D. Liebmann.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Jody Liebmann, 18293 Sorrento St, Detroit MI 48235.

A more complete obituary will follow.

The Reverend Gertrude Lindener-Stawski—singer, pianist, scholar, and passionate gardener, whose interest in music led her to Unitarian Universalism and eventually to her calling to ministry—died peacefully on 12 June 2020 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 89.

She was a longtime member of the Prairie Group of UU ministers (1974–2003). In retirement, she became known around Columbia, MO, as an “orchid guru.”

Gertrude Vutz was born on 4 April 1931 in Racine, Wisconsin, to Wilhelm and Mathilde Vutz. After a family move, she grew up in Ohio. and at high school graduation was ranked as the top student in the state.

After earning her B.Mus. in piano at Oberlin Conservatory, OH, in 1952, she and her husband Arthur Lindener lived near Montréal, Canada, but divorced in 1961. She became active in the Lakeshore Unitarian Congregation (SE of Montréal), and eventually earned her ministerial degree from Crane Theological School (Medford, MA) in 1968.

After parish settlement at the United Church of Bethel, VT (1968–73), where she was ordained on 27 October 1968, the Rev’d Ms. Lindener moved to the First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI, as Minister of Education (1973–80). She was called to the UU Fellowship [now Church] of Columbia, MO, in 1980, but took early retirement in 1986, having met and married Conrad Stawski during her tenure there. Twenty years later the church elected her minister emerita.

That church’s present minister, the Rev’d Molly Housh Gordon wrote, “Gertrude was a brilliant woman and a scholarly minister… a kind and welcoming colleague… [Her] legacies to our congregation and to Unitarian Universalism are profound.”

Gertrude Lindener-Stawski is survived by daughter Margo Lindener, son Peter Lindener, and stepdaughter Nina Stawski.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are encouraged to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Margo Londoner at 5908 Pine Hill Crescent, Halifax, NS Canada B3H 1E5.

Eva Lion

Eva Hoel Lion, 86, widow of the Rev. Felix Danford Lion, died June 30, 2009. Born in Norway, she was five when her family immigrated to MA. A graduate of Wheelock College in Boston, she later took advanced courses at San Jose State College. She lived in CA, Japan, MA, NY and BC. She taught in Palo Alto, CA for more than 20 years, where she worked with Dr. William Glasser in “Schools without Failure”. She also supervised teachers at Bank Street College of Education in NYC. She enjoyed skiing into her 70’s and throughout her life did sewing, quilting and knitting. Eva had a passion for gardening, decorating and entertaining. She is survived by their three children David, Ingrid and Roger Lion, two daughters-in-law and three grandchildren.

Felix Lion

The Rev. Felix Danford Lion, 94, died peacefully on November 29, 2008, in Victoria, BC. Born in Massachusetts, he married Eva Hoel in 1943. A graduate of University of Chicago and Meadville Theological Seminary, he received an honorary Doctorate degree from Starr King School for the Ministry. He served congregations in MA, NY, CA and BC and was named minister emeritus by the Palo Alto and Victoria congregations. A lifelong human rights activist, he was a member of the NAACP, who helped to register blacks to vote in 1964. He participated in the freedom marches in Selma, AL and Washington, DC. He served as Chair of the Board of World Interfaith Colleges; as President of UUMA, and was a founding member of the Vancouver Island Civil Rights Coalition. He was a member of the Archeology Society of BC and of the IARF. His lifelong passions were gardening and music. At age 93 he climbed to prune the very tops of his trees. Starting in his early teens and continuing until he was 92, he played the trumpet in a variety of jazz bands and orchestras.

Nick Livingston

Nick Livingston — architect, artist, pianist, writer of novels, screenplays and poetry, and spouse of Reverend Ellen D. Livingston — died peacefully on New Year’s Day 2019 at Oak Park Manor in Claremont, California. He was 87 years old.

Nick was born in 1931 in Aurora, Illinois to Olga and Burt Livingston. He graduated from Ripon College in Wisconsin with a degree in history, then served in the US Army at the end of the Korean War. After receiving his architectural degree from the University of Illinois, he worked in Africa, Texas, and the Chicago suburbs, designing residential and commercial buildings.

He met his wife, then Ellen Harvell Dohner, in Park Forest, Illinois, where she was serving as lead minister to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Suburbs. They met when he played the piano for services at that congregation and would bring his band for social events.

At the time the congregation had to rent space for their services. Mr. Livingston offered to design and build a modern cedar-framed building on land the church owned in the woods in Park Forest. He not only volunteered his services but followed through on helping to raise money for the project. Three years after the dedication of the new building, he and Ellen became engaged. They were wed in 1982 at the new church building which offered views of the forest through the large windows Mr. Livingston had designed.

Four years after they were married Ellen accepted the call of Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Montclair, California. In August 1986, they moved to California. The Livingstons soon fell in love with the state and have lived here ever since.

Nick transferred his architectural license to California and worked as a freelancer and builder in the inland valley until he retired in 2012. He designed many additions and improvements at the congregation, and served as its maintenance person. As the church’s programs expanded, he designed and built a classroom wing dedicated to and named after him, Livingston Hall.

He was a true Renaissance man, with many talents and accomplishments.

Nick often played the piano for church worship services and social events. He enjoyed playing favorite songs, while friends sang. Sometimes he was accompanied by other musicians with stringed instruments and drums.

As a painter, he had several shows over the years, both in the Chicago area and in California, where his work was shown at the dA Center for the Arts in Pomona, galleries in Laguna Beach, at the Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation, and most recently at Claremont Village Green. All of his works were painted in California and Mexico, where he was inspired by nature’s variety of gorgeous landscapes.

Four years ago he published a novel, Stained Glass Warrior. In it he portrays a young artist from the Chicago inner city who is drafted into the army, and his struggles to survive injuries sustained on the battlefield in World War II. The protagonist developed artistic projects to encourage alternatives to a culture of war.

Although he served in the US Army during the Korean War as a teacher of enlisted men in Germany, he was a man of peace and was passionate about civil rights and the founding tenets of our democratic republic.

The Livingstons enjoyed traveling and had three places they considered their spiritual homes: Cambria, California; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; and Ms. Livingston’s birthplace, Boston. They especially enjoyed Hispanic people, culture and places, and traveled to Mexico often.

His family shared that even with his many accomplishments, it was his love of life and people that was his most outstanding gift. A friend said “Nick knew how to have fun, not take life too seriously. He made me and others around him feel important. To him, all of us were. He made me a better person for having known him.”

He leaves behind his wife, the Reverend Ellen Livingston; three stepchildren, Markus and Luke Dohner, and Katherine Dohner Acenas; five grandchildren; his niece Karen Jenneke, her brother David Jenneke, his wife Sandy and their son, Nickolas. Messages of condolence can be sent to Ellen Livingston, Apt 9A, 630 W Bonita Ave. Claremont CA 91711.

Doe Lockwood

Doris Marie “Doe” Lockwood, 88, the widow of the Rev. Russell W. Lockwood, died November 12, 2016. She was born August 10, 1928 in Tulsa OK to James Earl McDonald and May Fern Hill. Other than a four year temporary transfer to Puerto Rico, Doe was a lifelong resident of Tulsa.

She was married twice, the first time to G.T. Minnick in 1947. Children did not arrive right away, so she worked for Mcdonald Douglas as a supervisor while her husband worked at the D-X refinery. He built a boat and they explored the local lakes in their free time. When she finally did become pregnant, she hid the fact from her employer as long as possible because it meant she would have to leave her job.

Doe had three children, born in 1956, 1957, and 1958. Although her life was very busy with three young children and a house to manage, she turned to creative outlets, writing plays, skits, and songs. She also began exploring religion, finding the Presbyterian ideals she was raised with less than satisfactory. This search led her to All Souls Unitarian Church, which had just moved into a new building and was becoming more active under the dynamic leadership of Rev. John Wolfe.

Her husband did not accompany her as she grew into a deeper involvement with the church, and church became her refuge, central to her being. She was involved in the RE program for many years, some as Director. In the early 70’s the family moved to Puerto Rico, where her husband had a temporary assignment. Doe became involved in a variety of activities there, but was not interested in other overseas assignments when that one ended, so they returned to Tulsa. With the children leaving home for college, her marriage to G.T. ended in 1976.

Doe had resumed her activities at church and met the Rev. Dr. Russell Lockwood, who was the regional representative for the Southwest Unitarian Association, at the Southwest Summer Institute. Soon, everyone recognized that he was the true love of her life. They married in 1977.

Their lives continue to evolve in this new chapter together. She gave up her work at All Souls and they became members at Hope Unitarian Church. Soon she became involved in volunteer activities there. She and Russell built a lake house where they would often gather with friends. She took road trips with her close friends, exploring new places as she had with her children when they were young.

Russell died suddenly in 1988 and Doe grieved, supported by her friends. Eventually, with time and travel and the arrival of grandchildren her depression lifted. And she resumed a volunteer commitment, serving on the UURMaPA board until a few years ago.

Doe Lockwood is remembered for her commitment to and engagement with her church and the UU movement. At one time, she compiled a list of her activities, which included dozens of General Assemblies, District Conferences, Summer Institutes, and UUA committee appointments. She led workshops at these gatherings and for congregations across the nation. But she listed as her Most Important Accomplishment the hundreds of casseroles she had prepared for the bereaved.

Throughout all these active years she most loved writing and producing skits for her churches, the UUA, and Summer Institute. And she loved singing the hymns.

A memorial service for Doe was held at Hope Unitarian church on December 10, 2016. It began with an open acknowledgement that she had often told people she didn’t want a memorial service, but taught that sometimes rules needed to be broken.

Doe is survived by her children: Brian Minnick, Lee Ann Cole, and Lorrie McLaughlin; three stepchildren, William Lockwood, Marion Lockwood, and Richard Lockwood; and five grandchildren.

Messages of condolence may be sent to Lee Ann Cole, 2224 E 5th Pl, Tulsa OK 74104 or by email to lacole527@gmail.com.  Memorial contributions may be made to Hope Unitarian Church, 8432 S Sheridan Road, Tulsa OK 74133, or to the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless, or the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.

Brandy Lovely

The Rev. Dr. Brandoch “Brandy” Lovely, 82, died September 29, 2010. A graduate of Proctor Academy in Andover NH, he served in the US Army. He went to Harvard, earning a degree in American History and Literature, and an STB at the Divinity School. As a student he served as DRE in Winchester and West Newton, MA. He served congregations in Carlisle, Reading and Hingham, MA; Austin, TX; and Pasadena, CA. He served Neighborhood Church in Pasadena from 1969-1993. The church named him minister emeritus. He was also awarded a Doctor of Theological Studies by Starr King. He served as interim minister in Costa Mesa, Canoga Park, Santa Barbara and Riverside, CA. In 1974 he chaired the continental convocation of UU ministers, the first in 20 years. He served as MSR for the Pacific SW District, and delivered the SLT sermon at the 1979 GA. He was an active ACLU member. He is survived by his wife, Judith Howerton Lovely and six children, his brother Rupert Lovely, and his sister. (A daughter predeceased him.)

The Rev. Dr. Ruppert L. Lovely died on May 3, 2012. He was 78 years old. The Rev. Dr. Lovely was born in East Greenwich, RI on May 9, 1933 to the Rev. Napoleon W. and Doris Mae (Johnson) Lovely. Rev. Lovely attained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Tufts University in 1963 and his Bachelor of Divinity as well as his Doctor of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1966 and 1998, respectively.

Rev. Lovely was ordained by the Countryside Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship in Palantine, IL on October 7, 1966. There, he held the office of parish minister for 35 years, not counting the 18 months he served as a student minister prior to accepting the full-time call to the pulpit. After his retirement from Countryside, he accepted an interim position with the First Unitarian Church of St. Louis, MO from 2001-2003.

Working together with Countryside UU church members to raise funds and devise a plan that resulted in the construction in of the beautiful Countryside Church in Palatine, was one of the highlights of Rev. Lovely’s working years. It was a milestone in his life and in the life of the church.

Throughout his life, Rev. Lovely was a faithful Boston Red Socks fan. No daily activity ever took precedence over watching Red Socks games during baseball season. He was also an avid reader, John Irving novels being among his favorite books. He loved music, especially classical and jazz. He was even known to leave the stereo or radio on all day so that when he returned, he would be greeted by music.

A long-time member of Prairie Group, Rev. Lovely was known, loved, and respected by many. Described as “candid, big-hearted, humorously realistic, brimming with energy and enthusiasm for the ministry,” Rev. Lovely’s “gracious and generous spirit,” as well as his “solid sense of tradition and firm voice” endeared him to many who came to call him a friend.

Rev. Lovely is survived by his wife, Patricia Mumm-Lovely; his daughter, Jessica Lovely and husband, Jason DeSwarte; daughter, Karen Lovely and husband, Michael Leach; Sister Alicia Lovely; and grandchildren, Eli Lovely; Elijah Lovely; Grace Umek; and Jordan DeSwarte. He was predeceased by son, Kirk Lovely; and brother, the Rev. Dr. Brandoch Lovely.
A memorial service for the Rev. Dr. Lovely was held at the Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church, 1025 N. Smith St., Palatine, IL 60067 on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Mrs. Patricia Mumm-Lovely, 933 W. Heritage Ct., Apt. 101, Mequon, WI 53092.

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth “Ken” Torquil MacLean died on May 29, 2024, at the age of 97 (1926-2024). Ken is survived by his partner Terry Watson and son Derek MacLean.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on September 21, 2024, at the Cedar Lane UU Congregation, 9601 Cedar Ln, Bethesda MD 20814.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made tohttps://www.cedarlane.org/.

Notes of condolences may be sent to: Cedar Lane UU Congregation, 9601 
Cedar Ln, Bethesda MD 20814.

A more complete obituary will follow.

Ann MacPherson

Ann Marie Haggerty MacPherson, 89, wife of the Rev. Dr. Robert H. MacPherson, died at Trinity View Retirement Center, Arden, North Carolina on December 29. 2015.

She was born June 12, 1926 to Alice Lang and Dr. George Dewey Haggerty, in Cleveland, Ohio. Educated in the Cleveland schools, she enrolled in the College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio and was graduated in the Class of 1947. She won an MA in literature and composition from Western Reserve University, Cleveland, in 1948. She taught four years at Rocky River, Ohio High School.

Ann was married July 1949 to the Rev. Dr. Robert H. MacPherson. They had two children, Robert Owen MacPherson, deceased 2005, and Ralph Lang MacPherson, Fairview, NC. There are five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Mrs. MacPherson earned teaching certificates in Ohio, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Florida and North Carolina. She taught in all these states. She was on the faculty of AC Reynolds Middle School for seventeen years. She is a member of the NC Retired Teachers and of the National Education Association. Her interest in art led her to be a docent at the Asheville Art Museum. With her husband, she joined the Unitarian Universalist Church, Asheville, now Unitarian Universalist Congregation, in 1971. She served on various committees and was Co-Chair of the Building Dedication in October 1972.

A memorial service was planned for. Sunday, January 10, 2015 at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville.

Notes of condolence may be sent to the Rev. Robert MacPherson, 2533 Hendersonville Road, #309, Arden NC 28704-9580.

The Rev. David Hicks MacPherson died on September 25, 2020 at the age of 92.

He is survived by his son Duncan MacPherson; his daughter Dianna MacPherson, her husband Greg Greenway, and Dianna’s children Erin and Ian MacPherson; and David’s niece Leslie MacPherson.

David was predeceased by his wife, Dorothy “Dottie” (Barber) MacPherson, in 2005 and by his son Douglas in 2016.

An online memorial service will be held on October 24, 2020 at 4pm (Eastern) via the First UU Church of Richmond, VA.

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

Notes of condolences may be sent to Dianna MacPherson, 903 Kilby Station Rd, Ashland, VA 23005. Alternately, emails of condolence may be sent to MacPhersonFamilyRVA@gmail.com.

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

Dorothy MacPherson, 77, wife of the Rev. David H MacPherson, died Nov. 1, 2005. Refusing to accept the traditional role of the minister’s wife, she pursued careers as a lab technician for Borden; a custom-decorating accountant at J.C. Penney, and a geratric nurse’s aide for Upjohn. She posed as a renter to uncover discrimination in housing. David tells that when she wanted time with her minister husband, she would write herself into his appointment book. They resided in Silver Spring and Towson, MD; Richmond, VA; Laramie, WY; Brookfield, WI and State College, PA. They started two new churches. Surviving are her husband and three children: Duncan and Douglas MacPherson of Maryland, and Dianna of Ashland.

The Reverend Bob MacPherson—parish minister turned medical professional, advocate for criminal justice and women’s reproductive health, world traveller, thespian, singer, patron of the arts—died on 20 January 2018, aged 92.

A fifth generation Universalist, Bob was dedicated to UU institutions. He was president of the Universalist Youth Fellowship (1946–48) and as a young minister helped guide it toward merger with the American Unitarian Youth to form the Liberal Religious Youth, later recalling that “the youth led the way” to AUA and UCA consolidation (in 1961).

Robert Harold MacPherson was born on 9 February 1925 in Boston to Doris Hicks and Harold S. MacPherson and grew up in the West Somerville (MA) Universalist Church. Bob and his older brother David both studied at Tufts University and became ministers. Bob was ordained at his home church on 27 June 1948, but entered ministerial fellowship as a Unitarian minister and, until 1966, served parish ministries in Ohio, Maine, Mass. and NY.

Following a career turn, Bob earned a Ph.D. at Syracuse University, specializing in speech pathology. He started an audiology program at a Veterans Administration hospital in Asheville, NC, and eventually retired as Chief of Audiology and Speech Pathology there in 1993. All the while, Bob maintained associate fellowship with the UUA and would occasionally preach and conduct special services at UU churches.

Outside of his work in ministry and medicine, Bob was active with the Western Carolinians for Criminal justice, Planned Parenthood, Pisgah Legal Services, and as a singer and actor with the Asheville Community Theater. He also served on the Social Responsibility Committee of the UU congregation in Asheville.

At the time of Bob’s death, survivors included his son Ralph MacPherson, five grandchildren, three great- grandchildren, and his brother David MacPherson. His spouse, Ann Marie Haggerty MacPherson, died in 2015 and his son Robert Owen MacPherson in 2005.

The Rev. Joseph Majeau, 77, drowned May 29, 2005, after falling into the swollen, fast-moving Kenduskeag Stream in Hampden, ME. He served the Universalist Church of Westbrook, ME, which named him minister emeritus. His passions were his family, music, nature, and politics. He strongly believed that even one person could make a difference. He is survived by Susan, his wife of 22 years; two children, David and Donna; and three grandchildren. A celebration of life was held Aug. 13, at the UU Church of Westbrook.

Susan “Sue” L. Majeau passed away in Hampden, Maine on September 21, 2021 after a brief illness. Her husband was the late Rev. Joseph Majeau. Sue had just celebrated her 88th birthday.

According to an obituary in the Bangor (Maine) Daily News, Sue taught school in Hampden and Portland for many years. She was a gifted artist and loved music, storytelling, the beauty of nature, and road trips. Two organizations that were a huge part of her life were the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor and Memory Joggers.

Sue is survived by her sisters, Becca Lombard, Mercy Beal, and Marcia Hastings; children, Marci Gaglione, Trudy Bacon (Jeff), Cedena McAvoy (Terry), Katie Snow (David), Bob Parsons; also her grandchildren, Wynnona, Paul, Nathan, William, Toby, and Caleb; seven great-grandchildren; and one yet to be born great-great grandchild (due in Spring).

Sue was predeceased by her husband, the Rev. Joseph Majeau; son, David Parsons; and grandson, Jesse McAvoy. Services were held on October 2, 2021. She was remembered during UURMaPA’s virtual conference in October.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor or to Memory Joggers. UURMaPA will contribute $50 in her memory.

Notes of condolence can be sent to the family at 59 Monroe Road, Hampden, ME 04444 and also to Rosemary Parsons at 167 Old Town Road, Hudson, ME 04449.

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

The Rev. Donald W. Male, 86, died August 14, 2008, of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. After a distinguished career in aerospace and defense, which included meeting Orville Wright and John F. Kennedy, he went on to serve the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tullahoma, TN for 25 years and was honored as minister emeritus upon retirement. He was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in 1977 and served in this position for ten years, the last two years as Secretary of the Board. His hobbies included canoeing and astronomy. Survivors include his wife, Sue Anderson Male of Murfeesboro, TN, three daughters, two step-children, his sister and brother. He also leaves three grandchildren and four step-grandchildren.

Sue Male died on May 14, 2022 at the age of 89. Her husband was the Rev. Don Male, who predeceased her.

Sue was born on Jan. 27, 1933 in Knoxville to her parents, Marie and Carl Anderson. Sue graduated from Knoxville High School in 1950. In 1952, while at UT Knoxville, she met and married John S.G. Williams. They had two children, Jennifer Williams Nourse and Carl Edward Parsons Williams. In 1957, she and John and Jennifer moved to Tullahoma. Divorced in 1967, Sue remarried in 1971 to “the love of her life,” Donald W. Male, and moved nearby to Manchester. 

Sue was passionate about social justice issues, beginning initially as a volunteer for philanthropic organizations and political campaigns that met her social justice values. She proudly stated she was the “first white woman to join the local NAACP in the county” and played a role in typing up newsletters for the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Sue also helped to establish the first chapter of the National Organization for Women in the region. 

During the late 1960s, Sue began work as an advocate for the founding of and administrator for the first Multi-County Mental Health Center. Moreover, Sue played a major role in establishing the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tullahoma, a church associated with progressive issues. Sue and Don also aided in financing the Unitarian Universalist Camp, the Mountain Retreat, in Highlands, NC. 

Don’s three children, Sherry, Connie, and Peggy, and Sue’s two children enjoyed stays at “The Mountain.” In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, Sue served as a UUA trustee representing the Southeast (TJ District).

In 1985, Sue completed her B.A. in urban planning at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN. She graduated magna cum laude, finding employment as a city planner for Rutherford County in Murfreesboro, including speaking on television about urban issues. Later, Sue accepted a position as a paralegal for the David Bolin Law firm in Smyrna.

During her final years as a widow, Sue moved to Richmond, VA, where her daughter, Jennifer, lives. Despite her declining health, Sue was still able to calculate arithmetic problems and work her daily crossword puzzles up until the last weeks of her life. Sue will be remembered for her kind heart, her determination and intelligence, and her love of family and friends. 

She is survived by children, Jennifer Williams Nourse, PhD., Richmond, VA; Carl Edward Parsons Williams, Spartanburg, SC; Sherry Male, Nashville, TN; Peggy Male Lenny, Indian Rock Beach, Florida; Connie Male Wilson, Cookeville, TN; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. 

A memorial service for Sue will be held in Knoxville at the Unitarian Universalist Church on June 4, 2022 at 2 p.m. where her remains will be interred next to her husband, Donald Warren Male. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tullahoma, TN, PO Box 331, Tullahoma, TN 37388. UURMaPA will donate $50 to the UU Church of Tullahoma in her memory. 

Notes of condolence can be sent online.

Betty Maloney died Feb. 2, 2022 when, although fully vaccinated, she succumbed to COVID. She was the widow of Rev. Thomas J. Maloney.

She was born June 8, 1923, in Boston MA, to Walter and Elizabeth (Zepfler) Gartner. She attended Needham schools. Betty’s childhood summers were spent at her grandfather’s beach cottage in Minot on Boston’s south shore. Her fondest memories later in life were of Minot. She was a graduate of Middlebury College VT, with a major in economics; received an M.A. in Economics from Columbia University; and later an M.A. in Education from Southern Illinois University.

She married fellow Needham High graduate Thomas J. Maloney in 1948, a man possessed with Wanderlust. Tom completed degrees from Northeastern; the University of Colorado in Boulder; a Divinity degree from Harvard; and a PhD in Sociology/Anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis. In the year that Tom and Betty spent in Boulder, they became active in the Unitarian Fellowship (the first fellowship chartered by the American Unitarian Association) and welcomed their first daughter, Susan. Daughter Greta was born in Massachusetts; Lisa, was born in Davenport IA; and son Thomas Jefferson was born in Quincy IL.

Tom served ministries in Davenport IA; Quincy IL; and Boulder CO. He also taught Anthropology and sociology in Boulder; in Las Vegas NM; at Southern Illinois University; and started the Anthropology Dept. at Ripon College WI.

In Boulder, beyond raising four children, Betty was active in the League of Women Voters, Shares In the Future (anti-nuclear weapons), and library services to Boulder County. She helped obtain funding for a bookmobile and volunteered with the librarian. She was president of the League of Women Voters. In 1967 the family moved to Ripon, WI, where Betty was a fifth- grade teacher. In Edwardsville IL, she worked as a reading tutor.

In Edwardsville Betty really came into her own in community service: the Human Relations Commission, the Edwardsville Township Community Improvements Corporation, and the Historic Preservation Commission. Maloney counted the months of her service in Edwardsville with bricks from demolished buildings. “Oh, dear,” she would say, “this was a three brick month!”

She helped to create the N.O. Nelson Historic District, the Goshen Preservation Alliance, and Friends of the Edwardsville Public Library. She administered the Community Development & Rehabilitation Fund and oversaw surplus food programs for Edwardsville Township. She worked tirelessly for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and debated Phyllis Schlafly on the issue. She received the NAACP Award, the Women’s Award, and the Jefferson Award for Distinguished Public Service in the St. Louis area.

In 2005 her husband Tom, “the light of her life, left her.” In 2013 she moved to Balfour in Louisville to be closer to daughter Greta. In 2016, due to increasing dementia, Betty moved to The Academy at Bella Vista. In 2019 Betty lost her eyesight to glaucoma but remained engaged in the world. She was a trivia champion at Bella Vista, a lifelong gardener, an artist, and very interested in genealogy. For years she sent individually painted holiday cards and cards with pressed flowers. As family historian, she compiled numerous books on branches of her family.

Betty is survived by her sister, Louise Birkhead of Slingerlands NY; daughters, Susan Thomae (Edmundo) of Mexico City; Greta Maloney (Bob Palaich) of Boulder CO; and Lisa Maloney Hahn (Dan Maloney Hahn) of Groton NY; her son, Tom (Jeff) Maloney (Lori) of Worden IL; seven grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Donations in Betty’s memory can be made to:

The League of Women Voters (https://www.coloradogives.org/LWVColorado) The Madison County Historical Society (https://madcohistory.org/joindonate) or the Poudre River Public Library (https://www.poudrelibraries.org/donate)

The Rev. Dr. Thomas J. Maloney, 82, died May 6, 2005. He served congregations in Davenport, IA; Quincy, IL; and Boulder, CO. During World War II he served in both Army and Marine Corps. From 1957-1962, he was concurrently part-time minister for the Unitarian Fellowship in Boulder, CO, and instructor of anthropology at the U. of Colorado. He was later assistant professor at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, and professor of anthropology at Ripon College and at Southern Illinois University. He is survived by Betty, his wife of 57 years; four children, Susan of Mexico City, Mexico; Greta of Boulder, CO; Lisa of Groton, NY; and Thomas J. of Worden, IL; and seven grandchildren.

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 Reverend Dr. Ray Manker—parish minister, passionate civil libertarian, defender of freedom and equality—died on 16 December 2018, aged 93, after a lengthy decline. With his spouse Gretchen, Ray was instrumental in securing land and founding two wilderness camps for UU families and young people: Camp de Benneville Pines in the San Bernardino mountains of California and the Sierra Ancha Wilderness Retreat in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest.

Ray was active in an astonishing range of UU and social justice causes: defending targets of McCarthyism, marching at Selma, draft and abortion counseling, an early officiant at same-sex weddings, civil disobedience against nuclear testing, and much more. He received multiple awards for service in these activities and was recognized by Starr King School with an honorary S.T.D. in 1974.

Raymond George Manker was born on 6 April 1925 in Santa Monica CA to the Rev’d Charles C. G. Manker and Annie Marie Fehn. He earned a B.A. in 1945 from the College of Mines and Metallurgy (now University of Texas at El Paso) and then studied for Quaker ministry at The College of the Bible (now Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky), all the while developing unitarian leanings as he completed his B.D. in 1948.

Mr. Manker was ordained to Unitarian ministry on 13 July 1948 by Pilgrim Church (Congregational-Unitarian) in El Paso TX, where his father was pastor. In August 1949 he traveled with his father to Boston, where both were received simultaneously into ministerial fellowship with the American Unitarian Association.

After a year at the First Unitarian Church in Toledo OH (1949-50), he followed calls to the First Parish in Wayland MA (1950-55), the UU Church of Riverside CA (1955-63), and finally the UU Congregation of Phoenix AZ, serving there from 1963 until retirement in 1990, when the Phoenix congregation named him minister emeritus.

Ray is survived by his wife Gretchen, children Katherine, Raymond Jr., Susan, and David, four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

The Rev. Ronald “Ron” D. Marcy died on January 4, 2024, at the age of 87 (1936-2024).

Ron is survived by his wife Judith (Klein) Marcy; his two children: Glenn Lawrence Blumberg, and Suzanne Lynn Marcy; sister Joan Allen; as well as his two nephews: Mark, and David Allen. He was preceded in death by his only grandchild, Emily Rose Blumberg.

Ron’s ashes will be laid to rest by his family this Spring in his beloved Palmer, Massachusetts.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of South County, 27 North Road, Peace Dale, RI 02879, for a Memorial Leaf in his honor for its Tree of Life; or The WARM Center, 56 Spruce Street, Westerly, RI 02891; or The Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County, 61 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. John N. Marsh died on June 6, 2021 at the age of 65.

John is survived by his father, John Milton Marsh; brother, Stephen (Laurie); sisters, Jane, Susan (Scott Jones); cousins, nieces, and nephews; and extended family. He leaves his wife, Alison; children, James, Aidan and Robin; and grandchildren, Daniel and Nina. He was predeceased by his mother Carol Newcomb Marsh.

A virtual memorial service will be held at 3 pm EST, on Sunday June 27, 2021 and will be livestreamed.

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.

Notes of condolences may be written here
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/wickedlocal-themariner/name/john-marsh-obituary?pid=199137113

A more complete obituary will follow.

The Reverend Suzanne Marsh, aged 55—parish minister, social activist, community leader, and interfaith advocate—died unexpectedly on 24 June 2016 after a heart attack, fall, and head injury from which she never regained consciousness.

Suzanne walked her talk, holding numerous volunteer positions before and during professional ministry. In her last pastorate (Church of the Desert, Rancho Mirage, CA), she was quickly recognized by interfaith colleagues as bringing “a unique perspective and contagious energy.” The Rev’d Kevin Johnson, a UCC minister in Palm Springs, praised her as “an out lesbian leading a major religious body in the Coachella Valley. That’s not small potatoes.”

Suzanne M. Marsh was born on 25 October 1960 to Betty and Neil Marsh. She was graduated from Laurel (Maryland) High School in 1978, earned a B.S. in business administration in 1985, and then had a successful career of more than 20 years with major accounting firms. In the early 2000s, Suzanne heard a call to ministry, completed work for her M.Div. at the

Pacific School of Religion in 2007, and was ordained in 2009 by the First Unitarian Church of San Jose, CA. She served UU churches in Pennsylvania and Idaho before her call to Rancho Mirage. She is survived by her partner and spouse of nearly 40 years, Nancy Pless, her mother Betty Gersh, and by numerous siblings, children, and others. A Celebration of Life on 27 August 2016 at her church in Rancho Mirage was led by the Rev’d Lindi Ramsden, Suzanne’s former minister.

Memorial donations are encouraged to organizations that Suzanne supported: the UU Justice Ministry of CA and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Susan Fromm Marshall, 86, widow of the Rev. Robert Marshall, died on June 28, 2008. She will be remembered for her remarkable intellect, wit and insight into the world around her. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 1944, where she met her husband, Harold Fromm, whom she married in 1946. She later married the late Robert Marshall, longtime minister of Birmingham Unitarian Church. For many years, Sue managed the Bloomfield Hills branch of Recording for the Blind. Her lifelong passion for knowledge continued at the University of Michigan Dearborn where she attended classes as part of the Senior Scholars program. She is survived by two daughters and a son, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Ric Masten

The Rev. Ric Masten, 78, died May 9, 2008 at his mountain home near Carmel, California. Dubbed a “troubadour minister,” he has been perhaps the only fellowshipped UU minister never to have graduated from seminary or college. He is perhaps best known for his hymn “Let It Be A Dance.” With his wife, Billie Barbara Masten, he toured the country giving concerts and he earned the distinction of preaching in more Unitarian Universalist churches – over five hundred in 49 states – than any other minister in history. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1999 and chronicled his battle with the disease in a series of poems, books and blog entries, which expanded his ministry to a new community, cancer survivor groups. He is survived by his wife.

Rosemary Matson

Rosemary Matson, 97, widow of the Rev. Howard Matson, died Sept. 27, 2014, at her home in Carmel, CA. She was a feminist, humanist and UU leader. She championed human rights, civil liberties and international peace.

Born September 20, 1917, in Geneva, Iowa, Rosemary grew up there and in Fort Dodge, Iowa, where she graduated from high school in 1936. In the late 1930s she attended Omaha University (now University of Nebraska, Omaha) and the University of California at Berkeley. At Berkeley she had her first experience as an activist, becoming an organizer for the Culinary Workers Union and joining a strike for higher wages for waitresses.

During the early 1940s, Rosemary lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where she protested discrimination against African Americans. She continued her activism after moving to Chicago in 1943, volunteering in the city’s first interracial recreation center. At one time she owned and operating a bookstore in Chicago’s Near North Side.

Rosemary Matson

In the early 1950s, Rosemary moved to Hawaii, where she was a community organizer for plantation workers and dockworkers and helped start a Honolulu chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Rosemary became an active Unitarian in Hawaii, embracing our commitment to social justice and interfaith dialogue. In 1952, she co-founded and served as first president of the First Unitarian Fellowship (now Church) of Honolulu. Early parishioners included Stanley and Madelyn Dunham, who took their grandson Barack Obama to the church’s Sunday school in the 1970s.
In 1955, Rosemary returned to Berkeley to work for the Pacific Coast Unitarian Council. She met the Rev. Howard Matson, a minister at the San Francisco First Unitarian Church. They married in 1957.

In 1962, Rosemary joined the staff of the Starr King School for the Ministry, a Unitarian seminary in Berkeley. She worked at Starr King until 1978, first as a fundraiser, then as an administrator. At Starr King, she became a passionate advocate for women in the ministry. She played a key role in winning approval of the Women and Religion Resolution at the 1977 UUA General Assembly in Ithaca, New York. The resolution called for UUs to examine the extent to which their religious beliefs influenced sex-role stereotypes and to “avoid sexist assumptions and language.” She later helped rid the denomination of sexist practices and promoted related rethinking of theology. Her motto: “We do not want a piece of the pie. It is still a patriarchal pie. We want to change the recipe.”

Active in United Nations organizations, she participated in international conferences on women in Copenhagen in 1980 and Nairobi in 1985. A committed pacifist, she co-founded a US-Soviet peace group in 1980 and helped organize and lead more than two dozen citizen diplomacy trips to the Soviet Union.

Both Rosemary and her husband Howard, who died in 1993, were dedicated proponents of human rights. Howard participated in the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, led by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Both Matsons worked closely with Cesar Chavez and other activists to promote farm worker rights. Chavez lived incognito at the couple’s Carmel Valley home for several months in 1970.

The Matsons received Monterey County ACLU’s Ralph B. Atkinson award for championing civil liberties: Howard in 1980, Rosemary in 1984. Rosemary received many other honors for her work for social justice, humanism, feminism, and international peace. In 2011, the Starr King School for the Ministry awarded her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

The Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, Harvard University, holds an extensive collection of Rosemary’s writings and research materials, documenting her involvement with UU groups and other organizations.

In addition to many devoted friends and admirers, Rosemary is survived by a brother, two nieces, seven nephews, and numerous grand nieces and nephews. Notes of remembrance may go to her nephew, Sam Thompson, 920 East Bay Dr. NE, #3D-102, Olympia, WA  98506. Thanks to Sam for providing UURMaPA with this obituary.

The Rev. David More Maynard died on November 22, 2023, at the age of 77 (1945-2023).

David is survived by his wife, Jane; four brothers; four children; and five grandchildren. A memorial service was held on Friday, December 8, 2023, at the First Unitarian Church of Portland, 1211 SW Main St., Portland OR.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Compassion & Choices or SOLVE Oregon. Notes of condolences may be written here.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Ron Mazur

The Rev. Dr. Ronald Michael Mazur, 78, died on January 17, 2013. He was 78 years old. Rev. Mazur was born in Boston, MA on May 14, 1934 to Bronislawa (Mikonowicz) and Michael Mazur. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Boston University in 1955. He went on to attain a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School in 1959. In 1986 he earned a Doctor of Education from the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality.

Ordained at the First Parish Church in Stow, MA in 1959, Rev. Mazur served as its minister from 1959-1964. From 1964-1965, he took a break from parish ministry and became the Executive Director of the Unitarian Christian Fellowship. From 1965-1970, he served as minister of The First Church of Salem, MA; and from 1968-1970 as chaplain of Salem State College. He served as the interim minister of the First Universalist Church of Essex, MA from 1971-1972, and then went on to serve as minister of the First Congregational Parish, Unitarian in Petersham, MA from 1973-1977; the Unitarian Universalist Society of the Daytona Beach Area in Ormond Beach, FL from 1990-1997; and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of St. Augustine, FL from 1998-2002. From 2002-2013, he served as community minister to the Ormond Beach, FL area.

His years as a minister made Rev. Mazur keenly aware of ethical and social issues in human sexuality. He became a certified sex educator and lectured and hosted seminars and workshops at a variety of institutions. He worked in private practice, specializing in sex counseling with both individuals and couples. From 1972-1989, he was coordinator and principal trainer of the Peer Sexuality Education Program as well as adjunct faculty member, Division of Public Health, School of Health Sciences, at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

During his career as a sexual health educator, Rev. Mazur wrote articles for publications ranging from Redbook to The American Journal of Public Health. With his wife, Sharon, he also self-published a monthly newsletter called Sexual Health and Relationships(SHAR). On the subject of human sexuality, Rev. Mazur wrote several books: Commonsense Sex: A Basis for Discussion and Reappraisal (Beacon Press, 1968); The New Intimacy: Open Ended Marriage and Alternative Lifestyles (Beacon Press, 1973); and About Your Sexuality: A Multimedia Sex Education Curriculum (Beacon Press, 1971). Rev. Mazur also served on the development team of the UUA’s About Your Sexuality curriculum for a number of years.

Rev. Mazur enjoyed boating, fishing, golf, tennis, music, reading and travel, and he developed several websites related to his fields of interest. During his retirement years, he wrote and published three more books:  Free Jesus; Liberate America (iUniverse, 2003); Christianity As Fairy Tale (iUniverse, 2006); and Mystery of the Jesus Family (2009).

In a remembrance of her husband, Sharon Dorfman wrote:

“The Ron I cherished was brilliant, passionate, exuberant, authentic, creative, generous, courageous, persistent, unconventional, and non-conformist. He was a compassionate listener and true friend. Ron was a visionary and champion of social justice, speaking his truth eloquently and striving to shape, in some small way, a better world. He lived his faith.”

Rev. Mazur is survived by his wife, Sharon Dorfman; daughter, MJ Mazur; son Nathan Mazur; sister, Marianne Damigella; and his loyal rescue pup, Jazmyn.

At Rev. Mazur’s request, there was no funeral or memorial service.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Sharon Dorfman at 1436 Sunningdale Lane, Ormond Beach, FL 32174.

The Rev. William Chester McCall III died on November 16, 2020 at the age of 72.

Chester is survived by his partner Kraig Jones; his sister, Bonnie Duplessis; his brother, Joseph A. McCall; and Darryl Matkins, his longtime chosen family.

A Celebration of Life for Chester is tentatively scheduled for January 16, 2021.

Condolences may be sent to Bonnie Duplessis, 4932 Norwich Pl., Newark, CA 94560 or to Darryl Matkins, 247 Daphne Way, East Palo Alto, CA,  94303. 

  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.

Jean Devine McGehee, 80, passed away on May 31, 2008 in Bluefield, WV. Born in Birmingham, AL, she was the daughter of George Joseph Devine and Pearl Casey. A graduate of Wilson College with a master’s degree from Jacksonville University, she was a lifelong teacher and college professor of English and an avid student of language. She was preceded in death by her husband of 44 years, the Rev. Charles White McGehee. Survivors include two sons, McGregor Scott McGehee of Boston, Mass., and Charles Stuart McGehee in Bluefield; three grandchildren. Dudley Memorial Mortuary of Bluefield, was in charge of arrangements.

Gordon McKeeman

The Rev. Dr. Gordon “Bucky” McKeeman, passionate Universalist, beloved mentor, devoted institutionalist, lover of life, of humanity, and of ministry, died peacefully at age 93 on December 18, 2013, at Madonna Towers, a Benedictine retirement and care facility in Rochester, Minnesota.

Through the living of his life, the wisdom of his words, and the gentleness of his spirit, Gordon touched the lives of untold numbers of laypeople and ministers.  Younger colleagues recall Gordon as “a kind of spiritual grandfather” (Amy Zucker Morgenstern) and as a Universalist “ancient of days, as bright and new as our most recent breath” (James Ishmael Ford).  Honored by the Conference in Berry Street as its essayist for 1993, he said:

“We are lovers; we say Yes to each other, Yes to life—to more and more of life—to its brevity, its grief, its disappointments, to its possibilities, its magnificence, its glory.  We quarrel because we glimpse further possibilities—the non-sense—and wish to lay claim to it.  We remember death, and that life is brief, and that the time for love is now and more is possible—one more step toward the holy.  It is to know the peace that passes understanding and that there is no peace.  It is to love others as they are, warts and all, and to believe that more is possible, and to bespeak that wanting.  It is to pray “Give us this day our daily bread” and to know that we do not live by bread alone.  It is to remember death, and to love life and to accept them both as holy.”

Gordon Butler McKeeman was born in Lynn, Mass, on September 12, 1920, to William Neil and Lena Mabel (Goodridge) McKeeman. He graduated from Lynn English High School in 1938 and from Salem State College with a B. S. in Education in 1942.  On Nov. 5, 1944, in Lynn, Mass., Gordon wedded Phyllis Bradstreet.  He went on to receive his ministry degree in 1945 from the Universalist School of Religion at Tufts University. In 1969 he was granted an honorary doctorate by Meadville Lombard Theological School.

Mr. McKeeman was first called to serve All Souls Universalist Church of Worcester, Mass, 1944-1950, where he was ordained in 1945.  He went on to the First Parish Universalist Church of Stoughton, Mass, 1950-1955, St. Paul’s Church of Palmer, Mass, 1955-1961, and then the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron, Ohio, 1961-1983, where he was named Minister Emeritus.  In 1983, he accepted the invitation to serve as President of Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California, doing so faithfully until 1988.

The Humiliati

Deeply committed to Universalism, he was a charter member of The Humiliati (the humble ones), a group of Tufts students and alumni formed in 1945, whose vision “stressed that human beings are impelled, not compelled, by the power of God to fulfill the good potential of their lives. The impulse toward wholeness in humanity is predisposed to good, though it can be weakened or distorted by chaos and conflict. Authentic worship keeps it alive and restores its integrity.” When the group disbanded in 1954, members elected Mr. McKeeman as their lifetime Abbot. With others of The Humiliati, he then joined The Fraters of the Wayside Inn. This ministerial study group, founded by Universalist ministers in 1903, expanded, after Universalist and Unitarian consolidation, to include ministers with Unitarian and combined ordination. Gordon advocated for admission of women to the group, a step finally realized in 1989. In his later years, Gordon treasured mementos and memories of his years with The Fraters and reflected wistfully upon being the last living member of The Humiliati.

During his years in parish ministry, the Rev Mr. McKeeman engaged in civic life with zeal. He held various offices on the Unity Community Council, served on the board of the Akron Rotary Club, founded the Fair Housing Contact Service, and founded the Planned Parenthood chapter of Akron. He also served on the adjunct faculty at the University of Akron.

Heavily invested in and committed to Universalist tradition and institutions, Gordon McKeeman served as Vice President of the Massachusetts Universalist Convention, and President of the Massachusetts Universalist Ministers’ Association. At Ferry Beach he and his wife Phyllis served as youth leaders. After moving to Ohio, he served as the President of the Ohio-Meadville District, Vice President and President of the UU Service Committee, and Vice Moderator of the UUA Board of Trustees. The Rev. Mr. McKeeman received the Angus H. MacLean Award from the Unitarian Universalist Association in 1982. He and Phyllis were jointly honored with the UUA Distinguished Service Award in 1993.

Gordon McKeeman placed high value on lay ministry. The Ohio Meadville District’s Commissioned Lay Leader program is an outgrowth of his grounding in Universalism and his understanding of the importance of lay leadership that emerges from within congregations, nourished through well-informed and intentional training. But he could look with wry humor on some of the absurdities of professional ministry. In speaking to colleagues on the 50th anniversary year of his ordination, he offered to sum up his ministry in three numbers:  books read since graduation from seminary – 738; books purchased over that same time – 2155; books told by parishioners that he “must read” – 6784 (not exact numbers but the gist is accurate).

The Rev Dr. McKeeman’s presidency of Starr King School for the Ministry afforded him the opportunity to reflect more deeply on the manifold richness and meanings of ministry. In a booklet of meditations, Out of the Ordinary, he wrote a reflection on Ministry:

“Ministry is a quality of relationship between and among human beings that beckons forth hidden possibilities; inviting people into deeper, more constant more reverent relationship with the world and with one another; carrying forward a long heritage of hope and liberation that has dignified and informed the human venture over many centuries; being present with, to, and for others in their terrors and torments, in their grief, misery and pain; knowing that those feelings are our feelings, too; celebrating the triumphs of the human spirit, the miracles of birth and life, the wonders of devotion and sacrifice; witnessing to life-enhancing values; speaking truth to power; speaking for human dignity and equity, for compassion and aspiration; believing in life in the presence of death; struggling for human responsibility against principalities and structures that ignore humaneness and become instruments of death. It is all these and much, much more than all of them, present in the wordless, the unspoken, the ineffable. It is speaking and living the highest we know and living with the knowledge that it is never as deep, or as wide or a high as we wish. Whenever there is a meeting that summons us to our better selves, wherever our lostness is found, our fragments are united, our wounds begin healing, our spines stiffen and our muscles grow strong for the task, there is ministry.”

“I cherished every opportunity I had to be in conversation with Gordon,” recalls the Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, president of Starr King School from 1990 to 2014. “As he did for so many people, Gordon’s friendship, compassion, and counsel steadied me and nurtured my development. His theological depth was inspiring and his acerbic wit rescued me from many moments of despair!”

Gordon McKeeman’s influence on the shape and vision of Unitarian Universalist ministry endures with towering stature and gentle presence.

Phyllis and Gordon McKeeman

Gordon is survived by his wife of 69 years, Phyllis; sons, Bruce, Glenn, and Randall; four grandchildren; and sister, Gloria King. A memorial service was conducted by the Rev. Dr. Carol Hepokoski on December 29, 2013, at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester, Minnesota.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, the McKeeman Fund at Starr King, or to a charity of donor’s choice.

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

Margo McKenna

The Rev. Margo McKenna, a lifelong seeker whose religious restlessness led her from social work to ministry, from Seventh-day Adventism to Unitarian Universalism, from Christianity to skepticism and thence back to a reconsidered theism, and whose torments drove her from doubt to hope and finally to despair, died sadly by her own hand on 16 February 2014 at age 53.

As a parish minister, Margo McKenna was radically welcoming and inclusive in a congregation whose political diversity required greater sensitivity than many UU ministers are called upon to exercise. With dedicated pastoral presence, she worked valiantly among her parishioners in the aftermath of the terrible wildfires that swept through interior San Diego County in October 2007, nearly destroying her church. One colleague who came to give her weekend relief recalled that “she was both exhausted and utterly gracious to me and to all those who came to church that Sunday.”

Her sister Marlene recalls that Margo never met a person who didn’t like her almost immediately: “Whenever we went shopping together for clothes, she would always have a crowd of women around her in the dressing room asking her opinion their selections. These were, of course, people she had never met before.”

Margo Rae Mattson was born in Toronto on 22 November 1960, one of four children of Henry and Frieda Mattson. With her missionary parents, she grew up in Nigeria from age 2 until the family returned from Africa and settled in Michigan in the late 1960s. She was graduated from Andrews University (the “flagship” university of the Seventh-day Adventists in the far southwest Michigan town of Berrien Springs) with a Bachelor of Social Work in 1983 and then studied for some time at Loma Linda University before responding to a ministerial call, transferring to Princeton Theological Seminary, and earning her M.Div. there in 1988.

Female clergy were controversial in Seventh-day Adventism (SDA), and Margo served associate ministries, without ordination, at Paradise Valley SDA Church of San Diego (1988-89), at Tierrasanta SDA Church of San Diego (1989-93), and at Garden Grove SDA Church (1994-98), where on 6 July 1996 she was finally one of the first women to receive SDA ordination. Meanwhile, around that time, a ten-year marriage to Larry Pitrone ended in divorce, whereupon Margo adopted “McKenna” as a new surname, affirming a strong sense of connection to her Irish heritage.

In 1998 the Rev. Ms. McKenna left Seventh-day Adventist ministry and began exploring Unitarian Universalism. She served as the Director of Religious Education at the UU Church of Riverside, California (1999-2000). After receiving UUA ministerial fellowship in November 2000, she was called to the pulpit of Chalice UU Congregation of Escondido, California, in 2001, and served there until 2010. During that ministry, she met and married Tom Brower, with whom she led district workshops on creative responses to political diversity in UU congregations. They were legally separated in 2013.

Margo McKenna and a sister

Leaving parish ministry 2010, Margo spent her last years as a social worker in hospice settings throughout Southern California, while pursuing various creative arts. “She loved drawing, painting, sculpting, and photography,” recalled her sister Marlene. “She was an artist at heart.” From an early age she also enjoyed hiking and mountain climbing. The photo at right shows Margo with her sister Marlene in their late teens after they had just hiked the Bright Angel Trail on the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

In both Seventh-day Adventist and Unitarian Universalist ministries, Margo’s conviction of religion as a cooperative force for social good and equality was lived out in her many commitments to public and interfaith work. She founded the Women Ministers Association (SDA) in 1988, and served presidencies of the North Park Christian Service Agency of San Diego in 1990 and of the North Park Ecumenical Ministerial Association in 1991. She was co-organizer of the Orange County Interfaith Council in 1995 and a member of the Orange County chapter of the National Conference Commission on Justice from 1995 to 1998. She maintained membership with the National Association of Socially Responsible Organizations, the National Organization for Women, and later, the Liberal Religious Educators Association and the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association. Colleagues remember Margo arriving at ministerial gatherings with her tiny and much beloved canine companion, Gita, peeking out of the top of her purse or from inside her jacket.

Margo is survived by sisters Melodie Mattson-Bell and Marlene Harris, a brother, Morris Mattson; her mother, Frieda Mattson, and eight nieces and nephews. A memorial service was held on 15 March 2014 at the Chalice UU Congregation in Escondido, California. Margo was remembered as “very outgoing” and “loved by everyone,” and described by a sister as “a beautiful person” who was “a blessing to so many people.”

Memorial donations are encouraged to Heifer International, 1 World Ave, Little Rock, Arkansas 72202.

The Reverend Don McKinney—longtime parish minister, lifelong advocate for civil rights, humanitarian causes, death with dignity, and racial justice—died on 1 October 2017, aged 90.

In the late 1960s the Rev’d Mr. McKinney served as co-chair (with David Parke) of FULLBAC (Full Recognition and Funding of the Black Affairs Council) and his Brooklyn church housed the FULLBAC headquarters.

He recalled the vote of the 1968 Cleveland General Assembly to fund BAC at $1 million as “the single most wonderful moment in my professional life.” After that funding was reduced, Don led his Brooklyn church as the first of six UU congregations to withhold their contributions to the UUA in protest, saying, “If we hope to save our denomination from destroying itself and its historic new thrust in the racial crisis we must act, and act now.”

Donald William McKinney was born 9 June 1927 in Manchester, New Hampshire, to Victoria R. and William L. McKinney. He grew up active in religious education and youth groups at the First Congregational Society, Unitarian (now UU), of Bridgewater, MA, during his father’s long pastorate there (1927–57). After a year in the U.S. Army, Don earned a B.A. in Social Relations at Harvard College in 1949 and an S.T.B. from Harvard Divinity School in 1952, and was forthwith ordained by his home congregation on 8 June 1952.

The Rev’d Mr. McKinney served the First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn, NY, for 40 years (1952–92). On retirement the congregation named him Minister Emeritus. A smaller worship and social space, adjacent to the church’s main sanctuary, is now named the Donald W. McKinney Chapel.

At the time of Don’s death, survivors included his spouse of over 60 years, Julie L. McKinney, children Bruce B. McKinney of San Francisco and Barbara McKinney Sow of Yaoundé, Cameroon (grandchildren Omar and Adama Sow).

The Rev. Kent McKusick died on June 4, 2024, at the age of 72 (1952-2024).

Kent is survived by his spouse James Perrin; brother John McKusick; and nieces Amy O’Connel, Lisa Levasalmi, and Diane Wiley Czarnick.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on August 15, 2024, at the UU Society of Bangor, 120 Park St, Bangor ME 04401.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the local theater where you live. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be sent to James Perrin at james.d.perrin@gmail.com or 5509 Wiltshire Dr, Fort Worth, TX  76135.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. Thomas D. McMullen, 76, died Feb. 26, 2008 in Tallahassee, FL. He was a graduate of Florida State University School of Music. He served in the Air Force as instructor of music theory and conductor of the Strategic Air Command Chorus. In Bradenton/Sarasota he was conductor, teacher of brass instruments, music store owner, and publisher. In midlife, he earned a D Min. at Meadville and served UU Churches in Studio City, CA; Plandome, NY; and Orlando, FL. He recently worked at the Florida Dept. of Elder Affairs. Family include his wife, Barbara Stansell; two sons, Tom McMullen of Tallahassee and Nathan McMullen of Nantucket, MA; and two grandchildren. A service was held March 17 at Goodwood Museum and Gardens, Tallahassee.

The Reverend Matthew McNaught — pastor, teacher, scholar, and religious pilgrim — died on 23 August 2015, aged 77.

Matthew absorbed a love of spirituality and liturgy from his grandmother, and later he preached on “the strangely formative influence of his early childhood where the singing of simple hymns created a lasting effect on [my] life and adult experience.” But he found the dour theology of Scottish Presbyterians rather less appealing. Restlessness led him first to England, to priesthood in the Anglican Church, and then to America, where he found his final professional home in Unitarian Universalist ministry. The Rev. John Manwell remembers him as “always a gracious colleague [with] a reputation both for faithful pastoral ministry and for thoughtful scholarship.”

Love of his native Scotland never left Matthew. Shortly after arriving in America, Matthew found his new city of Pittsburgh to have “a lot in common” with his native Glasgow: “Lots of steel, lots of character, lots of Presbyterians and some perfectly beautiful hills around the city.” Members of the Towson UU Church fondly recall the Scotland tour that Matthew led for them. His Scottish roots were remembered at his memorial service at the Towson church with the traditional “Skye Board Song.”

Mr. McNaught was passionate about adult religious education, and he helped build strong and vibrant programs within the congregations that he served. In the late 1990s, he lectured at John Hopkins University on “The History of Liberal Protestantism,” and on “The Interface of Religion and Psychology.” He also led seminars on “The Quest of the Historical Jesus” and “The Theology of Soren Kierkegaard,” among many others.

Matthew McDonald McNaught was born in Glasgow on 15 November 1937. After military service, during which he joined the Anglican Church, he took a B.A. at Oxford University in 1962 and a Diploma in Theology from Wells Theological College in 1964, receiving ordination the same year. He served two Anglican parishes over the next few years, meanwhile earning an M.A. from Oxford in 1967. Now married to Anna Bennett, whom he had met as an American student in Glasgow, he moved with her to Pennsylvania and served briefly (1969-71?) as rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in the Fields in Gibsonia (near Pittsburgh) as well as on the Board of Examining Chaplains of the Pittsburgh diocese, ironically all the while “struggling with his vocation” and eventually renouncing his Anglican orders.

With brief study at Meadville Lombard Theological School, the Rev. Mr. McNaught received ministerial fellowship with the UUA in 1972 and began a year of interim parish service at the Redhill Universalist Church of Clinton, NC. Accepting a call the next year to the Community Church (UU) of New Orleans, he was ordained again, now under UU auspices, and continued as their minister until 1979. Subsequent calls led to ministries at the First Unitarian Church of Austin, Texas (1979-88) and the Towson UU Church, Lutherville, Maryland (1988-98). There he was named Minister Emeritus upon early retirement, after which he pursued interim ministries: the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale (1998-99); King’s Chapel in Boston (1999-2001); the Unitarian Society of Germantown (Philadelphia, 2001-02); the Unitarian Universalists of the Chester River (Chestertown, Maryland, 2002-04); and the UU Congregation of Sterling, Virginia (2005-07).

During his parish ministries Matthew McNaught served the UUA and UUMA in various capacities. He was program director of the Southwest UU Summer Institute in 1979; secretary of the Southwest UUMA chapter in 1981 and its president in 1982-83; member of the UUMA’s Committee on Continuing Education in 1988; and Minister in Residence at the 1993 Star Island Arts Conference. Community service included chaplaincy at the Orleans Parish Prison (1977-78) and the Bastrop Federal Corrections Institution (1983-86); Unit Chair of the League of Women Voters (1977-79); and Chair of the Community Advisory Councils for New Orleans Public Schools in 1979. In Maryland, Matthew served as President of the Maryland CRC and President of the Towson Ministers Association. He worked with Maryland Against Handguns and cofounded the Maryland Interfaith Conference on Affordable Housing.

Matthew outlived a son Douglas, who died of colon cancer. He is survived by his wife, Anna Bennett McNaught, and a son, Mark Bennett McNaught.

A memorial service was conducted by the Rev. Clare Petersberger at the Towson UU Church on 14 September 2015.

Memorial contributions are encouraged to Smile Train, an international children’s charity that offers cleft lip and palate surgery to children in developing countries. This charity has enabled doctors in 85+ developing countries to provide 100%-free surgery in their local communities.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Anna McNaught, 742 East Lake Ave, Baltimore, Maryland 21212; or to Mark McNaught, 15 Residence Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, 35000 Rennes, France.

The Rev. Dr. Denis G. Meacham died on March 20, 2019, at the age of 76.

Denis is survived by his daughter Kate Langevin (Paul), son Sam Meacham, grandsons Ethan and Brandon Langevin, and sister Pam Hutcherson (Barry Thompson). He was preceded in death by his wife Janet Harper.

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

A celebration of Denis’s life was held on May 11, 2019 at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House in Chatham, MA.

A more complete obituary will follow.

The Reverend Alexander “Scotty” Meek—beloved parish minister and devoted institutionalist, who made an influential career of interim ministry in his later years—died on 24 September 2018, aged 89.

Alexander Meek, Jr. was born on 10 June 1929 in Andover, Massachusetts, to Rolina and Alexander Meek, Sr. He was graduated from Tufts University (MA) in 1956 with an A.B. in Sociology and earned his S.T.B. from Tufts’ Crane Theological School in 1959.

Mr. Meek was ordained on 14 June 1959 at the First Universalist Church in Stafford, CT, where he served as minister (1957–59). Parish settlements followed at the First Universalist Church of Orange, MA (1960– 63), the UU Church of Greater Lynn, MA (1964–73), and the First UU Church of Rochester, MN (1973–83). He then served as the UUA’s Pacific Southwest District Minister (1983–87) and on departure was named the district’s minister emeritus.

Drawn back to the parish, Scotty embarked on a series of significant interim ministries: in Tucson, AZ; Wausau, WI; Fort Worth, TX; Kansas City, MO; and Brooklyn, NY. After a two-year “retirement” break, he resumed his interim work in Houston, TX, in Chandler and Green Valley, AZ, and finally in Little Rock, AR. The Rev’d Mr. Meek was named to emeritus status by two of his interim congregations: Green Valley in 2000 and Little Rock in 2004.

Scotty’s work for the wider UU movement was deep and broad—most significantly chairing the UUA Ministerial Fellowship Committee, plus long service as trustee and president for the Ferry Beach Park Association. Scotty was particularly proud, as late as 2014, of having attended his 53rd consecutive UU General Assembly, going back to 1962.

At his death Scotty was survived by his wife of 62 years, Dorothy, two children (Stevan and Sheralyn), and four grandchildren (Jordan, Mason, Sasha and Zoe). Memorial donations are encouraged to the Ferry Beach Park Association, Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Chandler, AZ, the UUA, or to a charity of one’s own choice.

The Rev. Erinn Melby died on May 18, 2019 at the age of 70.

Erinn is survived by her children Hans Melby, Bjorn Melby, Anna (Melby) Strain; and her aunt Joanne (McNellis) Kavanaugh.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to TRUUST (Transgender Religious Professional UUs Together) as well as to the American Cancer Society UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

A celebration of Erinn’s life will take place at 2 pm on Saturday, July 27th, 2019 at the UU Church of Davis, 27074 Patwin Rd, Davis, CA 95616.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Anna Strain at 8805 Acadia Road, St. Paul, MN 55125.

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

Jack Mendelsohn

The Rev. Dr. Jack Mendelsohn, 94, died on October 11, 2012. Rev. Mendelsohn was born in Cambridge, MA on July 22, 1918 to Jack and Anna (Torrey) Mendelsohn. Rev. Mendelsohn attained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston University in 1939. He then went on to earn a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from Harvard Divinity School in 1945. He received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1962.

Rev. Mendelsohn was ordained by the Beverly Unitarian Church in Chicago, IL on October 28, 1945. He was called to the Unitarian Church in Rockford IL and served there from 1946-1954. He then went on to serve the All Souls Unitarian Church in Indianapolis, IN from 1954-1959. Rev. Mendelsohn was called to the Arlington Street Church in Boston, MA and served there from 1959-1969. The years 1969-1978 found him working at the First Unitarian Society of Chicago until he moved his ministry to the First Parish in Bedford, MA where he served from 1979-1988. Rev. Mendelsohn retired and began his next career as an interim minister at the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara. He served there from 1990-1991, and then found himself back in the northeastern United States at the Community Church of Boston, where he served from 1991-1993. He served as an interim minister from 1993-1994, and for the last time, at the First Parish Church in Beverly, MA. In 1988, he was named Minister Emeritus of the First Parish in Bedford.

Rev. Mendelsohn’s lifetime of community activities and accomplishments were vast and impressive. He served as president of the following: the Urban League of Greater Boston, Boston’s Foundation for Housing Innovations, the Binder Schweitzer Foundation, Hyde Park and Kenwood Council of Churches and Synagogues, Chicago’s Alliance to End Repression, and the Abraham Lincoln Centre. He was the president and CEO of the Civil Rights Project, Inc.; and the grant administrator of *Eyes On The Prize*, an award-winning public television series on the civil rights movement. He served as director of the following: the Housing and Planning Association of Metropolitan Boston, the International Institute of Boston, and Chicago’s Center for Psychotherapy and Religion.

Heavily invested in and committed to the denomination, Rev. Mendelsohn served as: a member and an officer of the Board of Directors for the Western Unitarian Conference; vice-president of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee; chairman of the board of Beacon Press; vice-chairman of the Unitarian Universalist Black Affairs Council; chairman of the UUA’s Program Committee; chair of the UUA’s Channing Bicentennial Celebration Committee; chair of the UUA Committee on Urban Concerns and Ministry; and president of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (UUMA). He was also once a candidate for the presidency of the UUA; a founding member of the Association for Liberal Religious Studies (Collegium); a consultant for the Cambridge Forum; the only male member of the UUA Committee on Women and Religion; and an adjunct faculty member at Meadville Lombard Theological School. In 1997, he received the UUA Distinguished Service Award.

Long active in civil rights and political matters, Rev. Mendelsohn made headlines when he conducted the Vietnam War Resistance service at Arlington Street Church in Boston in 1967. He also served as an advisor on religious questions to his friend and fellow UU, Adlai Stevenson; and, in 1968, he served on the campaign staff of Robert F. Kennedy. In 1979, an old friend and colleague, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, asked Rev. Mendelsohn to accompany him on his trip to the Middle East to meet with Yasser Arafat. 15 years later in 1984, he once again travelled with Rev. Jackson to Syria to attend negotiation talks with Syrian President Hafez Assad.

At the 1969 UUA General Assembly, Rev. Mendelsohn came to the microphone on a point of personal privilege following a critical close vote on agenda priority for funding of the Black Affairs Council. He stated that he was leaving the floor of the Assembly and going across the street to Arlington Street Church to contemplate what had happened. This gesture triggered a mass walkout of many Assembly delegates and the ensuing negotiations that resulted in re-consideration of the black empowerment agenda.

A prolific and engaging writer on the subject of liberal religion, Rev. Mendelsohn was the writer of many denominational pamphlets and magazine articles. He also published seven books: Why I Am A Unitarian (Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1960); God, Allah and Juju (Beacon Press, 1965); The Forest Calls Back (Little Brown and Co., 1965); The Martyrs: Sixteen Who Gave Their Lives for Racial Justice (Harper and Row, 1966); Channing: The Reluctant Radical (Little Brown and Co., 1971) and Being Liberal in an Illiberal Age: Why I Am a Unitarian Universalist (Beacon Press, 1964/Skinner House, 1995). Rev. Mendelsohn’s Why I Am books have provided thousands of people with their first in-depth introduction to Unitarian Universalism.

On the subject of “Immortality for Skeptics” in his seminal work, Being Liberal in an Illiberal Age: Why I Am a Unitarian Universalist, Rev. Mendelsohn wrote,

When we reason together about the truths and mysteries of life, there is one all-powerful reality: The humanity of which we are individual expressions is a product of the sense and nonsense of our forebears. We are the living immortality of those who came before us. In like manner, those who come after us will be the harvest of the wisdom and folly we ourselves are sowing. To let this reality permeate and drench our consciousness is to introduce ourselves to the grand conception of immortality which makes yearnings for some form of personal afterlife seem less consequential. So long as there is an ongoing stream of humanity I have life. This is my certain immortality. I am a renewed and renewing link in the chain of humanity. My memory and particularity are personal, transitory, finite; my substance is boundless and infinite. The immortality in which I believe affirms first and foremost my unity with humankind. My unity with humankind gives meaning to my desire to practice reverence for life. It is pride in being and pride in belonging to all being.

Rev. Mendelsohn is survived by his loving wife, Judith Frediani; son, Channing Mendelsohn; daughter, Deborah Mendelsohn; son, Kurt Mendelsohn; granddaughters, Olivia Jenkins and Hannah Kossow; step-son, Aaron Worth; step-daughter, Keilah Worth; and step-grandson, Luca Domingos-Worth.

A memorial service was held on Monday, November 12, 2012 at 1 p.m. at The First Parish in Bedford, 75 Great Rd., Bedford, MA 01730.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Judith Frediani at 51 Butler Ave., Maynard, MA 01754.

William Metzger

The Rev. Dr. William J. Metzger, 73, died January 30, 2010. He was a reporter and editor, who worked with migrant laborers in the Midwest. He was co-founder and partner in Adult Literacy and Training in Wisconsin and Chicago. Bill earned a BS in Journalism from South Dakota State University. Bill earned his M.Div. from the University of Chicago, and his D.Min. from Meadville Lombard. He served churches in OH, AL, NY, IL, TN, PA, and TX. He was founding editor of Quest Magazine for the Theosophical Society in America. He joined the professional interim ministry program for the UUA. He is survived by his wife, Diana Heath, his son, David Metzger and his daughter, Christine Dziawura, their spouses, three grandsons; and a sister. He was predeceased by his first wife, Sarah Castle.

Guy Meyer

The Rev. Guy Wheeler Meyer, 94, died in his sleep February 22, 2009. He was a graduate of University of Chicago and Meadville Theological School  He served the First Universalist Church in Stockton, IL, then worked as a labor organizer in New York City. A conscientious objector during World War II, he served in the Merchant Marines after the war. He served churches in RI, Arlington and Saugus, MA, and Newburgh, NY. He was an active voice for justice and civil rights. Guy hosted The Power of Love, a weekly radio program on KWMR in Point Reyes Station (CA) that featured people from all walks of life. He is survived by his partner of 34 years, Joyce Greenwood, his former wife, Verne M. Bell of Newburgh, NY, six children, ten grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.

The Reverend Ray Michel, beloved pastor of Congregational and Universalist churches in western Ohio for nearly 40 years, died on his 98th birthday, 18 October 2018.

Raymond Andrew Michel was born on 18 October 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Margaret (Broeker) and Raymond George Michel. He began working in a local steel mill but after some years yielded to a ministerial call.

After study at Bangor (Maine) Theological School, Ray took a parish position in western Ohio. He earned his B.A. at nearby Earlham College in 1949 and his B.D. from Bangor in absentia the next year.

Mr. Michel was ordained to the Congregational Christian ministry in Concord OH in 1949 and continued yoked ministry to nearby churches until 1953. He then moved to Covington OH (1954–58), but that ministry ended when divorce made continued service unacceptable.

For seven years Ray was a social worker and remarried in 1961. Moving in a more liberal direction and encouraged by his new wife, the Rev’d Mr. Michel secured ministerial standing with the UUA in 1964 and began yoked ministry to Universalist churches in Eldorado and New Madison OH, where he served until retirement in 1992 and was named minister emeritus.

At a retirement celebration, the Rev’d Bruce Lakin recalled, “Time and again I have seen Ray come preach to people who seemed without enthusiasm for life, without spirit, dead. But after Ray preaches to them, the dead arise! They go forth into the world, happier and nicer to those they encounter.”

At his death, Ray Michel was survived by children Gerard, Terence, and Judith, two stepchildren, several grandchildren and great grandchildren, and his domestic partner and caregiver of 15 years, Grace Wilcox.

A celebration of Ray’s life was held 10 November 2018. Memorial contributions were encouraged to the Hawker UCC memorial fund (Beavercreek OH) or to UURMaPA.

The Rev. Dr. Thomas J.S. Mikelson died on April 17, 2020, at the age of 84.

Thomas is survived by his wife Patricia Sheppard; son Dana Mikelson and his
partner, Michael Chase; son Joel Mikelson and his spouse, Frances
DeChoudens; daughter Kelly Mikelson and her spouse, Abraham Wickelgren;
daughter Arwen Duffy and her spouse, Sean Duffy; as well as his four
grandchildren: Maya Mikelson, Justin Wickelgren, Jack Duffy and James
Duffy. He was preceded in death by his mother Helen (Henry) Mikelson, and
his father Clarence Harvey Mikelson.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund, First Parish in Cambridge, 3 Church St, Cambridge, MA 02138.

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

A memorial service will be scheduled as circumstances allow at the First Parish in Cambridge. Burial will be private.

A more complete obituary will follow.

Orlaff Miller

The Rev. Orloff Miller, parish minister, AIDS counselor, veteran of the Selma march, tireless advocate for civil rights, and devoted husband and father, died on July 1, 2015, aged 83.

Orloff Miller was among the hundreds of religious leaders who traveled to Selma in March of 1965 in answer to the appeal from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. While there, on March 9, as he left Walker’s Cafe with UU ministerial colleagues James Reeb and Clark Olsen, the three were attacked and beaten by a group of white men. The Rev. Mr. Reeb died two days later. The attack gained nationwide attention, and served as one of the turning points in civil rights history.

Newspaper clipping of Clark Olsen and Orloff Miller from 1965

Interviewed as part of Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years (1954-1965), the Rev. Mr. Miller reflected back on the larger meaning of white northern presence in Selma that spring:

“I’ve been asked many times what business white clergy had in Selma, Alabama. What right did we have telling folks how they should run their lives? We not only had a right, we had a responsibility to be there because some of our family, our black brothers and sisters were not being treated fairly, and wherever people are not being given their fair shot at having a full and meaningful life we have a responsibility to do what we can to help change that. And if it means we have to argue with other brothers and sisters about that then we better get in there and argue about it. And help them to see that there is another way of living as one human family.

“Yes, I think white people had a responsibility, and white ministers especially had a responsibility to be in Selma, Alabama.” (http://digital.wustl.edu/e/eop/eopweb/mil0015.0841.069revorloffmiller.html)

Orloff Miller at 50th Anniversary of Selma Bridge Crossing 2015

Fifty years later, in March 2015, Mr. Miller returned to Selma to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march. His son, Orloff Garrik Miller, recalls, “By then [his] sense of balance was a problem, and we rented a wheelchair for the conference. The day of the reenactment of the march, [he] got up and walked across that bridge.”

Orloff Wakefield Miller was born on August 8, 1931 to the Rev. Lawrence Miller and Alice Miller. He received a B.A. from Mount Union College (now University of Mount Union) in 1953, and went on to earn a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology in 1956.

Mr. Miller was ordained by the Methodist Church in 1954, and served as minister to the Federated (Congregational) Church of Francestown (New Hampshire) from 1956 to 1959. He then left the Methodist ministry to serve for two years as Associate Director of the Liberal Religious Youth (LRY). After receiving Unitarian Universalist ministerial fellowship in 1961, he became the Director of the Office of College Centers of the UUA and staff advisor to Student Religious Liberals (1961-66) and then District Executive of the Mountain Desert District of the UUA (1967-70). Moving into parish ministry, he served All Souls UU Church of Colorado Springs (1968-72) and the UU Fellowship of San Luis Obispo, California (1973-79).

Marie (Reeb) Maher and Orloff Miller greet each other on the 50th anniversary of the Selma March

In the early 1980s Orloff felt called to respond to the national AIDS crisis. He entered a doctoral program at the Institute for Advanced Human Sexuality in San Francisco, working as a volunteer hospice coordinator and field secretary for the AIDS Interfaith Network and providing support to people with AIDS, and to their friends and families. F
or five years (1984-89) he served as minister and AIDS consultant to the UU AIDS Crisis Ministry in San Francisco. His son, Orloff Garrik Miller saw this as “the hardest work of Dad’s career. Few he assisted survived more than a few months.”

Throughout his ministry the Rev. Mr. Miller was active within the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association; the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee; and the UUA’s (former) Full Recognition and Funding of Black Affairs Council. In 1987 he received the Unsung Hero Award of the Pacific Central District of the UUA for his work in AIDS ministry.

Orloff moved to Germany in 1989, married Renate Bauer, and a year later their son, Glenn Erasmus Bauer, was born. Although he officially retired in 1991, the Rev. Mr. Miller began service as Minister-at-Large to the European Unitarian Universalists (EUU) in 1993. In a sermon and personal memoir for the UU Fellowship of Paris in 1993, he looked back on his childhood encounters with American racism and his experience in Selma. In 2000 he was accorded the title of Emeritus EUU Minister-at-Large. In retirement, Orloff enjoyed volunteering, traveling, and being a father to Glenn Erasmus.

Orloff Garrik Miller has fond memories of a childhood spent with his father. Together they camped, sailed, motorcycled, traveled to regional retreats and encounter groups, and in the early 1980s, they loaded a motorcycle with camping gear and rode from San Francisco to Oregon.

Renate remembers the ease with which Orloff made friends, and connected with people. “He found a way to bond with practically everyone,” she recalls. “He was dedicated to people, even at the end of his life. Even when he was not doing very well during the past two years, he made a point to call those who were worse off.”

Orloff Miller is survived by his wife, Renate Bauer, sisters Karen and Sandra, and children, Orloff Garrik Miller, Tanya Crete, and Glenn Erasmus Bauer. His life was celebrated in two memorial services in August 2015, one for his European family and friends at the Johannes-Ronge-Haus of the Freireligiösen Landesgemeinde Pfalz in Ludwigshafen and one for his American family and friends at the UU Church of Akron, Ohio.

Memorial donations are encouraged to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, 689 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139-3302.

The Reverend Jeanne Mills, for whom parish ministry was a late calling after a rich and multi-faceted life as an educator, environmental activist, and archivist, died on 2 February 2016 at the age of 73.

Frances Jeanne Melis was born 18 October 1942 to Francis Kenneth Melis and Frances Inez Esson Melis. She earned a B.A. from Bucknell University in 1963 and an M.Ed. from Columbia University in 1965. She taught English in South America (1965-

1967) as a Peace Corps volunteer, earned an MBA from Simmons College in 1983, and an M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School in 1997. Jeanne was ordained in 1997 by the Second Congregational Society (UU) in Nantucket (Mass) and spent the next thirteen years serving interim ministries in Nashville (Tenn), Midland (Mich), Tulsa (Okla), Chicago, Houston, Huntington and Schenectady (New York), Eugene (Oregon), and Savannah (Georgia), retiring from the parish in 2010.

Her sister Darleen remembers Jeanne as “a woman of great energy and interests who could accomplish much.” Family and friends remember her as an inspiring, caring and free-spirited person. Fellow Peace Corps Volunteer, Stephen Sheppard remembers, “Jeanne was the best of us. Giving, caring, unselfish. Her good, positive, energy became part of us all from the moment she came into our lives so many years ago. We miss her already.”
Jeanne is survived by two brothers, two sisters, two daughters, a grandson, and several nieces and nephews. A memorial service was held at the United Church of Dorset, Vermont, 5 March 2016. Memorial donations are encouraged to the Natural Resources Defense Council or the Knox County Humane Society in Rockland, Maine.

Christine Mitchell

Christine G. Mitchell, 77, spouse of Reverend James B. (Brad) Mitchell, died on Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, at her home in Brunswick ME. She was born Feb. 5, 1940, the daughter of Paul P. and Elinor (Jackson) Johnson.

She graduated from Stoughton High School in 1957, then completed a two-year course in retailing from Modern School of Fashion and Design. She earned a B.A. degree from Northeastern University in 1964, then entered St. Lawrence Theological School, completing a master’s degree in religious education at Crane Theology School of Tufts University in 1966.

Christine and Brad were married Sept. 9, 1966.

She worked in retail at R. H. Stearns Department Store in Boston, and for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in Washington, D.C. She was a librarian, first at Wessell Library of Tufts University, and later in Lisbon Falls, Maine, where she remained for 19 years. She also worked as a homemaker and ran her own child care business.

She was a lifelong member of Universalist churches, and most recently of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick. She sang in church choirs, taught religious education classes, and served on an Earth Care committee of the church. She also belonged to food cooperatives, a Brunswick book club, a memoir-writing group. She was a voracious reader.

A mother of two, she enjoyed parenting, being a grandparent, nature, gardening, and writing her memoirs.

Surviving her is her husband of 51 years, the Rev. James B. Mitchell, Minister Emeritus of the U. U. Church of Brunswick; a daughter, Rebecca Mitchell, and partner Luke Gottlieb, of Richmond, Calif.; a son, Ian Mitchell, of Brunswick; a grandson, Sebastian Mitchell, of Richmond, Calif.; three sisters, Priscilla Noyes, of Trenton, Maine; Virginia Miller, of Santa Fe, N.M.; and Linda Weaver, of Fort Collins, Colo.; two brothers, Paul P. Johnson, of Monmouth; and David M. Johnson, of Cape Cod, Mass.; and several nieces and nephews.

A Service of Remembrance will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick at a later date.

Condolences may be expressed to the family at: www.FuneralAlternatives.net.

Memorial donations may be made to the church at 1 Middle St., Brunswick, ME 04011.

Brad Mitchell

The Rev. James Bradbury “Brad” Mitchell, Minister Emeritus of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick, died April 25, 2020, after a long illness. He leaves behind family and many friends and parishioners who grieve the passing of this kindhearted and committed man. Brad was 80 years old.

Brad was born October 8, 1939, to Ruth (Seabury) Mitchell and James B. Mitchell of Barnstable, Massachusetts, where he spent his childhood roaming the coast and finding special natural settings that inspired his spiritual explorations. A lifelong Unitarian Universalist, he grew up in the Unitarian Church of Barnstable, where he discovered and began to cultivate a lifelong love of the church. Brad graduated from University of Massachusetts, Lowell, with a degree in music education. He taught music for two years at the Lexington Massachusetts Public Schools before he felt called to the ministry. That call drew him to Crane Theological School from which he graduated with a Masters in Divinity in 1969. While at Crane, he met his lifelong partner and wife, Christine Johnson Mitchell, whom he married at the Unity Unitarian Universalist Church of North Easton, Massachusetts, on September 9, 1966.

Brad was ordained to the ministry at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Barnstable, Massachusetts, in 1969. In the same year, he was called to the Unitarian Universalist Society of Laconia, New Hampshire, a small congregation where he sometimes played the hymns on the piano and organ, sang in the choir, and preached the sermon, all in the same service. He also directed a number of musicals at the community theater in Laconia. He served the Laconia congregation until 1979, when he was called to the East Shore Unitarian Universalist Church of Bellevue, Ohio. He served the East Shore community for seven years.

In 1986, Brad was called to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick, Maine, where he served for 19 years. He was known for the depth of his compassion, his commitment to justice, and his care for the earth.

Many remember how, when he listened to you, you had the feeling you were the only person in the world who mattered at that moment. He was known all around town, both within the congregation and without, as someone who would reach out to help in any way possible. While serving the Brunswick church, he was active in the Brunswick Area Interfaith Council, which started the Tedford Shelter for people experiencing homelessness. In Tedford’s early years, Brad often volunteered as part of the overnight staff.

Brad retired from the Brunswick church in 2005, but, discovering he was not quite “preached out” yet, he served the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor for 18 months as an interim minister. He later served the Brunswick church in many capacities, including archivist, author and publisher of an in-depth church history called People of the Liberal Fire, small group ministry facilitator, guest preacher, member of the Green Sanctuary Committee, member of the Bicentennial Task Force, and more.

Brad is remembered particularly for his love of the earth. His beautifully written sermons were infused with observations about and metaphors concerning the natural world. In addition, he was active in earth care advocacy. A lifelong organic gardener, Brad grew most of the vegetables his family ate all summer and fall.

Brad’s love of music was lifelong. Upon retirement, he sang in the Brunswick church choir, played piano for occasional services, and added his voice both to the Merry Meeting Singers and the Nor-easters Barbershop Chorus. In addition, he possessed a dramatic flair that the church frequently called upon when they needed to bring children’s stories to life.

In his free time, he worked as a family genealogist, compiling a history of both his own family and that of his wife’s family, as well. Through years of research, he traced both family lines all the way back to Charlemagne’s era. He also enjoyed cooking and baking. His specialty was pies. His children still remember all of the fresh berry and rhubarb pies he baked during their childhood.

Brad was equally at home preaching, singing, gardening, and holding signs in protest rallies. In recent years, he participated in many rallies on the Brunswick Mall, supporting marriage equality, earth care, women’s rights, Standing Rock, and more. Above all, he was the embodiment of kindness and compassion. Those who knew him remember him as encouraging and supporting, trustworthy and loving. He put people at ease right away and he drew out the good in everyone.

Brad was predeceased by his wife, Christine Johnson Mitchell. He is survived by his son Ian Mitchell of Brunswick, Maine; his daughter daughter Rebecca Mitchell, her partner Luke Gottlieb, and their children Judah Gottlieb, Asher Gottlieb, and Sebastian Mitchell of Richmond, California; and his brother and sister-inlaw, Douglas Mitchell and Christine Welsh of Brookline, Massachusetts.

Brad’s death, coming as it has in a time of pandemic, represents a challenge for memorializing him fittingly at the moment. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick will hold a celebration of his life On June 6, 2020 at 11:00 a.m.

Memorial contributions can be made to the church: UUCB, PO Box 129, Brunswick, ME 04011.

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

Obituary prepared by the Rev. Sylvia Stocker. An official UURMaPA obituary will follow.

The Rev. Kenneth “Ken” R. Mochel died on March 31, 2020, at the age of 86.

Ken is survived by his wife Audrey Mochel; and his two sons David Mochel and Jim Mochel.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Auburn UU Society, 607 N Seward Ave, Auburn, NY 13021-2107.

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

A memorial service is being planned.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Audrey Mochel at 13 Wood Street, Auburn, NY, 13021.

A more complete obituary will follow.

Eva Montoya

Eva G. Montoya, 67, wife of the Rev. Dale Arnink, died August 4, 2010, after years of combatting Parkinson’s disease, chronic back pain, and a recent painful fall. She had married her high school sweetheart, Ted Montoya, Jr. They divorced after 16 years of marriage. In 1986 she married Dale Arnink of Los Alamos, but retained the name of Montoya because it had become her business name. She has been a trained beautician in Santa Fe and had a successful and satisfying career in Los Alamos as a cosmetologist in several shops. She operated her own shop, Eva’s Hair Design, for 20 years until her retirement in 2000. She enjoyed travel and maintained a physically active life that included skiing, hiking, tennis, biking and scuba diving. She also enjoyed spending time with friends and family. She was preceded in death by her mother and by her youngest sister Ila. She is survived by her husband, Dale Arnink her father, Eberto, her sister Lillian and by her niece, nephew and their children, and a large extended family.

The Reverend Berkley Moore—environmental engineer, musical scholar and hymnodist, settled and peripatetic preacher, and versatile polymath—died in Springfield, Illinois, on 4 January 2018, aged 85. Berkley was known for his scholarly curiosity and broad knowledge, from history to genetics to religion, and particularly music. He composed hymns and was an active member of the Illinois shape note singing community.

Berkley Leroy Moore was born on 7 August 1932 in Youngstown, Ohio, to James Berkley Moore and Lillian V.B. Moore. He earned a B.S. from Grove City College (PA) in 1954. After three years in chemical engineering research, he enrolled at Harvard Divinity School, earning an S.T.M. in 1960.

Mr. Moore was ordained by the All Souls Unitarian Church in Windsor, VT, on 14 April 1961. He continued serving that church along with the nearby First Universalist Church of Hartland until 1965, when he took another yoked call to Minnesota UU congregations in Virginia and Duluth.

Leaving full-time settled ministry, Berkley moved to Springfield, IL, in 1970, and began working as an engineer for the state’s Environmental Protection Agency. But he joined Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln UU Congregation and soon informally assumed many ministerial roles—preacher, pastor, and priest—until the church formally settled a new minister in 1981. The church remembers the Rev’d Mr. Moore’s arrival as a “turning point” in its history. After 25 years of such membership and service, the congregation named him Minister Emeritus.

At his death, Berkley was survived by his former wife Kathryn VanBuskirk, their sons James and Erik, his former wife and longtime friend Barbara Moore, and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life was held on 10 February 2018 at the Abraham Lincoln UU Congregation. 

Camilla Chickering Moore, 63, wife of the Rev. H. Carlton Moore, died Dec. 11, 2004. In 1963, she joined the Peace Corps, and taught ESL in Ethiopia two years. She taught fifth grade in Acton, MA, before rearing her family, and later taught special education in Foxboro, MA. At Doolittle Home in Foxboro, she served as activities director before retiring in January 2005 due to illness. She was a member of the Unitarian Church in Norton, and its parish committee. She is survived by her husband; three daughters, Emily C. Minihane of Delaware; Rebecca M. Raymond, Franklin, MA; and Meredith M. Owens of North Attleboro; a sister, Morgan Chickering of Brookline, MA ; and two grandchildren.

The Rev. Herbert Carlton Moore, Jr. died on February 19, 2015, at the age of 80.

He is survived by his daughter, Emily C. Minihane (James), Rebecca M. Raymond (David), and Meredith M. Owens (James); sister, Carol MacLennan; and grandchildren, Lillian, Charlotte , Madeleine, John, Lydia, Alice, Cole and Mason. He is predeceased by his wife Camilla C .Moore; and son, Warren C. Moore.

A funeral service was held on Tuesday, February 24th at 11:00 A.M. at the Norton Memorial Funeral Home, 19 Clapp St., Norton, MA 02766.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Herbert are encouraged to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215 or to Daggett Crandall Newcomb Home, 55 Newland St. Norton, MA 02766.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Mrs. Emily Minihane, 15 Vine Street, Franklin, MA 02038.

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

Judy Moore

Judith Margaret (Manwell) Moore, 82, social worker, and widow of the Rev. Christopher Moore, died in Northampton, MA on December 16, 2016.

Judy grew up in Plattsburgh, NY.  Graduating from Oberlin College in 1956, she taught English for three years in Taiwan, then took her  MSW at the University of Chicago. She made a career as a social worker with children and families at the Salvation Army.

A birthright Unitarian, she joined First Unitarian in Chicago, where she would meet and marry the Rev. Christopher Moore, founder of the famed Chicago Children’s Choir. After his death in 1987, she volunteered for a time with Prof. Ron Engel at Meadville-Lombard. There she discovered a year-long program which took her around the world in 1994-95 with a group of much younger students, studying environmental issues.

Judy’s heart was always in New England, where her family had roots. Inspired by a quest to reduce her environmental footprint, she teamed with her son and only child, Jonathan, a skilled carpenter as well as artist and musician, to build an energy efficient earth-berm house set into the hills of Cummington, MA, in her beloved Berkshires, where she retired.

Very much an individualist, Judy could be cantankerous, yet she was always a people person, keeping in close touch with friends across the country as well as family and neighbors. She is survived by Jonathan, his wife Julie, foster son Paul Robertson, and grandsons Christopher (7) and Esai (1), as well as a younger brother, David, of Plattsburgh. Condolences may be sent to Jonathan and Julie Weismoore at 50 South Maple Street, Bellingham MA 02019.

A memorial service was held at the Village Church in Cummington on January 28, 2016.  Another will be held at First Unitarian in Chicago on Saturday, May 27, 2017, in conjunction with the gala 60^th anniversary of the Choir.

The Reverend Dr. John Morgan—peace and civil rights activist, poet,
tenor chorister, and lifelong learner, who combined dedicated parish service with an academic and writing career—died on 23 June 2018, aged 99.

With work for peace going back to his college years, John’s community activity, wherever he lived and served, was guided by a hands-on theology of worldly engagement. He said that the church should always be answering the question, “What shall we do now with our world?” His commitment to peace and justice took him to Selma in 1965 and to the vice-presidency of the World Peace Council (1983–87), whose Joliet-Curie Gold Medal of Peace he was awarded in 1984. He had received the International Lenin Peace Prize the year before.

John Hanly Morgan was born on 28 November 1918 in New Albany, Indiana, to John Sidney and Vada Elizabeth (Dorn) Morgan. He earned his B.A. in Education from Ball State Teachers College, Muncie, IN (1943) and his ministerial degree from Harvard Divinity School (1946). He was forthwith ordained on 13 June 1946 by Waverly (MA) Unitarian Church, where he served until 1947.

Over the next 24 years, the Rev’d Mr. Morgan served churches in Charlotte (NC), Indianapolis, Flint (MI), South Bend (IN), and finally Toronto (ON), from which he took early retirement as minister emeritus in 1973. Meanwhile he taught philosophy at local colleges and, along the way, earned an M.A. in philosophy from the University of Michigan (1955). In 1979 he completed a Ph.D. dissertation in English Literature at University of South Florida. Over sixty years, starting at age 23, Mr. Morgan published eight books of poetry and prose, a history of the Toronto UU Church, and a memoir of his lifetime work for peace.

At his death, John was survived by his spouse Jeannette, children Lois Jean and David Hollis, nine grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.

Eva A Morin, the widow of the Reverend Roland E Morin, died 3 December 2020 at her home in Keene, New Hampshire. Eva was born in Carlisle, Massachusetts, on May 19, 1914, to Romey and Rose (Fadden) Clark. She married Roland E Morin in 1936 and moved to Hudson MA where they raised their two children, Paul E Morin and Suzanne I Morin. 

In 1959 Eva and Roland moved to Laconia NH, where Roland was ordained and installed as the minister of the First Unitarian Society. In 1963 they moved to Chelmsford MA where Roland served as the minister of the UU church. Eva was involved in church and community affairs, acting in a local production of “The Pirates of Penzance.” They lived in Chelmsford until their retirement in 1979. In retirement they moved to Campton NH, where they enjoyed the beauty of the White Mountains. 

Upon her husband’s death in 1984, Eva moved to be closer to family. She lived Nashua NH, Maynard MA, Stow MA and finally Keene NH. She enjoyed reading, painting with watercolors, gardening, her family, and friends of all ages. 

She is survived by her son Paul Morin and his wife Margaret of Tinmouth VT and her daughter Suzanne Morin and her husband Joseph Staples of Keene NH, six grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and seven great great grandchildren. Due to the pandemic there will be a memorial service later in 2021. 

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made in Eva’s memory to the Monadnock Humane Society, 101 West Swanzey Road, Swanzey NH 03446 or to Keene Community Kitchen, 37 Mechanic St, Keene NH 03431. 

Condolences may be sent to Suzanne Morin, 60 Skyline Drive, Keene, NH 03431 and/or Paul Morin 493 East Road, Tinmouth, VT 05773.

Walter Moulton

The Rev. Walter Andrew Moulton, 70, died Nov. 5, 2006, in Kennebunk, ME. He served in the Navy, then taught at Kennebunk High School for 22 years. He then completed his M.Div, and was ordained in 1987. He served in Beaumont TX, where his congregation established an AIDS Care Team. He then served interims in Fredericton, NB.; Houlton, ME; Groton MA; Philadelphia, PA; and Kirkland, OH. In 1998 he was called to All Souls UU in Watertown, NY, retiring in 2003, and returning to Kennebunk. Walter read and wrote poetry, published several poems in the York County Coast Star in Kennebunk, and collected old-time gospel tapes. He is survived by his his wife of 47 years, Paula Thayer-Moulton; and two daughters, Valerie Berg of Vienna, VA, and Barbara Moulton of San Francisco, and five grandchildren.

Karen Kristine Sandstrom Muir died August 17, 2023, at the age of 74 (1949-2023), in Ludington MI on a visit to family in Ludington MI with her husband, the Rev. Frederick Muir, minister emeritus of the UU Church of Annapolis.

She was born Jan. 31, 1949, the daughter of Maj. Donald Gustave Sandstrom, a career Army officer, and Kaethe Bonnekamp Sandstrom, in Staten Island NY.  She lived in Germany for a brief period, then moved to Indianapolis where her father taught at Fort Benjamin Harrison.  “When she entered kindergarten, she only spoke German,” the Rev. Muir said.

After graduating from high school, she attended Butler University, both in Indianapolis IN, on a debate scholarship, where in 1970 she earned her B.A. in history and social studies, then obtained an M.A. there.

She taught Social Studies for 40 years, in New York City, Sanford ME, then in Odenton MD, when she and Fred moved to Annapolis. He served as minister there for 34 years. She was active in Maryland Democratic politics. She was a fierce advocate of public education, world traveler, avid reader, movie lover, devoted Orioles baseball fan, and dessert enthusiast (most notably cookie dough). 

“It was very important to her to have a safe teaching environment. She was very good working with middle school students.  She looked at them as people and not as pains,” said colleague and friend Meg Kauder. To bring the outside world into her classroom, Ms. Muir embraced the World Wise Schools program, where students and teachers corresponded with Peace Corps volunteers in the Central African Republic.

Surviving are her husband Fred, a son Andrew Sandstorm Muir, daughter Kristina Muir, two sisters, Kathe Donna Sandstorm and Karalyn Sandstrom Young. A memorial service was held September 24, 2023, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis. 

Mary Mullarkey, spouse of Reverend Tom Korman, died 31 March 2021, after a long and very public struggle with multiple sclerosis. Mary was born in New London, Wisconsin on 28 September 1943. She attended public and parochial schools there, and then St Norbert College, where she earned a degree in math in 1965. She earned her law degree from Harvard University in 1968 and then went to work for the U.S. Department of the Interior, in its equal opportunity section. 

In Washington, she met Thomas E Korson and they married. In 1973 they decided to move to Denver for two years. However, after two years with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Mary was hired to work in the Colorado Attorney General’s office, concentrating on appellate practice. Later, she became the state’s Solicitor General, and then a legal counsel to Governor Richard Lamm.

In 1987, Governor Roy Romer appointed Mary to the Colorado Supreme Court, only the second woman chosen to serve there. In 1998, her peers elected her to serve as their Chief Justice. She remained in that position until she retired in 2010. Her multiple sclerosis had been diagnosed in 1994, and she required a walker in her later years, but the disease never impacted her mind or kept her from fulfilling her duties. While many of her legal decisions are noteworthy, she is also recognized for her leadership in changing the way the courts operated — providing professional interpreters, and setting up child care for parents who were tied up in the legal system.

And at Tom’s ordination by the First Unitarian Church of Denver on 6 October 1996, Mary and her piano teacher played a duet.

Mary is survived by Tom Korson, her spouse of nearly 50 years; their son, Dr. Andrew Korson; daughter in law Emily Terhune Korson; granddaughters Anika and Avery Korson; four brothers; and numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins.

Contributions may be made to Cure d’Ars Catholic Church, 4701 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Denver, CO 80207; The Colorado Judicial Institute, Box 118, Broomfield, CO 80038; The Colorado Lawyers Committee, 401 Lawrence St., Suite 2300, Denver, CO 80202; or The Multiple Sclerosis Society, Colorado-Wyoming Branch, 900 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Denver, CO 80209.

Keith and Peggy Munson

The Rev. Keith C. Munson, 85, died Feb. 5, 2008 in Bradenton, FL. Marguerite “Peggy” Hanson Munson died Feb. 1, 2008 in Swampscott, MA, the day before their 63rd wedding anniversary. Peggy had been suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. The Munsons served congregations in Annisquam, Palmer, Springfield, and Andover, MA; Cherry Hill, NJ; and Quincy, MA. Keith and Peggy hosted Gov. and Mrs. Michael Dukakis and the Adams family at the Bicentennial Celebration there in 1976. In 1983, Quincy awarded Keith a plaque for his services to the community. When he retired Keith was made an Honorary Citizen of Quincy and minister emeritus at the Quincy church. He was a board member of UURMaPA for eight years, and President for four. Avid sailors, the Munsons sailed from Maine to Florida and back again on Keith’s beloved “Galatea,” a 36-foot Pearson Pilothouse. They were members of the UU Church of Saco and Biddeford, ME, and owned a house at Ferry Beach. Survivors include Carolyn (Lynn) Cashman of Cork, Ireland; a son, Bruce Munson, of Beverly, MA, and six grandchildren. A service was held to honor Keith and Peggy August 3 at Ferry Beach in Saco.

The Rev. William “Bill” R. Murchison died on August 1, 2021, at the age of 90.

Bill is survived by his sons, Adlai Rucker Murchison and William Vincent Murchison, and by his grandsons, Mac Thompson Murchison and Smith William Murchison. The last of his generation, he enjoyed – really enjoyed – the love and adoration of countless nieces, nephews, cousins, second cousins, and all the descendants of his siblings, along with their loved ones. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Linda Lee Murchison.

His graveside service was held in Crockett, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, 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.

Notes of condolences can be written here.

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

Betty Murdock

Betty Carolyn Murdock died September 7, 2017, in Tulsa OK. The widow of the Reverend Dr. Virgil Murdock, she was 88 years old. Betty grew up in Hartshorne, OK where her parents, the late Elmer and Juanita Thrower, owned and published the Hartshorne Sun.

After high school, she attended Phillips University in Enid and graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA degree in journalism. She worked as a reporter for The Daily Oklahoman and the Oklahoma City Times.

In 1955, she and her husband moved to Cambridge, MA where he attended Harvard Divinity School. They remained in Massachusetts, where he served a congregation for a few years, then became the Executive Director of the Benevolent Fraternity of Unitarian Churches. Betty was active in a number of charitable organizations in Massachusetts. After they retired to Tulsa in 1986, she was a Gillie at the Gilcrease Museum.

Survivors include her daughter, Lisa Carolyn Ake, and her husband Tracy Ake, of Bristow, VA; grandchildren, Hayley Ake, Hannah Ake, and Sam Ake; a sister, Janice Elliott of Nashville, TN; and a brother, Frank Thrower of Dallas, TX.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made in her name to All Souls Unitarian Church.

Messages of condolence may be sent to Lisa Murdock Ake, 9346 Angel Falls St., Bristow, VA  20136

The Reverend Peri Murdock—Peace Corps volunteer and world traveler, who discovered Unitarian Universalism and its ministry only in her 50s but managed to serve for another 20 years —died quietly on 29 May 2018, aged 86.

Priscilla Traunstein was born on 17 December 1931 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to William and Ethel V. (Murdock) Traunstein. She was graduated by Suffolk University (MA) in 1954 with a B.A. in English and history and worked as a newspaper reporter, feature writer, and manuscript cataloguer. In 1962 Peri joined the Peace Corps and went to Manizales, Colombia. Back in the U.S. she earned an M.A. in English and American Literature in 1966 at Ohio Wesleyan Univ.

Over the years, Peri traveled to nearly 50 countries on five continents. She taught English and Spanish at international schools in Brussels, Belgium, and in Lahore, Pakistan, and in her spare time, she enjoyed drama, music, reading, history and travel.

By the early 1980s, she had moved to Wakefield, MA. She found her way to the local UU church and quickly became actively involved. Church members recognized ministerial qualities in her, and after encouragement from the Rev’d Nina Grey, Peri answered the call. She earned her M.Div. from Andover Newton Theological School in 1985. Around that time, she adopted her mother’s family name as her own, becoming Peri Murdock.

Ms. Murdock was ordained by her home church on 9 June 1985, and was first settled at the UU Meeting House of Pittsfield, ME (1985–90). After interim service at the UU Church in Reston, VA (1991–92), she went on to settlements at the First Unitarian Church of Cincinnati, OH (1992–1997), the UU Church of Stockton, IL (1997–2003), and St Paul’s Church (UU) in Palmer, MA (2003–2008).

Peri is survived by nieces Leslie Garner and Debra Gerlach, nephew Russ Traunstein, and many grand-nieces, nephews and cousins.

Gary Thomas Murphy, 60, husband of the Rev. Suzanne Trappe Black, died Dec. 30, 2010, the day before his 61st birthday. He had had recurrent heart problems and finally succumbed to congestive heart failure. Gary and Suzanne were married August 12, 2000 by the Rev. Karen Stoyanoff, who also officiated at Gary’s memorial service. Gary will be remembered for his love of the desert and his interest in growing plants. He also was good with animals and enjoyed his model train set. The couple called themselves “snowbirds” and enjoyed traveling. He is survived by his wife; his mother, June Murphy; his sisters, Pat Walker and Sue Hicks and by many beloved nieces and nephews and by a great-niece and great-nephew.

The Reverend Dr. William R. Murry, Minister Emeritus of the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Bethesda, MD, and former President of Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, died July 6, 2017.

During his 17 year tenure at River Road, Bill Murry had a strong pulpit ministry with a major emphasis on social responsibility. The membership nearly doubled in size and their community service and social justice work increased considerably. In his seven years as President and Academic Dean of the Chicago seminary, Bill led in the growth and revitalization of that graduate professional school affiliated with the University of Chicago and the Unitarian Universalist Association. He appointed six new faculty members, expanded the curriculum and saw the student body increase from 60 to 115 students.

He was the author of numerous articles and three books including: A Faith for All Seasons: Liberal Religion and the Crises of Life, in which he presents liberal religious perspectives on the question of life’s meaning, the problems of pain and suffering, loss and grief, and death and Dying; Reason and Reverence: Religious Humanism for the 21st Century, which articulates a humanism grounded in religious naturalism and responds to some criticisms of humanism; and Becoming More Fully Human: Religious Humanism as a Way of Life, which treats humanism as both a philosophy and a way of living with joy and responsibility.

His work for the Unitarian Universalist Association included serving three years as Chair of the planning committee of the National Social Justice Workshop, six years as Ministerial Settlement Representative for the Joseph Priestley District, and President of the Chesapeake chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association.

Bill was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1932. He held a B.A. from Oklahoma Baptist University, a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Theology and Culture from Drew University. He began his career as a Baptist pastor in Shelton, Connecticut, then accepted a joint appointment as University Minister at The Riverside Church and as the Campus Minister at Columbia University in New York City. Bill served from 1967 to 1970 as Chaplain and Assistant Professor of Religion at Goucher College in Towson, MD, and from 1970 to 1974 he was Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

Bill became a Unitarian Universalist minister in 1977, and was called to the UU Church of Bloomington, Indiana, where he served on the Board of Planned Parenthood and helped to start hospice in that city. In 1980, he was called to the River Road Congregation in Bethesda where he also became active in affordable housing work. He was a founding member and first board chair of the Montgomery (County, MD) Housing Partnership, and also helped found the Unitarian Universalist Affordable Housing Corporation, which continues to serve the D.C. area. In 1995, he was recognized for his work in affordable housing by the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission.

After retiring from the Presidency of the Meadville Lombard seminary he continued his writing, speaking engagements and service as a board member of the UU Humanist Association. While living in Annapolis MD, he was a founding board member of the UU Legislative Ministry of Maryland and in 2012 was honored with the first “Creative Sage-ing Award” by the UU Retired Ministers and Partners Association. More recently he co-edited the anthology Humanist Voices in Unitarian Universalism.

At the 2017 UU General Assembly in New Orleans, the UU Humanist Association honored him as the first recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award “for extraordinary contributions to Religious Humanism and Unitarian Universalism.” Bill Murry was an inspiring teacher and mentor to a great many members of the UU clergy as well as countless laypersons and professed humanists across the country. The influence of his powerful sermons, lectures and books will continue to enrich and enlighten many.

Herman Nagel

The Rev. Herman Kyle Nagel, 80, died Nov. 18, 2009. Ordained a Methodist pastor, he entered Unitarian fellowship, serving churches in Palmer and Jamaica Plain, MA. He later served as Ministerial Superintendent of the Universalist Convention of North Carolina, and ministered to several churches throughout eastern North Carolina. He was president of Environment Unlimited and taught World Religions and Philosophy at Lenoir Community College. After moving to Houston he became a financial planner, but continued his ministry through many community activities and by officiating at weddings and memorial services and occasionally preaching and providing counseling. He was predeceased by his son, Curtis. He is survived by his wife Barbara, his son, Louis, a daughter-in-law, and four grandchildren.

Margaret “Margi” A. (Hoyt) Nasemann, 87, of Westborough MA, passed away May 6, 2023. She was born Nov. 9, 1935, in Parkersburg WV,  the daughter of Claremont E. and Margaret (Hawkins) Hoyt, and graduated from high school in Middleport OH.

She graduated from Marietta College in 1957 with a degree in education. Following her parents to Weedsport NY, she began her career as an elementary school teacher. On August 12, 1960, she married the Rev. Raymond Nasemann (1926–1997), who served Unitarian Universalist churches in Perry, Bristol, and Auburn NY. They settled in Syracuse, where Margi was a sixth-grade teacher at Percy Hughes School for 10 years.

While raising four boys, Margi attended State Univ. of NY-Cortland, and was first VP of the Syracuse Teachers Association. She fought successfully for maternal leave for city school district teachers. She then earned a Master’s in Education at Syracuse University, before becoming vice principal and finally a principal of Meacham and Webster elementary schools.

Margi retired in 1992. She was strongly supportive of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. She was also president of the Centers for Nature Education at Baltimore Woods.

She remained in Syracuse until about 2015, shortly after she met a second love, the Rev. Glen Snowden (1932–2020) at a UURMAPA meeting. Margi served as a Partner member on the UURMaPA Board as Connections Network Chair from 2012-2015. She is also the mother-in-law of Rev. Alice Anachecka-Nasemann, who serves the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson (MA).

Margi spent the last ten years of Glen’s life with him until his passing in June 2020. Thereafter, Margi slowly succumbed to emphysema and Alzheimer’s. She is survived by her sister, Josephine (Burke) Bero; sisters-in-law Trudy Hoyt and Della Gregory; sons Eric (Bobbi) Nasemann, Brian, David (Kalindi), and Alan (Alice Anacheka-Nasemann), two grandchildren and 18 nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service was held May 13, 2023, at the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson (MA). In lieu of flowers, you are encouraged to donate to the Camp Unirondack campership fund, 8522 Unirondack Rd., Lowville NY 13367.

Gene Navias

The Rev. Eugene Barnett Navias, long-time dedicated religious educator on the UUA staff, died on August 17, 2014, at the age of 86.

Mr. Navias was instrumental in shaping Unitarian Universalist religious education. Throughout his ministry, he led numerous workshops and trainings and brought an experiential approach to teaching those who would then teach children. While serving the UUA as a field consultant, he began developing the About Your Sexuality program. The program was launched in 1971, and was run by Unitarian Universalist congregations for over 25 years. In the late 1970s, Gene collaboratively developed the Renaissance Program, a religious education training program, and in 1981, he developed the UUA’s Accreditation Program for Directors of Religious Education. He was also involved in developing the Meadville Lombard summer and winter institutes for religious educators, and he edited the UUA’s Religious Education AIDS Packet in the late 1980’s. During the ten years that he served as director of the UUA’s Religious Education Department, participation in religious education grew by nearly forty percent.

Eugene Barnett Navias was born on March 18, 1928, to devout Unitarians Dr. Louis Navias and Adelaide Gant Navias.  He was graduated from St. Lawrence University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1949 and from the Theological School of St. Lawrence with a Bachelor of Divinity in 1951.

Mr. Navias was ordained to the ministry by the First Unitarian Church of Cleveland, Ohio, in 1951. He was called to serve as associate minister and director of religious education to the First Unitarian Church of Cleveland from 1951 to 1957; minister to the Unitarian Church of Concord, NH (now UU Church of Concord) from 1957 to 1963; religious education field consultant to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) from 1963 to 1982; director of the Religious Education Department of the UUA from 1982 to 1993; associate minister to Arlington Street Church of Boston, MA from 1993 to 1999; and Minister Emeritus of Arlington Street Church from 1999 to 2014. In 2005, he was awarded the UUA’s Distinguished Service Award.

Gene successfully united music with religious education. He authored new lyrics to well-known tunes, such as “John Murray Sailed over the Ocean,” as a way of teaching Unitarian Universalist history and theology. He served on a team that studied the feasibility of the first Unitarian Universalist hymnal, and organized a program of narrations and hymns for the 1992 UUA General Assembly titled “Singing – Shouting – Celebrating: 200 Years of Universalism.”

Gene was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers and Partners Association (UURMaPA); the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA); and was involved with the former Boston UU Gays and Lesbians, which met at Arlington Street Church.

Gene Navias

Gene had a wide range of interests, and succeeded in many different areas of life. Quite musical, he was an accomplished pianist and a tenor soloist. He was fond of opera, and attended the Glimmerglass Festival each summer. He collected church music, and his collection is now housed at Arlington Street Church. During the six years he served in Concord, NH, he was involved with a community theater organization and performed in a number of musicals. Gene also enjoyed traveling, and with his partner, Jim Buckley, ventured to Austria, the Czech Republic, England, Mexico, and Spain. Additionally, he was interested in antiquing; his mother was an avid antique collector, and she brought Gene along in her hunts. When Gene entered adulthood, he developed his own interest in antiquing, and he soon couldn’t pass by an antique store without entering.

Gene is remembered lovingly by family and friends. His niece, Jennifer Hamlin-Navias, recounts, “he was always very interested in who you were as a person, and whatever response he gave you was crafted around whoever you were” Gene’s partner, Jim, describes him as “energetic” and “effervescent.” He remembers, “to say Gene was good natured would be to put it mildly.”

Gene is survived by his partner and guardian Jim Buckley; nieces Rebecca Atwood (Barry Atwood), Susan Perkins (Mark Perkins), Mathilda Navias (Dan Bell); and nephew Geoffrey Navias (Jennifer Hamlin-Navias). He is also survived by thirteen grandnieces and nephews and three great-grandnieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held on Sunday, October 5th, at Arlington Street Church, 351 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02116.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Gene B. Navias Memorial Fund, Arlington Street Church, 351 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02116. Checks should be made to Arlington Street Church with Gene B. Navias Memorial Fund noted in the memo line.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Jim Buckley, 11A Senate Road, Milford, MA, 01757.

The Rev. Norman V. Naylor, 68, died November 18, 2004. He served congregations in Brooklyn, NY; Winnepeg; Oak Park, IL; Brockton, MA; Pasadena, CA; and East Lansing and Troy, MI. He served as secretary-treasurer and president for the Pacific Southwest District Chapter of the UUMA of and was a Board Member for the Pacific Southwest District. He was founder of the Malibu Study Group for UU ministers and the author of a booklet about the UU Principles. He was a member of a support group for people with HIV and AIDS, and was a hot-line counselor for the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights. He was also an organist and a singer with various musical groups throughout his life.

Rick Neff

The Rev. Richard Reno Neff died on March 17, 2012. He was 74 years old. Rev. Neff was born in Bronx, NY, on June 11, 1937, to Mary Himoff and Earl Reno, and lived there until he was nine. His mother later married Walter S. Neff, who adopted him. He attended the University of Chicago for two and a half years and went on to earn his Master of Library Science from Rutgers University. He received his Bachelor of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry on June 28th, 1970.

He was ordained by the Universalist Unitarian Church of Farmington Hills, MI on April 4, 1971 where he also served from 1971-1975. He was called to the Hollis Unitarian Church in Hollis, NY from 1976-1979 and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Joliet, IL from 1980-1986. In 1986, he answered a call to the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Essex County in Orange, NJ where he stayed until his retirement from the ministry in 1994. In addition to serving the UU ministry, Rev. Neff managed libraries in Livingston, Butler and Linden, NJ. He loved working as a reference librarian but health issues forced him to retire in 2002.

Even in his final days, Rev. Neff enjoyed sharing his life journey in his e-newsletter “Rick’s Journal.” He will be remembered for his talents writing and performing folk music, as well as for his commitment to the civil rights movement. He joined Martin Luther King, Jr. in the historic Selma to Montgomery march in 1966.

Rev. Neff is survived by his sons, Jeremy and Joshua Neff; his brother Alan Neff; and three grandchildren. There was a memorial service on April 14, 2012.

Bill and Mary Nelson

Bill M. Nelson, MD, 81, husband of Rev. Mary C. Nelson, died January 31, 2008. The grandson of a Baptist missionary, he followed in his father’s footsteps to become a pathologist. He served in the US Army during the end of World War II. He later did cancer research in Germany and at Oak Ridge (TN) Institute for Nuclear Studies. He enjoyed white water canoeing and water skiing. He also played tuba and sang in the church choir. An active church volunteer, he did planning for the Knoxville UU Church. He had a fascination for languages. Bill also volunteered for the Braille Institute. The Nelsons are survived by their three children, Murfi Pedersen, Martin Nelson and Linda Nelson and their spouses; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Christopher B. Nelson died March 28, 2024, from Parkinson’s disease.  He was born in Winchester MA, June 16, 1936, the son of John and Kathleen Nelson. He grew up in Quincy and earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from MIT in 1958. Family friends set him up with (later Rev.) Roberta “Bobbie” Martin. She was the love of his life, and they married in June 1960. 

Chris retired in 2001 after 36 years of service with the federal government, first at the Lexington Lab (HHS) and then with the newly established EPA in Washington D.C. In its Department of Radiation Programming, he was an expert in modeling radioisotope transport and estimating radiation dose and risk from exposure. His work provided an important basis for EPA’s radiation protection regulations. He was also an integral part of Bobbie’s ministry, from co-writing curricula to teaching Sunday school.

In 2001, he and Bobbie built their dream home on the Bagaduce River (Maine). Chris volunteered at the Sedgwick Elementary School, and sang with the Bagaduce Chorale, their treasurer for several years. He was active in town meetings.

Chris enjoyed sailing, kayaking, traveling, reading and keeping up with the news. He and his wife were lifelong proponents of social justice.

In 2015, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. As the disease progressed, he moved to Parker Ridge Assisted Living, where he received wonderful care and support from the staff.

Chris was predeceased by his wife of 54 years, and is survived by their daughters Heather of Surry, Jennifer of Portland ME, and Joy and her husband John Saams of Gambrills MD; his brother John Nelson (Irene) of Amherst MA, and three grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brothers Peter and Mark.

A memorial service was held April 6, at the UU Church of Ellsworth ME.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to: The Bagaduce Chorale (bagaducechorale.org) and Parkinson’s Foundation (parkinson.org).

Bill and Mary Nelson

The Rev. Mary Louise Curd Nelson, 82, died January 11, 2009. She joined the Oak Ridge (TN) congregation in 1956 and became deeply involved in RE. She was church school director while she earned accreditation as a DRE. She then completed independent study to become an MRE. She was fellowshipped by the UUA and ordained by the Knoxville congregation. She also served as an MRE for the UU congregation in Oak Ridge, TN. When she retired in 1988 the Knoxville church named her minister emerita. Her husband, Bill Nelson, died in January a year before she did. She will long be remembered for her passion for civil rights, peace and women’s rights, and for mentoring students of all ages in the independent study program. Her colleague, the Rev. Linnea Pearson said, “Mary was a noble woman and paved the way for others of us to follow. She will be missed and remembered.”

Bobbie Nelson

The Rev. Dr. Roberta “Bobbie” Nelson, teacher, sexuality educator, author, chef, and avid reader, died in Deer Isle, Maine, on January 2, 2015 from complications of influenza, surrounded by her family.

Bobbie’s outstanding and lengthy career in Unitarian Universalist religious education and ministry reveals a courageous trailblazer who was deeply respected by her colleagues. A passionate advocate for recognizing the professional status of religious educators, after certification as an Accredited Religious Educator by the UUA in 1967, she was one of the first six ministers to be credentialed as Minister of Religious Education in 1980. She chaired the joint UUA/UCC Sexuality Education Task Force, which wrote the first About Your Sexuality curriculum, and vigorously defended the value of truthful, comprehensive sexuality education on national television in an interview with Bryant Gumbel in 1998.

But she was so much more than her career, impressive as it was. Bobbie was devoted to the arts, enthusiastically reading poetry and attending plays, musicals, and concerts with her husband Chris and their three daughters, as well as visiting museums and art exhibits during their world travels. She excelled at the true art of home making, as she took care that her home was beautiful and the food she served to countless guests was cooked to perfection. She sewed (not just children’s clothing and Halloween costumes, but even her own wedding dress) and knitted, gardened, decorated, and made of the family home a true sanctuary.

Roberta Martin was born in Boston, MA to Raymond A. and Vera R. Martin on June 9, 1935. Her father took two newspapers every day and read them both. They discussed current events at the dinner table, and Bobbie became a political junkie. She was an avid non-fiction and newspaper reader for her entire life, always caring deeply for current events and world affairs. She grew up in Boston, attending Girls Latin High School (the first in her family to graduate from high school and to attend college) and earning a BS degree from Tufts University in 1958, with a certificate from the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development. As a student, she was secretary and treasurer of the American Unitarian Youth, serving on the Board that merged with the Universalist Youth Fellowship to form Liberal Religious Youth in 1954. She participated in an IRF student exchange program, studying in Europe in the summer of 1959 and deepening her sensitivity to international cultures and traditions. The desire for travel, to see and be a part of a larger world, would continue throughout her life.

Her career in religious education began with service to the First Parish in Needham, MA (1959-1973), where she met and married her husband, Christopher Nelson, in 1960. She was the Director of Religious Education at the UU Congregation of Fairfax in Oakton, VA (1973-1980), where she was ordained in 1980, continuing her service there as Minister of Religious Education until 1987. She was then the Minister of Religious Education at Cedar Lane Unitarian Church, Bethesda, MD (1987-2001) and was named Minister Emerita in 2002.

Bobbie Nelson

The list of her professional achievements is significant. She was the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association Berry Street Essayist in 2002. Her essay, “Spiritual Teaching,” was published in Unitarian Universalism Selected Essays 2003 and in In the Middle of a Journey in 2013. Other awards and honors included receiving the Angus H. MacLean Award for Excellence in Religious Education in 1975; the Doctor of Divinity degree from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1996; the Axel Award for Teaching Excellence from Meadville Lombard, and the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation Ministry to Women Award, both in 2001. She was the Fahs Lecturer at the 1995 UUA General Assembly, offering “Persistent as the Myriad Light of Stars,” which was also published in Unitarian Universalism Selected Essays in 1996. The Roberta M. Nelson Prize for Excellence in Religious Education at Meadville Lombard was established in 1992.

Her volunteer efforts are equally impressive. As mentioned above, she chaired the Sexuality Education Task Force which produced the About Your Sexuality curriculum. She and her husband led workshops training teachers for About Your Sexuality and Our Whole Lives. She served on many UUA committees, including the Curriculum Envisioning Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Panel on Theological Education, Accreditation Committee, Ministerial Fellowship Committee, Board of Review, Affirmative Action Committee for Women in Ministry, and the Benson Committee and Scovel Commission, both related to the recognition of the Ministry of Religious Education. She served on the UUA and Meadville Lombard joint Envisioning Committee concerning the transition of the Independent Study Program from the UUA to Meadville Lombard and the establishment of the Sophia Lyon Fahs Center at Meadville Lombard. She was an advisor to candidates in the ISP and Modified Residency Program from 1971 to 2008.

At Meadville Lombard she served on the Board of Trustees, the Winter Institute Planning Committee (where she was Dean from 1978 to 1994), was Minister in Residence in 1986, and taught religious education courses. She also taught religious education at Pacific School of Religion.

She served on the Board of the UUMA and was Board vice president 2001-2004. She was active in her local Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) chapter (Greater Washington Religious Unitarian Universalist Professionals, later the Chesapeake Chapter), from 1973 to 2001, and served as vice president, program chair, and president.

An active member of LREDA, she served as secretary, vice president, and president, as well as on many committees, including the Endowment Committee. She chaired the Fahs Lecture Committee, 50th Anniversary Committee, and Publications Committee. She co-led, with Christopher Nelson and others, the LREDA Fall Conference program on Our Whole Lives in 1998.

She was active in local religious educator groups, the Mass Bay Religious Education Team (1965-1973), and the Greater Washington Religious Education Council (GWAREC) from 1973 to 2001, serving as president and in other capacities. She also served on the Board of the Religious Education Association (REA), an interfaith, international association, for seven years, and was both secretary and a member of the program committee.

Over the years, she led or co-led hundreds of religious education workshops and trainings for volunteer teachers and trainers of teachers throughout the United States and Canada, primarily with her husband, Christopher Nelson. In addition to sexuality education workshops, these included The Haunting House, Death and Dying programs, and Religion-Making. She was involved in the development of various religious education programs used widely throughout the UUA: The Haunting House, About Your Sexuality, Our Whole Lives, the Parents series, and Graduate Level Course in Religious Education.

In the mid-80’s she and Chris traveled to Sierra Leone, where their daughter Heather was in the Peace Corps. Being in Africa made a huge impression on her, underscoring the worldview she had attained in childhood that “We’re all just people,” regardless of what their governments are doing. The couple traveled to London, Sweden, Norway, the British Isles several times, and they lived in Abingdon, England when Bobbie was on sabbatical.

After retirement, Bobbie and Chris moved to Sedgwick, Maine, where she was a classroom volunteer for ten years at the local elementary school; she loved hearing the first and second-graders read to her. She also served on the Healthy Peninsula Advisory Committee and continued to enjoy traveling, entertaining, cooking (especially desserts for her grandchildren), knitting, and theater. She was an intrepid grandmother, rising to any challenge from her grandkids (“Would you touch a snake? Go out in a kayak?”) and, when they turned 14, taking the two older grandchildren on separate special trips to Europe.

She was famously well-organized, with systems for everything at home and at work. When she and Chris remodeled their Rockville, MD kitchen, they included two dishwashers, two sinks, and a roomful of superbly organized cabinets; when they designed their home in Maine, Bobbie made sure there was an electrical outlet under every window for the Christmas candles. Always, her home was both a work of art and a welcoming place for myriad guests, not to mention the small animals she encouraged her children to own: gerbils, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, a raccoon and even a deodorized skunk.

She had a wicked sense of humor (though the family admits she never could remember punch lines), and she had a special fondness for chocolate, raspberries, and hazelnuts — especially if they were included in one delicious birthday cake!

Bobbie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia in 2012, moving in 2014 into the Island Nursing Home in Deer Isle where she received loving care and support. “A wink or a hint of a smile became her last words, but love, courage, and faith sustained her to the end. She died at peace,” said her husband.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Christopher Nelson (who misses her loving care and concern for others); their daughters Heather of Surry, ME; Jennifer of Portland, ME; Joy Saams of Gambrills, MD; three grandchildren; and her brother Donald Martin of Ellsworth, ME. Memorial services were held at the Ellsworth, Maine, Unitarian Church on January 10, 2015 and at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, MD on April 25, 2015.

Condolences may be sent to Chris Nelson and family at 41 Astbury Lane, Sedgwick, ME 04676-3423.

The Rev. Gordon Glenn Newell, 89, died March 14, 2007 in Caribou, ME. He was a longtime member of the Caribou UU Church, and is remembered as the “pie parson” for his famous apple pies. He served as a Congregational as well as a UU minister. He was Pastor Emeritus of the First Congregational Church of Shelburne, MA. He had a true passion for life and enjoyed it to its fullest. He loved nature and all of its beauty and also enjoyed good poetry. He is survived by two daughters Judith Solman, and Elizabeth Maifeld; and a son Larry Newell, all of Caribou; six grandchildren; five great-grand-children; and his first wife, Anne Newell of Caribou. Gordon was predeceased by his second wife, Gladys Newell. Memorial services were held at the First Congregational Church, Shelburne, MA.

The Rev. Martha Scott Newman, 84, died August 14. 2007. She served congregations in Alton, IL; Clinton, IA; Ellisville, MO; and the Unitarian Society of Houlton, ME, which named her Minister Emerita. She is survived by two children, Amy Rouse of Skowhegan, and J Mark Newman of Surprise, Arizona; and two foster daughters, Kay Keaton of St. Charles, Missouri and Ruth Eltinge of St. Louis; 14 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. Messages may be sent to: Amy Rouse. A service was held Sept. 8 at the Unitarian Society of Houlton.

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.

Isabel Paine Niles

Isabel Paine Niles, 90, widow of the Rev. Albert C. Niles, died November 9, 2010. She attended St. Lawrence University for two years. After her marriage, she coordinated and taught in the Sunday schools at the Universalist churches in South Weymouth, MA, Auburn and Bangor, ME, and Brockton, MA, where her husband served as minister. With their five children in school, she resumed her education at SLU when the family moved to Canton, NY. She taught high school English in Russell and Dolgeville, NY, Bridgewater, MA, and Auburn, ME. Isabel was a voracious reader with a passion for genealogy. She amazed her then 92-year old father by finding out information about his father. She was a faithful letter writer who kept up a “round robin” correspondence with friends for more than 60 years. She is survived by her children Ann, David, Jonathan, Martha, and Walter; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

The Rev. James Clark Norman, 69, died of a heart attack at his home in Canterbury, NH on March 24, 2007. Prior to his ordination he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and later with VISTA, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and The Federal Aviation Administration. He completed his M.Div from Starr King in 1986. He served with West Valley UU Church of Glendale, AZ and Valley UU Church; South Church in Concord, NH; and as District Executive for NH/VT. A memorial service will be held at South Church in Concord later. Survivors include his widow Sabena and his daughter Pilar.

Glenna Norsworthy

Glenna Norsworthy, 72, wife of the Rev. Richard J. Norsworthy, died January 20, 2007, in Tucson, AZ. A native of Calais, ME, she was a graduate of Caribou High School. When she married her husband he was in the USAF, serving in the Korean War. She was a fulltime homemaker who maintained a neat, orderly home which eventually included three sons, reared in an atmosphere of love. She was a hugger, a good listener, a good friend to any who needed a friend, and she had many. She was survived by her husband, the Rev. Richard J. Norsworthy, and their sons, Rick, Dane, and Scott. (Rick died after a long illness in April, 2011.) The couple served congregations in Dover-Foxcroft and Dexter, ME; N. Weymouth, MA; Clearwater, FL; Victoria, BC; and Woonsocket, RI.

The Reverend Dick Norsworthy—parish minister, civil rights activist, woodworker, and outdoorsman—died on 10 September 2018, aged 86.

Richard Jasper Norsworthy was born on 31 July 1932 in Caribou, Maine, to Marion Rose (Bowden) and Jasper Ellsworth Norsworthy. After service in the US Air Force (1950–54), the USAF Reserve (1954–1958), and the US Army Reserve (1958–1960), he completed a joint undergraduate and seminary program in 1962 with a B.A. in English from Tufts University (Medford, MA) and a B.D. from Bangor Theological Seminary (ME). Meanwhile, in the early 1950s, he had married Glenna Henderson, with whom he raised three children.

Mr. Norsworthy was ordained on 10 June 1962 by the Third Universalist Church in North Weymouth, (MA), where he served until 1966. That was followed by settlements at the Unitarian Church (now UUs) of Clearwater, FL (1966–72), the First Unitarian Church of Victoria, B.C. (Canada, 1972–76), the First Universalist Church of Woonsocket, RI (1977–84), and retirement from active ministry in 1985. In 2013 he was retrospectively named minister emeritus by his former congregation in Clearwater.

Beyond the parish, the Rev’d Mr. Norsworthy served multiple roles in the local UUMA chapter and represented both the Ballou-Channing and Florida districts as a UUA Trustee. In various local communities his activity was focused on human relations agencies and civil rights activism, including travel to Selma on the morning after “Bloody Sunday,” along with many other UU clergy. Dick enjoyed a wide variety of outdoor activities and sports, and from the early 1960s he and his family summered at their cottage on Lake Wassookeag in Dexter, ME.

At his death, Richard was survived by his second wife Janice Kazlauskas, and sons Dane and Scott. His first wife, Glenna, had died in 2007 and his eldest son, Richard, in 2011. Memorial donations were encouraged to the UU Society for Ministerial Relief.

Paul O’Connell

Paul E. O’Connell, 90, husband of the Rev. Phyllis B. O’Connell, died peacefully on Nov. 14, 2015. Born Dec. 15, 1924, Paul was the last of nine children born to Catherine and William O’Connell. He grew up in Cambridge, MA and at age 18 joined the US Army Air Corps serving as a First Lt. in WWII. He was a navigator on a B-17 bomber and, while on a mission, his plane was shot down and the entire crew was captured and sent to a POW camp in Germany.

Returning home, he, along with three of his brothers, went to Harvard University on the GI Bill. He married his first wife, Eleanor, while in school. They had six children: Brian, Eileen, Phillip, Douglas, Donald and Lori.

Paul spent his career as a college textbook publisher working first as an Editor for Prentice Hall. He stayed at Prentice Hall for 25 years and while there published The Jerome Biblical Commentary, among hundreds of other texts. In 1969, he and a partner started Winthrop Publishers, a subsidiary of Prentice Hall, focusing on texts in the humanities and social sciences. Paul served as Chairman of the Board of Winthrop until 1983.

It was at Winthrop where he met his second wife, Phyllis. They were married for 45 years and have two children, Stephanie and Kirsten.

In post-retirement years, Paul worked as a consultant for Lyceum Press, Bobbs Merrill, Dorsey Press, Pine Forge Press and Lyceum Press. He took his last business trip to an academic convention in Dallas at age 85.

Paul loved to travel. His favorite destinations were France and Italy. His hobbies included singing in church choirs and amateur musicals and, in the last two years, singing with a small vocal group at Youville House, the assisted living facility where he lived.

Golf was also a lifetime hobby and he played tennis until his hips gave out. Paul was an avid sports fan of every Boston team, and a day didn’t begin until he had read The Boston Globe. He leaves his wife, Phyllis, his eight children, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held Nov. 22, 2015 at First Parish, Unitarian Universalist, Wayland, MA.

Notes of remembrance may be sent to Phyllis O’Connell, 164 Galen St., Apt. 86, Watertown, MA 02472.

Roy Ockert

The Rev. Roy A. Ockert, 87, died July 16, 2008. He was ordained in 1967 by the First Unitarian Church of Berkeley, CA. He joined in one of the most heated 20th century controversies within our religious movement – the Black Empowerment movement in the late sixties. He was one of three white members of the Black Affairs Council in the first year of its existence. Rev. Ockert also served the Unitarian Society of Orange County in Anaheim, CA and the Unitarian Universalist Church in Fullerton, CA. His wife of 39 years, Virginia Mikulik died in 1989. In 1999 he married Delta Duke McClung of Salem, OR, who survives him. Other survivors include two sons, three daughters, three step-children, 21 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

The Rev. Margaret Odell, 94, died May 28, 2007, following a stroke. She served congregations as a religious educator in Wellesley Hills, and Worcester, MA; Germantown, PA; Princeton, NJ; Alexandria and Reston, VA; and Columbia, MD, where she was named minister emerita in 1983. She was educational consultant in the Ohio-Meadville District 1968-1977. She participated in organizing the Liberal Education Directors Association and served as LREDA president from 1953-1955. In 1974 she was awarded the Angus MacLean award for excellence in religious education. A memorial service was held at the UU Congregation of Columbia on July 8.

The Rev. Dr. W. Mason Olds died on March 11, 2022, at the age of 89.

W. Mason is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marjorie; daughter, Catherine; son, D. Mason; and grandson, Cameron; as well as two sisters, Kaye Tolbert and Ann Matthews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Ruth Snyder, and by his brother, Warner Olds.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Mercer University, 1501 Mercer University Drive, Macon, GA 31207.  UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences can be written here.

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

The Rev. Howard Wayne Oliver, 85, died March 20, 2005. He served in the US Marine Corps during World War II, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He received a BA from Harvard, an MA from UCLA, and an MA from the Graduate School of Religion, University of Southern California. He served congregations in Los Angeles; Silver Spring, MD; and Berkeley, CA. He joined the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in 1973 and served as Executive and National Director until his retirement in 1986. Surviving is his wife of 50 years, Joyce Oliver; three children, Kimberley, Pamela and Peter; and two grandchildren.

The Reverend Clark Olsen—parish minister and non-profit consultant, whose life was enduringly stamped by his witness of the 1965 murder of UU minister James Reeb during the Selma witness for racial justice—died on 21 January 2019, aged 85.

The Rev’d Mr. Olsen was serving in Berkeley CA in 1965 when Dr. King famously put out the call to American clergy to join him in Selma for protest and presence. “I’d like to go,” was his first thought, despite a packed schedule and no funds for the trip. But when a couple in the congregation offered to pay his way, “I suddenly had to rethink all those excuses.”

Once there, he ran into ministerial colleagues, James Reeb and Orloff Miller, and as they left a local café, they were brutally attacked. Reeb died from his injuries two days later. Over the years, Clark returned to Selma ninety times to share his story with middle and high school students whose travel was sponsored by civil rights groups to promote understanding of those historic events. In 2015 Mr. Olsen received the UUA’s Award for Distinguished Service.

Clark Bird Olsen was born on 22 June 1933 in Boston to Arthur W. and Catherine Bird Olsen and grew up in Toledo OH. He earned a B.A. from Oberlin College (OH) in 1955 and completed ministerial study at Harvard in 1959. Following his father’s profession, he began in 1957 as a student minister to the First Unitarian Society of Westborough (MA), was ordained by them on 28 October 1959 and continued there until 1962. Parish settlements then followed at the Berkeley (CA) Fellowship of UUs (1962–68) and the Morristown (NJ) Unitarian Fellowship (1968–78). In the 1980s, he shifted his career to corporate and non-profit consulting.

At his death, Clark was survived by his second wife, Anna (Rogers) Olsen, children Marika and Todd, and brother Lee. A memorial service was scheduled for 2 February 2019 at the UU Congregation of Asheville NC. Notes of condolences may be sent to Anna Olsen at 23C Trillium Ct, Asheville NC 28805. 

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. Dr. David P. Osborn died August 4, 2004, of complications from heart surgery. He served the North Shore Unitarian Universalist Society (now Shelter Rock), Manhasset, NY, and was minister emeritus there. He also served congregations in Brooklyn, NY; Marblehead, MA; Adelphi, MD; Paramus, NJ; and England. He was survived by his wife of 51 years, Janet Osborn.

Janet Hooper Osborn, widow of the Rev. David Osborn, died Dec. 22, 2004, in Albuquerque, NM where she and David had moved after retirement from the ministry. Janet served as national co-chair of the Volunteer Service Corps to UUSC Board and later as consultant to the Volunteer Program. She had a passion for social justice. She retained her dignity and grace as her body became increasingly frail late in life.

Judith Brown Osgood

The Rev. Judith Brown Osgood, 66, died June 4, 2009 at Milford Region Medical Center, Milford, MA. Born in Connecticut, she earned degrees at the University of Hartford, St. Joseph College and Starr King. An inner city, outpatient drug and alcohol treatment program director, she was called to the UU ministry. She was honored with the UUWF’s Feminist Theology Award for researching and collecting sermons of Pacific Coast lay and clergywomen. She served congregations in WY, MA, and CT, while still doing counseling. She found her true calling as a hospice chaplain. At the time of her death she was employed by Jewish Health Services in Worcester, MA. Judith trained with her yellow Lab, Thompson, to work in a reading education program (teams encourage children to read by having the dogs present as non-judgmental listeners). She was a life member of the United States Tennis Association, who loved spending time with her grandchildren and her Lab. She also made time to enjoy gardening, fishing, and was a Red Sox fan. Survivors include her life partner Wendy Innis; her children, Daphne Lynn Sanford and Benjamin Ward Dunning; her brother and four grandchildren.

The Rev. Dr. Carolyn Sheets Owen-Towle died on October 23, 2023, at the age of 88 (1935-2023).

Carolyn was born on July 27, 1935, in Upland CA to Millard O. Sheets and Mary B. Sheets. She grew up in Southern California and was the second of four children. As the daughter of a prominent California artist, she enjoyed the benefits of warm, nurturing family relationships and exposure to high moral and intellectual as well as artistic standards. She spent 15 years of her young adulthood volunteering in cultural, social, and educational organizations within the communities in which she lived.

Carolyn received her Bachelor of Arts in Art and Art History from Scripps College CA (1957), following which she worked as a library assistant, salesperson, interior designer, and research assistant for a business consultant. She married Charles Russell Chapman and embraced the roles of wife, mother, and community volunteer. She was active in Pasadena organizations such as the Junior League, Pacific Oaks Pre-School, and the Unitarian church. 

After her first marriage ended, Carolyn felt a calling to the UU ministry. Her affiliation with the UU church strengthened her attributes and consolidated her beliefs. She found that she was involved daily with people not simply on committee levels but across the board in many aspects of lives: births, deaths, and all the in-between. As time went on, she shifted her volunteer energies from the larger community to the church community. This outlined a sense of direction she was seeking. She realized that she was able to utilize all aspects of her personality in the most creative and meaningful ways becoming a UU minister. She wanted to enter a church, build upon its foundations, foster spiritual, intellectual, and personal growth, and leave it stronger than when she arrived.

In 1973, Carolyn married Rev. Tom Owen-Towle. In 1974, she began her ministerial equivalency training through the UUA Independent Study Program, and in 1978, she graduated from the University of Iowa Graduate School of Religion. She received an Honorary Doctorate from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1994.

Carolyn was ordained by the First UU Church of San Diego CA on December 3, 1978, where she served together with husband Rev. Tom Owen-Towle for 24 years (1978–2002). During her co-ministry, she worked knowledgeably and agilely with children, youth, and adults and was involved in broadening educational programs for all ages. She initiated the Jr. and Sr. High programs giving significant time to junior high youth, leading to an outstanding commitment program and revitalizing an LRY group. Both ministers worked to sponsor a welcoming congregation and modeled an environment of shared ministry. They created an accepting and nurturing community that fully connected the congregation to the UU movement. The church became one of the major association supporters financially and in lay participation in denominational affairs. She retired from her active ministry in 2002 and upon retirement, the First UU Church of San Diego honored her as their minister emerita.

Rev. Owen-Towle’s ministry strived to help people evolve. Her art was to evoke power in others with sensitivity and skill and to combine the capacity to nurture with the ability to lead. She was a trailblazing leader and an early example of women in ministry. She served the denomination as a founder and president of the UU Ministerial Sisterhood (1980–1982); as the first women president of the UUSC (1983–1985); and as vice-chair and board member of the Meadville Lombard Theological School (1987–1992). She was also the first woman president of the UUMA; a settlement consultant for the Department of Ministry and a candidate for President of the UUA (1991–1993). From 2002 to 2009, she served on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee.

In San Diego, Carolyn served on the board of Planned Parenthood, the Human Rights Advisory Committee, the United African American Ministers Action Council, and the San Diego Organizing Project. She also served on the board of the Mingei International Museum, the Ilan-Lael Foundation, and the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation, reconnecting with her lifelong love for the arts. She was a recipient of multiple community awards, including the Dr. A. Brad Truax Award for her service to the HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ communities. At the end of her career, she was honored with a City Council Resolution recognizing her overall ministry and community contributions.

Carolyn is survived by her husband, Tom; her brother, Tony Sheets; her four children, seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild, their mates and partners; and extended family members.

A memorial service to celebrate Carolyn’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 2, 2023, at the First UU Church of San Diego, 4190 Front Street, San Diego, CA:
<https://www.google.com/maps/place/4190+Front+St,+San+Diego,+CA+92103/@32.7536779,-117.1696739,760m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x80d954d64e3ca327:0x8d1b0f2486e73aa5!8m2!3d32.7536735!4d-117.1651892?hl=en>.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the charity of one’s own choosing or to the First UU Church of San Diego:
<https://www.firstuusandiego.org/donations.html>.

Notes of condolence can be written here
<https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sandiegouniontribune/name/carolyn-owen-towle-obituary?id=53457847>.

Peggy Owens-Mansfield

Peggy Frances Owens-Mansfield, 69, the spouse of the Reverend Dr. Doak Mansfield, died 24 February 2020, at her home in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. A native of Mississippi, she was born 14 June 1950 to Norris and Clara Owens. After completing high school, Peggy graduated from Jones College and from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Her public life largely revolved around her work for the American Red Cross. Beginning with her decade of service as youth director for the Pensacola Chapter of the ARC (1975-85,) she took a special interest in the Red Cross Youth Program. She led the highly successful annual Leadership Training Conference (LTC) for 35 years. More than 1,200 youth participated over the years. She expanded Red Cross services for the elderly through annual holiday boxes of food.

Peggy served for 26 years (1985-2011) as executive director of the Pine Belt Red Cross in Laurel, MS. She was involved in many community efforts and organizations. The Pine Belt Chapter recruited and trained more than 1,000 volunteers under her leadership. During her tenure, the chapter responded to hundreds of small disasters such as house fires and several huge ones, topped off by Hurricane Katrina. Pine Belt volunteer responded to New York City after the attack on the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001.

“Lonesome Pines Bluegrass Park” in the Calhoun Community was the effort of her family. She worked with her father, mother and sister, along with dozens of family and friends to make the semi-annual event a significant celebration that featured such bluegrass greats as Jim and Jessie, Allison Kraus, Osbornes, and Ralph Stanley. Operated for 20 years, the last eight years it was a Pine Belt Chapter ARC fundraiser.

She was a member of Our Home Universalist Unitarian Church Ellisville, MS. Retiring in 2011 she traveled with her husband serving Unitarian Universalist Churches in Clinton, N.C., Tampa, Fla., Pasco, Wash., and Valparaiso, Fla.

Peggy is survived by her husband, and by several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Gifts in her memory can be directed to St. Jude Hospital (Memphis), Glory House Food Project (Laurel), Jones College Community Service Scholarship Fund (Ellisville) and Animal Rescue League (Laurel).

The Rev. Emily Morse Palmer died on March 30, 2023, at the age of 93 (1929-2023).

Emily is survived by her four children: Linden Palmer Madara (Steven), Sidney M. Palmer, Page Palmer (Craig), and Grant S. Palmer (Heather); as well as twelve grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

She was given a green burial in Heartwood Preserve Conservation Cemetery, FL on April 6, 2023. A celebration of life was held at Shell Point Retirement Community, FL on April 14, 2023.

Memorial donations may be made to charity of one’s own choosing. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry. Notes of condolence can be sent to Lin Madara, 7999 Craginhall Court, Dublin OH 43017.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. Dr. David B. Parke died on June 6, 2020, at the age of 91.

David is survived by his four sons: Richard, John (wife Brett Warren), Edward (wife Dawn Walnut), and William (wife, Elizabeth); his two daughters: Robin Melavalin (wife Dianne Hammer); and Alison Melavalin; his eight grandchildren, and four great grandchildren; his brother Andrew; as well as several nieces, nephews, and cousins.  He was preceded in death by his older brother, Robert Parke Jr.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the NAACP, 4805 Mt. Hope Dr., Baltimore, MD, 21215.

A memorial service will be held in Boston at a later date.  Burial will be at Forrest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, NY.

Notes of condolences may be sent to John Parke, Jr. at 51 Center Street, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675

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

A more informed obituary will be forthcoming.

Gladys Elgie (Stone) Soroka Parkhurst, 95, died December 22, 2007 in Whitingham, VT. She was the widow of Rev. Dr. John Q. Parkhurst, a retired UU minister from Joliet, IL, who died in 1989. Her first husband, John E. Soroka, a tool and die maker at Ford Motors, died in 1977. She worked for four decades as a nurse in Detroit. Late in her career she served as a medical evaluator in the Levels of Care Program, inspecting nursing homes. In 1983 she returned to her birth state of Vermont. She was an active volunteer in the historical societies of southeastern Vermont and traced her ancestry to John and Priscilla Alden. She is survived by her daughters, Sherry Duff and Mary Frame, a brother, five grandsons and two great grandsons.

Marcia Rogers Payson

Marcia Rogers Payson, 77, died peacefully on May 31, 2013, surrounded by family at Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford following a courageous battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Marcia was born May 25, 1936, in Cortland, N.Y., to the late Wilbur H. and Dorla Smith Rogers. She was a 1954 graduate of Cincinnatus High School and a 1958 graduate of Cortland Teachers College (now SUNY Cortland). She was a remarkable elementary and middle school teacher, homemaker, healer, lecturer, Director of Religious Education, volunteer coordinator, caretaker, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, friend and spouse. She had an infectious sense of humor, a keen intellect, an empathetic ear, a warm countenance and a justice-seeking spirit.

She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Robert E. Payson, and brother Wilbur C. Rogers. She leaves behind her beloved partner Nancy Cunningham of Saco; sons Rev. Aaron (Kristen) Payson and Marc Payson, both of Worcester, Mass.; grandchildren Hope Marie Rios of Davenport, Fla., Morgaine and Charles Payson of Worcester, and a great granddaughter, Nyah Nicole Morales of Florida; brothers Robert (Gloria) Rogers of Cortland, Donald Rogers of Mo., and Roy (Alyce) Rogers of Okla.; sisters Mary Lou Lehman of Johnson City, N.Y., Elaine (Jim) Aiken of Pitcher, N.Y., and Diane Slade of Groton; sister-in-law Maureen Rogers; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Since moving to Maine in 1999, Marcia was an active member of the Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church in Portland, a Life Member of Ferry Beach Park Association in Saco and a singer with Harbour Singers, a hospice choir based in Saco.

A Celebration of Life was held at 1:30 p.m. June 15 at the Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church, 524 Allen Ave., Portland, ME 04103, with the Rev. Mykel Johnson officiating; interment at a later date will be in Taylor, N.Y. Arrangements are under the care of A.T. Hutchins Funeral and Cremation Services, Brighton Ave, Portland. To offer words of condolence and share memories with the family, please go to www.athutchins.com.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Marcia may be made to Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church, 524 Allen Ave., Portland ME 04103, or to Ferry Beach Park Association, 5 Morris Ave., Saco, ME 04072.

Ed Peara

The Rev. Edgar “Ed” Peara, decorated WW II veteran, long-time parish minister, pro-choice counselor, tireless pacifist, devoted father, and energetic volunteer in retirement to his local community died suddenly at age 92 while cleaning up brush in his yard in Eugene, Oregon, on 22 February 2014.

Edgar Peara’s activism for peace, growing out of a fundamental gentleness and love for the good that he found in people, was both expressed in and shaped by his military service. “The war made me a pacifist,” he once said — but clearly the inclination was already in his bones as he found ways of acting as a soldier for peace in the midst of war. “When I was asked to remove the resistance in Algeria, rather than expecting the people to resist, I took off my helmet, left my pistol behind, told the men to follow me and not to fire unless fired on. Then I went house to house, knocked on doors and said, ‘We come in peace. We are here only to have you surrender arms and then we will move on.’ By coming in peace, no one resisted us. No one gave us any trouble and we collected so many arms we could hardly carry them all.”

Mr. Peara was one of only a few to serve in three theaters of World War II — Africa, Europe, and the Pacific. As a lieutenant, combat engineer, and company adjutant, he led a unit specializing in supporting large amphibious invasions, clearing the way for the infantry and keeping the Army on the move. After participating in the invasions of Sicily and mainland Italy, he was moved to the southwest coast of England to help with D-day readiness, and he landed at Utah Beach on 6 June 1944. Early that morning, finding a medical aid station under intense fire, he scrambled to find a more protected area. Then, dodging bullets and shells, he ran back to help the wounded to safety. Transferred later to the Pacific, his next job would have been preparing the way for a ground assault on Honshu, had the war not been ended by the atomic bomb. Instead he was assigned to disarm Japanese troops in Korea and help create a new government. He recalled proudly “that I was always able to do whatever my duties required without ever harming the forces we faced.”

More than 65 years later, his service earned him France’s highest military honor, the Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur. Friends and family packed Eugene’s City Council Chambers on 14 April 2011 to hear French Deputy Consul, Mme. Corinne Pereira, say: “More than 60 years ago, you rescued people you didn’t even know. But you can be sure that those people… have not forgotten. Their children and grandchildren — I am one of them — have not forgotten and will never forget.” Afterwards, Ed often enjoyed announcing that “I am now the Rev. Sir Edgar Peara.” His award was also recognized in the Congressional Record by Oregon’s Senator Ron Wyden, who wrote, as part of a much longer laudatory entry:

As an Oregonian, I could not be more proud of Edgar, his wonderful story, and his life’s work. He truly is a hero and embodies the best of our State. As our Nation continues to struggle in conflicts overseas, Edgar serves as a testament to the belief that sometimes restraint is as powerful as force in times of war.

In the early years of his parish ministry, prior to the Roe v. Wade decision, abortion rights counseling was a major focus of Ed’s activism. Widowed with four young sons in 1964, he recalled learning at first hand “of the dedication, work, love and unselfishness that caring for children required. I felt strongly that no woman should ever have to be a parent unless she chose to do so.” In the Chicago area he became acquainted with the Rev. Spencer Parsons, Dean of the University of Chicago’s Rockefeller Chapel, and learned of his connections to competent providers of compassionate but illegal assistance in reproductive choice, whose services he used in his ministry to women students. “I told him I would recruit clergy to serve, if he would supply the providers.” Beginning with 16 ministers and 2 rabbis to become counselors to women seeking abortions, the group eventually grew to 50 clergy counselors. Ed recalled this work with satisfaction and pride:

For four years our Chicago Area Clergy Counseling Service for Problem (i.e., unwanted) Pregnancies provided tens of thousands of illegal, but safe abortions. I personally helped 700 women during those years. We had daily newspaper ads inviting women to use our services. My work was described in a NBC TV interview and in a Chicago Daily News Article. The law never bothered us. Police would bring their wives and women friends to us.

Edgar Child Westling was born in Moline, Illinois, 22 July 1921 to A. Conrad Westling and Grace Child. After his mother’s subsequent marriage to A. T. Peara, Ed took “Peara” as his own last name. Resuming studies after the war, he was graduated in 1947 from Principia College (a Christian Science school in Elsah, Illinois) and worked as a registered Christian Science practitioner for eleven years, including service in military chaplaincy at the US Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois, during the Korean conflict.

Ever seeking to broaden his understanding, Ed was attracted to Ernest Holmes, Thomas Troward, and other writers in the “New Thought” movement, and began using their metaphysical therapy in his practice, eventually finding Christian Science “too rigid and close-ended.” As he searched for a more open religious body in the late 1950s, he encountered the Unitarian advertisement: “You are a Unitarian without knowing it, if you believe that truth unfolds forever.” Finding and pursuing his new calling with astounding determination and energy, Ed recalled his seminary years:

I took the plunge in spite of having a wife, two sons and a job at the Chicago YMCA as an academic executive. I applied to Meadville/Lombard, was accepted and given a full scholarship. I quit my job and moved my wife and sons, Chris and Jon, to Woodlawn, and began the program. My third son, Tim, was born the first night of my classes at M/L, Oct. 1, 1960. The U. of Chicago’s policy of letting students advance as rapidly as they met degree requirements suited me. I accelerated and received my degree in June 1962, twenty months after I started. During that time at M/L, I also preached every Sunday, taught four courses a term in Chicago’s YMCA night school and had a therapy practice.

Ed and Phyllis Peara

Ordained in 1963, the Rev. Mr. Peara was first called to a yoked ministry in Vermont, with a 9 a.m. service at the Universalist Church in Chester Depot and an 11 a.m. service at the UU Church of Springfield. His fourth son Andy was born there in 1964, and just six weeks later his wife died, leaving him the single father of four little boys. Learning that his oldest son’s first-grade class began with daily Bible reading and the Lord’s Prayer, Ed took his objections successively to the teacher, the principal, the local and state boards of education, and finally to the attorney general, resulting in a statewide cessation of the practice in public schools. Sadly, Ed’s parishioners were unhappy with him when their conservative neighbors chided them about their “irreligious minister,” and his lobbying against America’s growing Vietnam involvement earned him an “unpatriotic” reputation. Moving to the more liberal Chicago area, the Rev. Mr. Peara served successively the Lake Shore Unitarian Society of Wilmette (1967-76), the New Trier Unitarian Society of Wilmette (1977-87), and the UU Community Church of Park Forest (1987-97), whence he retired as Minister Emeritus. At the Seattle UUA GA in 1970, Ed met Phyllis Sorensen, an “adorable” lay delegate from Omaha, herself a single parent of four children. A month later they were married.

During all his ministries, Edgar Peara was active in community, collegial, and UUA service. He was president of both the New Hampshire/Vermont and the Central Midwest Districts; social action consultant to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee; and president of the UUMA’s Chicago Area Liberal Ministers’ Group. In addition to four years as an abortion counselor for the Chicago Area Clergy Counseling Service, he founded the North Shore Peace Initiative in Illinois, and served on human relations commissions in both Wilmette and Park Forest.

Ed Peara

The astounding energy of Mr. Peara’s commitments never flagged in retirement. After an interim ministry in Aukland, New Zealand, in 2000, Ed and Phyllis moved to Eugene, Oregon, to live near his youngest son. Over the years there, through his 80s and into his 90s, Ed was active in no less than forty-two volunteer organizations and activities, including planting trees, delivering Meals on Wheels, park and native plant nursery work, construction, feeding the poor, work for liberal politics, Veterans for Peace, and many more. Besides occasional preaching at the Eugene UU Church, he continued a therapy and counseling practice, wrote regularly for “Heart to Heart,” a religious column in the local newspaper, and was a frequent officiant for weddings and memorials. In March 2012 the local Red Cross Chapter gave him an “Everyday Hero” medal for being “Senior Compassion Hero.”

His son, Tim, remembers his father for valuing family, and collecting and telling jokes. He describes his father as a “kind and generous man,” who was “very concerned about the community in which he lived.”

Edgar Peara is survived by sons, Chris, Jon, Tim, and Andy Peara, stepchildren Portia Blackman, Allan Ball, Leah Pahlmeyer, and Sarah Taylor, ten grandchildren, two great grandchildren, two nieces, a nephew, and a cousin. A Celebration of Life was held on 17 May 2014 at the UU Church in Eugene, Oregon.

Memorial donations may be made to The UU Church in Eugene, or to any one of the many organizations in the Eugene area to which Ed dedicated his volunteer time in his retirement years: Unity of the Valley, Nearby Nature, The Village School, Red Cross of Lane County, Community Alliance of Lane County, Friends of Buford Park, or Friends of Hendricks Park.

Phyllis Peara

Phyllis Peara, 83, wife of the Rev. Sir Edgar Peara, died of congestive heart failure March 6, 2011 in Eugene, OR. A graduate of the U. of Nebraska, she was a junior high school teacher. She was president of the League of Women Voters in several communities. Phyllis was named the “Outstanding Woman of the Year” in Chicago’s north suburbs. An unparalleled minister’s wife, at UU Community Church, Park Forest, IL, she was named “UU Unsung Hero.” She was an avid reader who belonged to four book clubs and was active in OLLI, the senior program at the U. of Oregon. She is survived by her husband, her children, Portia Blackman and Alan Ball of Santa Fe, NM, Leah Pahlmeyer of Durango, CO, and Sarah Taylor of North Oaks, MN, and her four stepsons: Christopher, Jonathan, Timothy and Andrew Peara, as well as her sister, Gena Sorensen, of Oakland, CA, and ten grandchildren and one great grandson.

George Pennington

The Rev. Dr. George J.W. Pennington, 86, died January 10, 2012. A. native of Salem, MA, he held BA, STM, MA and DD degrees from Tufts University. He served churches in Wakefield, Norwell and Arlington, MA; Concord, NH; Springfield, MA and Montclair, NJ. After retiring he continued as a pastoral counselor with UU Counseling and Educational Service of NJ Area Council. He was a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice in West Orange, NJ and White Plains, NY. He was active in the civil rights and peace movements. He served on the board of directors of the Council on Aging in Longmeadow, MA. He volunteered to nurture babies at Baystate Medical Center. He was predeceased by his wife, the Rev. Shannon Bernard, and his brother, Donald. He is survived by his life partner, Marjorie Morgan; a son, Scot and daughter-in-law, Joyce; a son Bruce; a daughter, Joy, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Wana Perry died on July 13, 2012 at her home in North Las Vegas. She was 81 years old. In her younger years she was employed as a Psychiatric Technician at Greystone State Hospital, the New Jersey Diagnostic Center and Payne Whitney Clinic in New York.

After spending some ten years as a stay at home Mom she reentered the workforce as a Claims Examiner for the Prudential Insurance Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Upon moving to Philadelphia, she became Director of Admissions and then Business Manager for Friends Select School. While living in Chester, Nova Scotia she served as Coordinator for the local Hockey Rink and Curling Club. In Massachusetts she held the position of Business Manager for The Newton Wesley Weston Committee. Her final full time position was Coordinator for the Upton Council on Aging.

In her role as Minister’s wife she served as Religious Education Director for Unitarian Churches in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Grafton, Massachusetts.

In her retirement she took part time positions serving as Administrative Assistant at Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester, Secretary for the Fairmont Methodist Church in St. Paul, Minnesota and the Redwood Middle School in Saratoga, California, and Research Assistant for the Satellite Health Corporation in Redwood City; as well as volunteer work for The Tech Museum of Innovation and the Repertory Theater in San Jose.

She loved being a Wife, Mother and Grandmother. She took joy in preparing gourmet meals. She constantly wrote poetry and prose. One of her final projects was a book filled with photos and memories, entitled This Much I Remember that she wrote and published for her children and grandchildren.

She is pre-deceased by her husband and love of her life, Rev. Richard A. Perry, and survived by four children: John Perry of Oakland, Tara Perry of North Las Vegas, Richard Perry of San Jose, and Mina Perry of Toronto; plus 7 grandchildren, Ryan, Katelyn, Nicole, Kelsey, Wana, Richard, and Jeremy; plus 2 great-grandchildren, Ender and Yanni.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Nathan Adelson Hospice, Las Vegas.

The Rev. Oren Arthur “Pete” Peterson died on June 10, 2019, at the age of 91.

Oren is survived by his wife of 49 years, Patricia Knight Peterson; his children Thea Peterson, Thomas Peterson, Laura Peterson, and David Peterson; his nine grandchildren Michael, Oren Silas, Nathan, Beth, Rebecca, Anton, Tepper, Stella, and Leonard; and his three great-grandchildren Theo, Raven, and Alva. He was preceded in death by his siblings Adela Engel and Phyllis Murphy; his twin brother Keith Peterson; his sons Oren A. Peterson Jr and Paul Peterson; and his grandson Max.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Planned Parenthood of the Heartland; and to the Good Life Fund at Scottish Rite Park, 2909 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

A celebration of Oren’s life will take place at 10.30 am on Saturday, August 17, 2019, at the First Unitarian Church of Des Moines, 1800 Bell Ave, Des Moines, IA 50315.

Notes of condolence may be sent Patricia Peterson at 2909 Woodland Ave, Apt # 1001, Des Moines, IA 50312.

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

The Rev. David A. Pettee died on September 13, 2020 at the age of 63.

David is survived by his fiancée Jen Nahas; daughters Sophie and Hannah; brother Jon and father James.

A memorial service was planned to be held on Nov. 11, 2021, at the Follen Community Church in Lexington, MA. The service will be live streamed.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Axia, to Coming to the Table, or to the Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Jen Nahas at 2 Waterman Road, Cambridge, MA 02138.

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

Tawnya Phifer

Tawnya Phifer, 67, wife of the Rev. Kenneth W. Phifer, died peacefully at Arbor Hospice, Ann Arbor, MI, on September 21, 2014. She died of complications from ovarian cancer.

She was born April 4, 1947 in Toledo, Ohio to Donald Elwin Fuller and Mary Lee (Ely) Fuller. The eldest of five children, she grew up in Temperance, MI, graduating as co-valedictorian from Bedford High School in 1965.

She got married and moved to Ludington, MI and then to Hawaii, with her husband, who was serving in the U.S Coast Guard. She lived there from 1968-1972, then returned to Temperance to attend college. She worked for her father as a bookkeeper during her college years. In 1974 she graduated with highest honors from Monroe Community College. Two years later she graduated, again with highest honors, from Eastern Michigan University, majoring in accounting. She earned credentials as a CPA.

She married Dave Warnock in 1978 and they had two children, Janelle and April. Tawnya often said that the best years of her life were her twelve years as a full-time mother. She enjoyed baking, sewing, helping at school, and encouraging her girls in dance and gymnastics. In 1990 she was hired by McKinley Realty, in Ann Arbor, where she worked for twelve years. She then worked at DTE Energy in the Trading Division. She retired from DTE at the end of 2012. She had married Ken Phifer in 2003.

A memorial service was held for Tawnya at the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Ann Arbor on Saturday, October 11 at 11 a.m. Tawnya’s family and friends say she will be remembered as a kind, gentle, witty, intelligent, warm, courageous, and graceful woman.

Tawnya is survived by her husband, Ken; her parents; her brothers, Donald (Janis), Danny (Pam), Dane (Cathy), and David, her daughters, Janelle (Eric) and April; grandchildren: Ashlyn, Gavin, Kaleb, Kairi, Lyric and a baby girl due shortly; step-children Kathy (Donnie), Karl (Paige), and Dave; step-grandchildren Michael and Spencer, Gabriel and Paityn, Therion and Caleb; seven nephews and a niece.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to any of the following: The First Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 4001 Ann Arbor Saline Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103; The Cancer Support Community, 2010 Hogback Road, Suite 3, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; Arbor Hospice, 2366 Oak Valley Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48103

Condolences may go to: Ken Phifer, 1201 W. Liberty, Ann Arbor, MI 48103.

Roy Phillips

The Rev. Roy D. Phillips, 66, died of a heart attack April 24, 2008, while visiting family in Morocco. He had survived pancreatic cancer for nearly five years. Roy was ordained and installed in 1967 at what was then the UU Church of Racine and Kenosha in Racine, Wisconsin where he served until 1971, when he began his service to the Unity Church-Unitarian in St. Paul, Minnesota. The congregation named him minister emeritus 27 years later. He then served as interim minister in Cleveland, Ohio, and Pensacola and Valparaiso, Florida, before being called to the UU Church of Tucson, AZ from which he retired in 2004. He is survived by his life partner, Patricia Harmon of Tucson.

The Rev. Stephen “Steve” E. Phinney died on May 2, 2020, at the age of 80.

Steve is survived by his wife, Cynthia Mortland Phinney; his three
children: Sara Phinney Kelley and her husband Dave, Jennifer Phinney Bell
and her husband Pat, and Robert Stephen Phinney and his wife Alyce; his
five grandchildren: Rachel Bell Hopkins and her husband Cameron Hopkins,
Erin Bell, Kathleen (Katie) Kelley, Tobey Phinney and Lucas Phinney; as
well as his brother Robert A. Phinney and wife Caroline. He was preceded in
death by his parents and his first wife, Lucy Walsh Phinney.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Food Bank of the Rockies.

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

There is no memorial service planned right now; at a later date, his ashes
will be interred at the Phinney family cemetery plot in Barnstable, Cape
Cod, MA and scattered on Mount Desert Island, ME.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Cynthia Phinney, 14836 E. Alabama
Place, Aurora, CO 80012 or message may be left here.

A more complete obituary will follow.

Helen Pickett

Helen Rice Pickett, 88, the spouse of Reverend O. Eugene Pickett, died October 4 2017. After living with Alzheimer’s disease for seven years, her death at home was peaceful, with her husband and three daughters at her bedside.

Helen was born in Durban, Natal, South Africa, in 1929, one of four children of Congregational missionaries.  During the Great Depression, she lived in a series of small towns in Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Oregon where her father served as minister.

Helen graduated from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington in 1950, where she majored in biology and minored in music – both of which remained important in her life. She then attended the Chicago Theological Seminary at the University of Chicago where she met ministerial student Eugene Pickett, whom she married in 1952.

Gene and Helen went on to serve churches in the South during the Civil Rights Era including Miami, Florida; Richmond, Virginia where daughters Ann, Martha and Emily were born; and Atlanta, Georgia.

After 20 years in the South, the family relocated to the Boston area where Helen worked at Wellesley College and Gene became Director of Ministerial Education at the denominational headquarters. During this time, she was an ardent member of the Cecilia Society, one of the oldest choral groups in Boston, singing soprano and serving as its president for two years.

In 1979 Gene became Unitarian Universalist Association president and Helen became an integral part of his presidency. They traveled extensively both at home and abroad, and she is remembered for her hospitality, welcoming others who were far from home on holidays to the president’s house. When Gene became minister of the Church of the Larger Fellowship in 1986 Helen joined the staff as well, and served on the CLF board. It was at this time that Helen was appointed to the UUA’s Hymnbook Commission.  This six-year project produced Singing the Living Tradition.

After retiring in 1991, Helen and Gene moved to Cape Cod. While in retirement, she edited Rejoice Together and co-edited For All That Is Our Life for Skinner House press and remained active in the League of Women Voters and her local UU church.

Notes of condolence may be sent to the Rev. O. Eugene Pickett, 912 Main Street, #201, Chatham, MA  02633-2746.

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.

The Rev. Betty L. Pingel died on September 6, 2023, at the age of 97 (1925-2023).

Betty was born on September 26, 1925, in Denver CO to Mitchell Leavitt and Marjorie O’Neill Leavitt. She was raised mostly in Denver by her mother and attended East Denver High School ,graduating in 1943. Ever since high school, she worked in the church, as a volunteer, in the choir, on committees, and in the church school. In 1948, she received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado.

Betty began her career as a professional Religious Education Director at the First Universalist Church of Denver (1963-1975). During her 13 years there, she was meaningfully involved with adolescents and was remarkably appreciated for her counseling to young people in troubled family situations. She also built a strong community amongst the youth. From 1976 to 1977, she was employed as a consultant in religious education at the UU Church of Boulder CO where she facilitated RE teachers as they worked toward the expression of values and goals.

Betty’s long work in religious education in the church with children, young people, and their parents, served to intensify a natural concern for meaning in the most direct and personal ways. She realized a need for her career to focus on assisting people to grow and change. As a birthright Unitarian, Betty knew the importance of UUism in her own life but now she wished to become a UU minister and work professionally with a church as a facilitator, theologian/preacher, counselor, and educator. In 1977, she earned her Master of Divinity from the Iliff School of Theology in Denver.

Rev. Pingel was ordained by the First Unitarian Church of Denver on May 29, 1977. Following ordination, she served the Second Unitarian Church of Omaha NE as their first full-time settled minister (1977–1981), helping the church double its membership and budget. In 1981, she accepted a call from the UU Church of Fresno CA, where she would serve until 1992. At the Fresno church, she worked to strengthen music, invited children to be a part of the church community, and accommodated RE programs for them. The church was also very proud of her visibility in the wider community. In 1992, the UU Church of Fresno honored her as their minister emerita.

Subsequently, her work turned toward interim ministry at the Gathering at Northern Hills, Cincinnati OH (1992–1993). She helped the Board review their strengths and weaknesses and offered new practical ideas. In addition, she raised the visibility of the RE program, integrated children into the service, and actively worked with consultants and canvass committees in fundraising. Rev. Pingel served as a leader helping to resolve conflicts and heal wounds. From 1993 to 1994, she served her interim ministry at the UU Church of Akron, in Fairlawn OH, moving the church toward health enough to call their next minister. 

Thereafter she served the Rogue Valley UU Fellowship, Ashland OR (1994-1995), and The UU Church in Eugene OR (1995–1997). At Eugene, she helped rewrite bylaws and created a policy manual and a vision statement. Following her retirement in 1997, Rev. Pingel provided her services to the UU Congregation of the Grand Valley, Grand Junction CO (1998-1999), as a consulting minister. She gave each of her interim congregations just the strokes, encouragement, and gentle spurring they needed.

In addition to her parish and interim ministries, Rev. Pingel served on the board of the Pacific Central District, and the UU Women’s Federation. She was a member of the UUMA, LREDA, and MSUU. While she was a religious educator, the UUA’s Department of Education published her articles, including: 

“Curriculum in Action #10, Understanding Our Church” 
“The Conscientious Objector and Our Church School,” and 
“Curriculum for Now, #6, Unitarian Universalism as a Valuing Religion.”

In the wider community, Betty served as a member of various groups, such as the Fresno Women’s Network, the League of Women Voters, and The Forum (a professional women’s discussion group). She sat on the boards of the Planned Parenthood of Omaha and of Fresno. For 70 years, she spoke and worked for justice, from civil rights, peace, and nuclear disarmament to Black Lives Matter and global income inequality. She was always hopeful and optimistic, willing to laugh, to learn, to change. She fulfilled the highest criteria of integrity, religious concern, morality, sheer hard work, and warm regard for other human beings. Her sensitivity and wholesomeness permitted others to identify with the human qualities of different cultures and lifestyles. 

In her leisure time, Betty loved to listen to traditional jazz and continued her search for knowledge through news, books, and magazines. She traveled extensively with Elderhostel and to visit her children and grandchildren across the U.S. She looked forward to family visits to Denver.

Betty is survived by her son, Mitchell (Peggy); daughters, Barbara Ortega, Gale Loveitt (Thomas Walker), and Shirley Karuzas (Michael ‘Crash’); seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter, and son-in-law, Albert Ortega.

A celebration of life was held on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the First Unitarian Society of Denver.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Indian College Fund <https://collegefund.org/>, 8333 Greenwood Blvd, Denver CO 80221; or the First Unitarian Society of Denver <https://fusden.org/>, 1400 Lafayette St, Denver CO 80218. Notes of condolence can be written here:
<https://www.abplace-funeral-cremation.com/obituaries/Betty-Pingel/#!/TributeWall>.

The Rev. Ernest “Ernie” D. Pipes, Jr. died on February 10, 2021 at the age of 94.

Ernie was born on October 6, 1926 in San Antonio, TX to Ernest D. Pipes and Ora Lemon Pipes. He completed his Freshman and Sophomore years at Rice Institute in Houston where he studied Chemical Engineering. In 1944, due to his chemical engineering training, when he entered the Navy, he was placed in the Fire Control School at the Naval Base in San Diego. He was trained in gunnery Fire Control in both San Diego and Florida. He spent eleven months abroad serving on the Destroyer 558 in the Pacific and was discharged in 1946.

In early 1947, Ernie joined a program of the Unitarian Church in San Antonio, TX. He returned to college to study Philosophy and received his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion from Trinity University, TX (1949). At this time, he developed quite an interest in social sciences, and did a great deal of work in sociology and economics. In the year or two that followed, he became increasingly aware of the rich possibilities in
the work of religious liberalism. The intellectual freedom offered by the Unitarian tradition allied with his active practice of respect for human reason and human dignity. He wanted to contribute to the shared quest for good living. Unitarianism was that established institution in which he could work to achieve ends which were significant to him. In the wake of this call, he entered Harvard University (1949), and graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity in 1952.

Rev. Pipes was ordained on June 27, 1951 by the First Unitarian Congregation of San Antonio, TX.  Following his ordination, he served as a pastor at the Unitarian Fellowship of the Sabine Area, TX (1951). He then served in parish ministry at the First UU Society of Albany, NY (1952-1956). In 1956, he accepted a call from the UU Community Church of Santa Monica (UUCCSM), CA and served for thirty-five years until 1991. His ministry at Santa Monica stressed diversity and freedom in the congregation and in the pulpit. He counselled women on obtaining safe abortions. He made church an intellectually stimulating community center where diversity of programs and activities were fostered to meet the interest and needs of a wide range of individuals. In 1991, he retired from his active parish ministry. Upon his retirement, UUCCSM honored him as their minister emeritus. Also, in 1991, UUCCSM established an annual lecture series named *Ernie Pipes Lecture Series* which presents speakers on social justice, religion,
philosophy, and other topics of worldly concerns. After retirement, Rev. Pipes continued leading classes and discussion groups for UUCCSM.

Rev. Pipes’ denominational affiliation included serving as a delegate from Mohawk Valley, NY to the Middle Atlantic States Regional Council. For the Pacific Coast Unitarian Council (Regional Board), he served as a member (1959-1962) and as President (1960-1961). Additionally, he served as President of the Council of Liberal Ministers, Los Angeles (1959-1961).

Rev. Pipes was a member of the Citizen’s Committee for Albany, NY Public Schools; National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). He provided his services as a Vice-President to the West Los Angeles-Santa Monica Fair Housing Committee (1960-1961), and to the Santa Monica-Bay Area Ministerial Association. He was one of the board members of Sunset Hall, a retirement home for progressive elders started by the Women’s Alliance of the First Unitarian Church in Los Angeles, CA. He taught Philosophy of Religion and Systems of Ethics in the Department of Adult Education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Ernie had great interests in comparative religion and the nature of human consciences. In his spare time, he enjoyed family activities and loved reading. He occasionally published book reviews in the Journal of Liberal Religion and Frontier Magazine.

Ernie is survived by his children: Bruce, Heather, and Gordon. He was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Cope Pipes.

A virtual memorial service was held at 1 pm on Saturday, May 1, 2021.

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

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Santa Monica <https://www.uusm.org/>, 1260 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404.

Margaret C. “Maggie” Pipes, 85. died on May 24, 2012. This summary of her life is taken from a beautiful tribute to her, written by husband, the Rev. Ernie Pipes, and delivered at the celebration of her life held on June 30th, which would have been their 63rd wedding anniversary.

Maggie grew up in a small town in Texas near the Mexican border.  She was bi-lingual, owned a horse, and was loved by parents who helped her develop a strong sense of self and confidence.  She graduated from Trinity University with a major in Theater Arts.  Her social concerns and liberal outlook took her to the Unitarian Church of San Antonio where was she active in local politics and justice issues; it was there that she met Ernie, whom she married on June 30, 1949. After Ernie’s graduate work at Harvard, he was called to his first pastorate in Albany, NY. Maggie immediately became involved in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, with an intense commitment to the civil rights movement.

Maggie and Ernie raised three children, moving to Santa Monica in 1956, where she continued her dedication to social action.  In the 1960s, in response to the urban crisis in LA, she helped create the Mafundi Institute, a center in Watts which taught film making, drama, dance and writing.  In 1973 Maggie began to work with Cesar Chavez, representing the UUA to the National Farm Workers Ministry and, with Howard Matson, helped establish the UU Ministry to Migrant Farm Workers.  Her work on their behalf extended over three decades.

Maggie was also instrumental in the Sanctuary Movement of the 1980s, which rescued Central Americans fleeing death squads, torture, and political repression. She inspired the Santa Monica congregation to sponsor a family from Guatemala, raising the bond money to move them out of INS detention and guide them through the process to win legal status. Outraged by the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador, Maggie helped to create the Oscar Romero Spanish-speaking UU congregation at First Unitarian Church in LA, which has been active since 1982.

The riots following the Rodney King beating and trial in 1992 were in the vicinity of the First Unitarian Church. The Rev. Linnea Pearson turned to Maggie to form the UU Crisis Response Network, which became the Urban Ministry, serving the inner city through numerous community programs. Maggie served as chair from its inception in 1997.

In recognition for her many years of unheralded service in the cause of social action and liberal values, in 2002 Maggie was awarded the Unsung UU Award by the UU Association. As her health deteriorated Maggie still “worked the telephone” on issues and causes of concern to her and maintained a network of close connections with a large group of friends. What friends and family remember most about Maggie is the warmth and love which she brought to her relationships, and they were graced to have known this beautiful person.

The Rev. Carolyn F. B. Podulka, 74, died August 17. 2007. She served the Unitarian Church of Evanston as a Minister of Religious Education. She was a Pastoral Counselor at the Hospice of the Northshore in Wilmette, IL. Surviving are her husband, Gene Podulka, and her children W. David Buss of Los Angeles, CA; Dennis F. Buss of Lake Forest, IL; Timothy D. Buss of Bay City, MI; and Heidi Ann Buss of St. Paul, MN; 15 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Messages may be sent to Gene Podulka. A service was held Sept. 22 at the Northshore Unitarian Church, Deerfield, IL.

Martha Louise (Warren) Pohl, 90, died Aug. 14, 2023, at her 1889 homestead surrounded by her loving family. She was the beloved wife of Rev. Dr. David C. Pohl, with whom she shared nearly 68 years of marriage.

Martha was born Nov. 10, 1932, the daughter of Edwin H. and Helen M. (Pearson) Warren. Martha grew up on the Family Farm, valedictorian of her class at Chelmsford High School. She studied at Lowell General Hospital, graduating in 1953 as a Certified Registered Nurse, and served four years at Mass. General Hospital in Boston.

On Oct. 26, 1954, she met her future husband David at his ordination at the First Parish in Bedford MA. They were married in 1955. In 1957, she gave birth to their first child Elizabeth Louise and in 1962, Eric was born. They moved to the First UU Church of Cleveland OH, in 1957 and four years later to the First UU Congregation of Ottawa ONT. A decade later, they moved to Boston, where David joined the Department of Ministry at the UUA, where he served until retirement in 1993.

Martha resumed her nursing career at MA nursing homes in North Reading, Stoneham, Lexington, and later in Acton. In 1985, she joined David in a four-and-a-half month sabbatical in Australia, where he served the Unitarian church in Adelaide. In the closing days of their time there, an invitation came to attend a reception for a visiting Queen Elizabeth, as she unveiled a statue honoring Catherine Helen Spence, a Unitarian suffragist. 

When Martha’s father died in 1986 he left Martha his Chelmsford home and shared ownership of the farmland with her brother Franklin. Franklin farmed the land, but died in 2015. Five years later, the Pohl and Warren families sold the 54 acres to the Town of Chelmsford, creating The Warren-Pohl Conservation Reservation. 

In retirement, Martha and David enjoyed gardening, their 1967 Vermont cottage, and travel. Her life was abruptly interrupted in mid-April this year with a major stroke. She was initially recovering, but then suffered several setbacks that led to a private, poignant conversation with David in which she sought his agreement that she begin home hospice care. It was a profoundly sad promise grounded in their deep and abiding love.

In addition to her husband, Martha is survived by her daughter Elizabeth Louise (Dean Corner) of Augusta ME, and granddaughters Miriam Elizabeth of Lowell MA, and the Reverend Erica Rose Long of Cambridge; her son, Eric Warren (Mary Patricia Anderson) of Chelmsford, and grandchildren Ethan Warren of Kingston ONT; Elena Ruth of Sherbrooke QUE.; Laura Elizabeth of Westmore VT; Andre Anderson of Chelmsford, and numerous nieces and nephews. 

The public is invited to a Memorial Service Sunday, Oct. 8, at 2 p.m. at the First Parish in Concord, 20 Lexington Road, Concord MA. A reception will follow. Memorial donations may be made to the Town of Chelmsford/Warren-Pohl Reservation, 50 Billerica Road, Chelmsford MA 01824.

Barbara Ellen Pontier, 91, widow of Rev. Raymond J. Pontier, died October 19, 2007 in Raritan Township, NJ. A graduate of the New Jersey College for Women-Rutgers University, she retired in 1985 from Clifton, NJ High School, where she taught math. Barbara was a member of the NEA, NJEA and the NAACP. Her husband, Raymond Pontier, who predeceased her in 2004, was a minister, and together they served Reformed Church of America and Unitarian Universalist Association congregations in Berne, NY; Kingston, NY; Port Jervis, NY; Clifton, NJ; Wayne, NJ; Narrowsburg, NY and Lakeland, FL. She moved to Lambertville, NJ in 2004. She is survived by her three children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Patricia Prevost, the spouse of Reverend Dr. Stephan Papa, died 11 March 2021 in Colorado, at age 69. Patty was born 26 March 1951 in Freeport, New York to Arthur and Katherine Prevost, and attended school in Wantagh, NY, where she established friendships that she would sustain throughout her life. After high school, Patty attended Keene State College in New Hampshire, then graduated cum laude from The State University of New York in Geneseo in 1973. She had become involved with the student radio station and earned her degree in speech communications.

With her degree in hand, she spent time trying out work experiences, taking employment in a variety of positions in Manhattan, Maryland, and Florida. She had attended Unitarian Universalist churches since grade school – a consequence of her parents coming from different religious backgrounds – and it was at the Unitarian Church in Fort Lauderdale that she and Stephan net in 1980. They married in 1982, and moved to Denver, Colorado later that year.

In Denver, Patty worked for a wine importer, then for a classical radio station, then for Colorado Public Radio, where she eventually became Vice-President of Development and Marketing. In 2001 they moved to Devon, Pennsylvania, where she worked for the Free Library of Philadelphia, and then as Director of Development and Communication for WRTI public radio. Returning to Denver in 2010, Patty worked again for CPR, for Rocky Mountain PBS, and retired in 2017 from her position as Director of Leadership Giving at KUNC.

Patty loved musicals, walking, talking, travel, Pilates and yoga, and she had an astounding capacity to engage with people. She was an excellent listener and unusually adept at remembering details of others’ lives. She was charming and witty and caring, and her social skills empowered her success as a fundraiser. Many people testified to the joy they had in being with her for a variety of experiences.

In addition to Stephan, Patty is survived their daughter, Alexandra Prevost Papa, her husband Tyler Childers, and their son, Parker Chapin Childers, and also by her mother, her brother, Roger, her cousin, Katherine Haynes and family.

The Rev. Steven Protzman died on January 29, 2024, at the age of 65 (1958-2024).

Steven is survived by his mother, Carol Protzman; and seven siblings: Charles, Chris, Dawn Werling, Kevin, Brendan, Eric, and Marcia Grimes; as well as dozens of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Plans for a memorial service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of one’s own choosing.

Notes of condolences can be written here
<https://www.bisslerandsons.com/obituary/RevSteven-Protzman#tributewall>.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Glyn Pruce

The Rev. Glyn Pruce, British sailor, parish minister, World War Two historian and devoted grandfather, died on June 1, 2015 at Mease-Country Hospital in Safety Harbor, Florida. He was 86 years old.

Glyn John Pruce was born on December 25, 1928, in London, England, to John and Ethel Pruce. When German bombs fell on London in 1940, he was one of many children moved to the English countryside during “the Blitz.”

At 16, in 1945, he signed up and joined the British Merchant Marines. His ship was headed toward the Pacific Theatre battles when the Japanese surrendered. He spent the next three years traveling with the Marines visiting China and India. The impact of seeing the human suffering in these countries led him eventually to the ministry, although he had also considered missionary work.

He received a Bachelor of Arts from the London Polytechnic Institute in 1954 and a Diploma in Ministry from Manchester College (of Oxford, England) in 1958. In 1960, he married the former Edna E. Wilson in England and became Unitarian Minister at the Hale Barnes Chapel in Cheshire. They moved from England to Boston, Massachusetts, along with their son Timothy, and lived there for 9 years, where he obtained a Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) from Boston University in 1965; and a Master of Arts in Theology from Boston University in 1970.

Mr. Pruce was ordained by the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches in London in 1958, and received Unitarian Universalist ministerial fellowship in 1973. He served as interim minister to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, GA from 1974 to 1975; minister to the Lakeshore Unitarian Church of Pointe Claire, Québec from 1975 to 1978; minister to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo, NY from 1978 to 1983; minister to The Great Meeting (Unitarian) of Leicester, UK from 1983 to 1987; minister to the Old Meetinghouse (Unitarian), Bessells Green of Kent, UK and the Maidstone Unitarian Church of Kent, UK from 1987 to 1992; and minister to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tarpon Springs, FL from 1992 to 1997.

Ward Knights recalls that he engaged in a six-month ministry exchange with Glyn and his wife Florence in about 1990; Ward and Lucy went to Maidstone, Kent and the Pruces came to Tarpon Springs, where Ward served at the time. “The Tarpon congregation was very much pleased with Glyn’s sermonic abilities,” he continues, “and subsequently Glyn came from the UK to be the settled minister in Tarpon when I moved on to another congregation.”

The Rev. Mr. Pruce was quite active within the denomination throughout his thirty-nine years of ministry. He served various committees and organizations during his time in the United Kingdom, including the Unitarian Ministers Association and the Unitarian Commission on Society and the Family. In the United States, he served as secretary of the St. Lawrence District Chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association from 1975 to 1980; and moderator of the Arlington Street Unitarian Universalist Church from 1969 to 1970.

He taught sociology at Northeastern University, in Boston, and took part in a doctoral program in the Sociology of Education at Boston University. He worked on Boston’s Redevelopment Authority, and was an avid reader and World War II history buff. He loved classical music, traveling and spending time with his granddaughter, whom he affectionately called “Mistress Eden Willow.” Glyn’s, son, Timothy, recalls that Eden was his “pride and joy, and the love of his life.”

Glyn is survived by his son, Timothy; granddaughter, Eden Pruce; companion, Constance Traycheff, and her family; stepchildren, Susan, Robert, Michael and their families; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held on June 27th, 2015 in Palm Harbor, FL 34683.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Timothy Pruce and Family, 157-10 Riverside Drive West, Apt. 14Q, New York, NY 10032, and to Constance Traycheff, 2664 Pine Ridge Way South, Apt. D1, Palm Harbor, FL 34684.

The Rev. Jeanne Marie Pupke died on February 9, 2022, at the age of 66.

Jeanne is survived by her mother, Ruth Webb Pupke; her siblings, Eileen Duggan, Donald Pupke, Jr (Nancy), Daniel Pupke, Robert Pupke (Heather), Margaret Digena (Joseph), Christine Edwards (Chris); and very many nephews and nieces. She is also survived by her spouse of 28 years, Regina Largent, and her sisters, Michelle (Bill) Barris and Renee Ray. She was preceded in death by her father, Donald V. Pupke.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 19, 2022, at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1000 Blanton Avenue, Richmond, VA 23221. The event will be live-streamed at https://youtube.com/c/FirstUnitarianUniversalistChurchofRichmond.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Richmond Pledge and First Unitarian Universalist Church at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1000 Blanton Avenue, Richmond, VA 23221. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence can be sent to Regina Largent at 7807 Granite Hall Ave, Richmond, VA 23225.

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

Judith Quarles

The Rev. Judith Lorraine Quarles, 67, died peacefully in hospice care at home on April 9, 2009, from complications of brain cancer. A graduate of Harpur College (now SUNY Binghamton) she worked for the NYS Department of Labor. She also served as DRE at the Buffalo (NY) Church. After her husband Edgar died in 1985, she earned her M.Div. at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. She served congregations in Lockport, NY, Mississauga, ON, and Oneonta, NY. Judy was a passionate advocate for social action, both in her local community and beyond. She was instrumental in launching the initiative that created the Oneonta Free Clinic. She was proud of the link the Oneonta congregation established with a school in Mali to provide them with much needed financial support. The UU Society of Oneonta named her minister emerita in 2008. She is survived by her loving companion, Tom O’Brien of Oneonta, her daughters, Karen Quarles of New York City, Emily Quarles Mowrer of Gilbertsville, PA, and her younger sister

The Rev. Harold J. Quigley, 92, died Feb. 5, 2005 in Kent, OH. He was ordained in 1939 and fellowshipped in 1960. He had served in Meadville, PA and retired in 1983. He was survived by his wife Wilma and their son Harold.

The Rev. Dr. Peter Spilman Raible, 74, died May 17, 2004 of congestive heart failure in a hospice in Seattle, WA. He served congregations in Providence, RI; Lincoln, NE; Seattle, Tacoma and Bainbridge, WA; Tulsa, OK; and Kirkwood, MO.. He was executive director for the Pacific Northwest District and served as Interim Director of Settlement at the UUA. He is survived by his brother, the Rev. Christopher Raible of Creemore, ON; his children, the Rev. Deborah Raible of Seattle; Stephen Raible of Stanwood, WA; Robin Raible of Seattle; and Robert Raible of Danville, CA; and eight grandchildren.

Earle Ramsdell

The Rev. Earle R. Ramsdell, American Baptist minister, pastoral counselor, and beloved colleague in the Southwest District, died at home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on April 23, 2016.

Earle Ramsdell was born May 27, 1921 in Somerville MA, to Lloyd and Anna (McDonald) Ramsdell. He graduated from Boston University with a BS in Education in 1944, then obtained a Master of Divinity at Andover Newton Theological School in 1946 and a second masters degree in counseling in 1972 from the University of North Texas.

He served two American Baptist pastorates between 1946 and 1953. He then served as the Associate Director of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches from 1953 to 1959, where, as the Director of Radio and Television, he produced and participated in religious programming. In 1959 he became the Executive Director of the Greater Flint (Michigan) Council of Churches, where he served as co-chair of the successful effort to pass an open housing ordinance, with Flint becoming the first city in the nation to enact such an ordinance by public vote. He was also instrumental in the creation of that city’s Human Relations Commission.

In 1973 he joined the staff of the Pastoral Counseling Center in Dallas TX, retiring in 1995 after twenty years as Director of Education and Training.

In retirement, he served as the volunteer Director of Pastoral Care at the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge, having moved to Louisiana in 1995 with his wife Penny as she joined the faculty of the LSU School of Social Work.

He is survived by his wife Penny Smith Ramsdell; two daughters, two grandsons, and two great-grandsons.

The Rev. Dr. Shirley Ann Ranck died on May 14, 2023, at the age of 92 (1930-2023).

Shirley is survived by her children, Scott Page, James Page, Christina
Bell, and Laura Van Lue, along with numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family.

Shirley received her BA degree from Montclair State University (NJ) in 1953 followed by a Masters of Religious Education from Drew University (NJ) in 1958, an MA in Clinical Psychology from City University of New York in 1964, a PhD in Urban School Psychology from Fordham University (NY) in 1976, and a Master of Divinity from the Thomas Starr King School for the Ministry (CA) in 1978.

Shirley worked for many years as a school psychologist in the Livingston NJ public schools. After receiving her PhD, she decided on a career change and became a Unitarian Universalist minister. Most of her career was spent as an interim minister for various Unitarian Universalist congregations around the United States and Canada.

Shirley is the author of the “Cakes for the Queen of Heaven: A Ten Session Course in Feminist Thealogy,” published by the Unitarian Universalist Association. She is also author of the books Cakes for the Queen of Heaven and The Grandmother Galaxy, and a number of articles for various publications. Her last published work was as co-editor of Pagan and Earth-Centered Voices in Unitarian Universalism, to which she contributed three chapters.

She will be interred with her parents in a private ceremony. Memorial donations in Shirley’s name may be made to:

  – the UU Women’s Federation UU Women’s Federation
  <https://www.uuwf.org/Donate>
  – the Malala Fund How to Help Girls? Education
  <https://malala.org/donate?sc=header>

UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry. Notes of condolence can be sent to Laura Van Lue, 122 Parkway, Niles MI
49120.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

The Rev. David O. Rankin died on April 5, 2024, at the age of 86 (1937-2024).

David is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ginger Rankin; his sons: Mark Rankin and Oran Rankin (Sara); grandchildren: Jim Minor Rankin, David Rankin (Jessica), Emily Rankin, Seneca Wainright (Justin); as well as his great-grandchildren: Liam and Clara Wainright.

A private memorial service is being planned.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ginger Minor Rankin Scholarship Endowment. This can be done at the University of Idaho’s web page: Donation Annual Giving. GiveCampus. Please choose Ginger Minor Rankin Scholarship Endowment in the Designation box and enter “In Memory of David O. Rankin” in the In Honor of box. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence can be sent to Ginger Rankin at Gingerrankin@moscow.com or mailed to Ginger Rankin, 312 North Garfield St., Moscow ID 83843.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com.

The Rev. Hannah Tabitha “Tabby” Rappolt died on May 7, 2023, at the age of 72 (1951-2023). Tabby is survived by her husband George A. Rappolt; her children: Ethan A. A. Rappolt, Pele A. T. “Tara” (Jeffrey) Rivard, and Amanda S.D. (Richard “Chad”) Bergeron; and her grand-children: Rhiannon Rivard, Jasper M. Bergeron, Shayla Rivard, Evelyn G. Bergeron and Elwynn Rivard. She also leaves behind her siblings: Susannah “Sukey” (James) Blake, Seth (Clara) Tuckerman, and Abigail Slayton (Frank Dick) and their children.

Tabby was born on April 15, 1951, in Holyoke MA to Murray Tuckerman and Byrde Tuckerman. The oldest of four children, she spent her first two years in Philadelphia until her parents moved to Troy NY. At the age of seven, the family moved back to Philadelphia where she remained until entering college. When Tabby was eight, her family joined Germantown Unitarian Church. 

Tabby found the church to be a happy and understanding place. She enjoyed Sunday School and teaching Sunday School. The youth group, LRY, was an important aspect of the church in her high school years. As she progressed, she became more attached to the church environment. In her teens, she realized that ministry was the career she was looking for. She wanted to be a Unitarian minister.

In 1973, Tabby graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Biblical Studies from Wellesley College (MA). At Wellesley, she was involved in the Wellesley College Shakespeare Society and was active in college chapel programs, among other activities. Her interest in the ministry and her commitment to Unitarianism remained firm throughout college, after her graduation, and subsequent marriage. In 1977, she received her Master of Divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School.

Rev. Rappolt was ordained on April 29, 1979 by the First Church Unitarian, Athol MA, where she served in the parish for four years (1979-1983). She knew the congregation well and was empathetic, compassionate, kind, and understanding to everyone. She did an excellent job of visiting the sick and anyone else in need of the minister for help and counseling. 

From 1984 to 1986, she was minister to the Dighton Community Church MA. From 1987 to 1991, she served the First Parish in Needham MA as a minister of Religious Education. Thereafter, she worked in a variety of secretarial and other office roles, such as a paid alumnae recruiter for Wellesley College, before becoming an office manager in the late 1990s.

Rev. Rappolt was an active member of the First Parish in Needham and provided her service as a worship committee chair (2004-2009). She was also involved in denominational affairs serving as a GA delegate in 1981; was a member of the UUMA; the Ministerial Sisterhood UU; and the UU Women’s Federation. She attended GA in person in 2009 and online in 2021.

In community, Hannah served the Athol/Orange Clergy Association as a member (1978-1984) and President (1979-1983). She was an elected secretary/treasurer (1985) for the Dighton/Taunton Clergy Association and an on-call group chaperone for the Taunton Human Service Associate. She was an outspoken proponent of social justice; after retirement, she volunteered with Metrowest Worker Center. She also volunteered with the Immigration Justice Task Force, as part of First Parish in Needham’s level 2 sanctuary program, and through the UUA’s immigration services program provided housing for a Haitian couple for several months.

In her leisure time, she enjoyed cooking (especially canning, preserving, and winemaking), embroidery, writing poetry, and fencing. She read mysteries, historical fiction, science fiction, and fantasy, along with some non-fiction. Gardening and indoor plants were her lifelong minor pursuit. Her musical tastes included a broad range of styles. In recent years she also played Bejeweled, Farmville, and Forge of Empires. She was an active member of Needham’s square dance club and she also greatly enjoyed travel.

A memorial service was held at 10 a.m. on June 3, 2023, at the First Parish in Needham, 23 Dedham Ave, Needham MA 02492.

Memorial donations may be made to the Wellesley College Shakespeare Society, the Metrowest Worker’s Center or to the UUSC. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry. Notes of condolence can be sent to George A. Rappolt, 9 Morgan Drive Unit 105, Natick MA 

The Reverend Paul Ratzlaff, beloved parish minister and activist for justice, died on 28 February 2016, aged 70.

Paul Wilmer Ratzlaff was born to Leslie and Nina Ratzlaff in Kingston, Jamaica, on 24 July 1945. He earned a B.A. from Warner Pacific College in 1966, an M.A. from Colgate University in 1968, and a Certificate from the Stevens Gesner Project to Train Men and Women for the Unitarian Universalist Ministry in 1973.

Paul was ordained by the Unitarian Society of New Brunswick, NJ, in 1974, and served there for the next six years. In 1980 he was called to the Morristown (NJ) Unitarian Fellowship, where he served for over twenty years until 2002. After a year of interim ministry with the South Nassau UU Congregation of Freeport, NY, he was subsequently called to the UU Fellowship of Huntington, NY, where he was settled for eight years until his retirement in 2012. During these ministries, Paul was a steady presence in service to the UUA, UUMA, and many local community groups.

Of her father, Hannah Ratzlaff writes: “He dedicated his life to social justice and caring for others. He . . . truly taught me the value of hard work and commitment. He had an amazing balance of kindness, wit, and empathy that allowed him to see many sides of an issue, often acting as the voice of reason for me.”

Paul is survived by his spouse Barbara, brother Dale, children Hannah and Ian, and other beloved family and friends.

Hartley Ray

The Rev. Hartley C. Ray, 92, died August 21, 2010. A graduate of Bates College and the University of Chicago Divinity School, he also worked on a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion, at U. of Chicago. Ordained a Congregationalist, he served Congregational church in El Paso, TX, after having been fellowshipped by the AUA. In El Paso he was a member of the executive committee of the Southern Conference for Human Welfare. He served churches in Chicago; Highland Park, IL; and Orange, NJ. He served as chaplain at Philadelphia State Hospital for 19 years and the Philadelphia Protestant Home for two years. He served non-UU churches in CT and PA, as well. Active in the Chicago and NYC ministers study and fellowship groups, he was also a member of the Community Service Council of Oranges and Maplewood, NJ, a planning body for welfare agencies and hospitals. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Kay Hartley, of 49 years, Kay Hartley, three daughters and five grandchildren.

The Rev. Marjorie Rebmann died on July 4, 2024, at the age of 80 (1944-2024).

Marjorie is survived by her husband Richard Rebmann; her son John Hollovary (Rosaria); daughters Susan Reilly, Camille Panburn, and Araceli Rebmann; stepson Coy Rebmann; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; as well as her brother Brian McConnell (Eileen); and sister Tina Thompson.

A memorial service will be held at 10 am on Friday, August 16, 2024, at the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, 130 Main St, Montpelier VT 05602.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Church of Montpelier. UURMaPA will contribute 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. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Annette Helen Youngs Redman, 96, widow of the Rev. Edward Redman, died Sept. 17, 2012. She took an active role in the churches her husband served. She was a leader at the Lake Geneva Summer Assembly in Williams Bay, WI, for 50 years. And she was also an accomplished needlewoman and knitter.

Jeanne Washeim Reed, age 87, died on July 9, 2016.  Jeanne was the wife of the Reverend Robert “Bob” Reed, whom she met in high school, dated through college, and married in 1950, when they both graduated. Shortly after Bob had enrolled in graduate school, the children started coming, and a change of plans was required. They moved to Arlington VA, where he found work, and Jeanne began teaching in the local schools. She continued teaching until she retired.

In Arlington, they found the Unitarian Church and became members. They served in the church school and soon Bob felt a call to ministry. He enrolled at Meadville Lombard and they moved to Park Forest, IL. After his graduation they returned to Arlington for a year, then served in Bloomington, IL for 8 years, Louisville, KY for 17 years, and Shelter Rock for 9 years. They returned to Louisville when they retired in 1994.

Jeanne was very busy most of her life, taking the bigger share of family and household duties while continuing her work in the schools. She kept the home running by being well organized and maintaining strict standards. Her career unfolded into working at a modified residency school for children with behavioral issues. She also remained engaged with the church, singing in the choir and becoming renowned for the biscotti she made and the cookies she baked each Christmas.

Aside from her work and church, Jeanne loved her summers in Wisconsin, where she would read voraciously. She enjoyed the local sports teams and the orchestra, and always had houseplants to attend to. She made friends wherever they lived, both within and outside the congregations they served.

Although she suffered from a cognitive decline in the last few years of her life, she is remembered as an amazingly capable woman who juggled career and family in a time before such a thing was common. She was survived by her husband of 66 years, Robert Reed (now deceased); four sons, Robert (Sherrille), Doug (Lynn), Jeff (Nancy) and David (Kathleen) Reed and seven grandchildren.

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.

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 Rev. Dr. Richardson “Dick” Reid died on December 20, 2022, at the age of 91 (1931-2022).

Richardson was born on June 25, 1931, in Fall River MA to Rev. William Richardson Reid and Ada Florance Baker. He was born and brought up a Unitarian. As expected of the son of a minister, Richardson was active in his church attending Sunday School, church services, and all church functions. He spent most of his boyhood accompanying his father on many of his pastoral duties.

In 1954, Richardson received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Colgate University (NY), following which he served on the faculty of the Bristol County Agricultural High School (MA) as an instructor in English (1956–1959). In 1959, he earned his Master of Education in History from Bridgewater State College (MA).

During the latter part of his college years, he realized that he had a deep interest in dealing with people and their relationships with life. He saw the true value of the ministry profession, this time quite apart from the feelings which stemmed from admiration of his father. He then decided to devote his life to the preservation and advancement of the denomination. With this call, he graduated with his Master of Divinity from Crane Theological School, Tufts University (1965). Later in 1967, he received his Doctorate of Divinity from St. Lawrence Theological School (NY).

Rev. Reid served his first ministry at Dighton Community Church (MA) (1955–1958). He brought previously alienated persons into active church relationships and associated very well with the senior members of the church. His tenure of three years was characterized by increased membership and firm confidence.

Subsequently, he was settled minister for First Parish Church in Taunton MA, for six years (1959–1965). He stabilized the church through participation and support for a church program including plans for a church school addition. His ministry also had a strong personal and pastoral component. Thereafter, Rev. Reid served in the parish at the First Parish in Malden, Universalist, (MA, 1965–1974) and then he was a part-time minister at the UU Meeting House of Provincetown MA (1976–1980).

In 1982, he returned to the First Parish Church in Taunton to serve in a temporary ministry for the next three years, moving the church to a relatively strong position, ready to move forward toward a permanent ministry. In 1987, honoring Rev. Reid’s devoted service to the church over the years, the First Parish in Taunton honored him as their minister emeritus.

In addition to his parish ministry, Richardson was active in the Malden Council of Churches, and other ministerial and civic organizations. He served as a Probation Officer for fifteen years in the Orleans District Court. Throughout his career, he was devoted to the support and care of the mentally ill, serving as President of the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health and on the National Board as Chairman of the Committee for the Prevention of Mental Illness, and on the State Department of Mental Committee for the de-institutionalization of the mentally ill.

In his leisure time, he enjoyed sailing and shell fishing and most recently his favorite pastime was walking his beloved dog, Missy.

Dick is survived by his wife, Nancy Thacher Reid; his four children: David (Carol), Matthew (Charissa), Katharine Peace, and Peter (Barbara); his eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sons: Steven and Mark, grandson Steven Jr, as well as his sister Betty Jane (Reid) Wheeler.

A celebration of life will be at a future date. You may register
<https://richardsonreidremembrance.yolasite.com/> to receive an email when the date is set for a celebration of life.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to a charity of one’s own choosing. Notes of condolence can be written here:
<https://www.chapmanfuneral.com/obituaries/Richardson-Reid?obId=27061251#/obituaryInfo>

Wallace Reid

Wallace Reid, 81, widower of the late Rev. Lee Reid, died suddenly April 17, 2008. At the time of his death he was serving as the UURMaPA Caring Network Contact for the NY Metro/NJ Caring Region. He served in the US Navy Medical Corps in World War II, and was a research chemist for Union Carbide for 30 years. He then served as a hospital addictions counselor. With his late wife, he was a co-founder of the intentionally diverse UU Congregation of the Palisades in Englewood, NJ. Eight years after they helped to found the church, Lee was killed in a tragic accident. After her death Wally remained on as an integral part of the congregation. He is survived by their three daughters Martha, Kate and Sarah Reid.

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.

Charles Richardson

The Rev. Charles “Corry” Richardson, Jr. died peacefully at age 97 on April 5, 2013, at Summerhill Assisted Living in Peterborough, New Hampshire.

Mr. Richardson loved the theater and performed for many years in community play productions. He was also an avid sports fan, particularly enthusiastic about Harvard football and the Boston Red Sox. With an active and inquiring intellect, he de- lighted in reading, following the, news, debating political and theological subjects, as well as playing bridge. He was active in several organizations including local chapters of the Lions Club and Freemasons. He spent many enjoyable years with his family vacationing at a second home in Kennebunk Beach, Maine.

Charles O. Richardson was born in Weston, Mass., on Aug. 26, 1915, the son of Charles O. and Laura Woodworth Richardson. He was graduated from Harvard University in 1937. After college he worked several years for the Boston Herald Traveler newspaper, leaving to join the Navy during World War II. Returning, he earned a graduate degree from Harvard Divinity School in 1949 and then served as a Unitarian minister in sev- eral churches in Massachusetts and New Hampshire until retirement in 1975. Afterwards he continued to serve as a fill-in minister and to perform family services into his 80s. The Rev. Mr. Richardson was named Minister Emeritus at the First Unitarian Congregational Society of Wilton Center, New Hampshire.

Charles Richardson was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Elizabeth H. Richardson. He is survived by his son Charles O. Richardson III of East Montpelier, Vermont; daughters Penelope Richardson Tarrant of East Falmouth, Mass., and Elizabeth Richardson Paré of Wiscasset, Maine; and four grandchildren, Joshua C. Tar- rant, Callan E. Richardson, Alexander G. Paré, and Carter C. Richardson. He is also survived by three sisters: Mabel C. Richardson, Lucy Rand, and Laura R. Payson.

There was a memorial service on Saturday, June 1, 2013 at the First Unitarian Congregational Society of Wilton Center in Wilton, NH.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Charles O. Richardson, III at 305 Guyette Rd., East Montpelier, VT 05651.

Bea Robbins

Beatrice Erdine Robbins, 102, widow of the Rev. Douglas Robbins, died March 28, 2012 in Augusta, ME. She was a graduate of Gorham Teacher’s College and earned a BA in education through the University of Maine at Orono. Bea was a contributing member of the Winthrop Street Universalist Church of Augusta, which she and her husband served for 30 years. She was active in the Julia Robinson Murray Alliance and Winchester Groups at the church. She was a past president of the Augusta College Club, Kennebec Valley Church Women’s Association and the Universalist Women of Maine. She taught for 29 years in New Gloucester, Wells, Saco and Augusta. She was a mother, a pianist and a published poet. This year she was honored in a ceremony marking the City of Hanowell’s 250th anniversary by receiving the gold-headed Boston Post Cane as the city’s oldest resident. Bea’s vintage recipes will be part of the UU Community Church’s next cookbook, due out in August. Bea is survived by her daughter, Carol Robbins, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

The Rev. Dr. William Joseph Robbins, 93, died April 8, 2007, in Owls Head, ME. He served as an US Army chaplain during World War II in the South Pacific, then used his GI Bill of Rights to obtain a Ph.D. from Brown University. A parishioner in Rockland wrote: “Educated to the Baptist ministry, he found Universalism in the era before confederation with Unitarianism, and he helped First Universalist over the hump of the post-war depression in Rockland. He was our Minister Emeritus, having served our congregation twice, before and after its move from Church of the Emanuel, and he outlived three wives, the first of whom was Reed McKenney’s mother Nadine. Bill was a devoted stepfather, and Reed and his wife Debbie repaid the debt of care beyond all measure. When Bill was left a widower again, seven years ago, in his late 80’s, Reed and Debbie drove up with a truck and moved him into their home for the rest of his days. Our church owes Reed, Debbie and the girls a great debt. They are a wonderful example of the values we cherish.”

Frank Robertson

The Rev. Dr. Frank E. Robertson, 76, died Feb. 6, 2008 in Plymouth, MA. Certified in Religious Education, he studied world religions, specializing in East Indian studies. He studied and traveled in India in and Japan, then participated in the creation of a World Religions curriculum. He served congregations in Barneveld and Shelter Rock, NY, and Paramus, NJ. He served as MRE in Washington, DC, Santa Barbara, CA, and Evanston, IL, where he was named emeritus. Frank was a founding member of Interweave, which addressed LGBT concerns. Through their efforts, General Assembly passed resolutions concerning LGBT rights and the UUA Office was established. Frank was awarded an honorary D.Div. from Meadville Lombard. He received the Angus MacLean Award for religious education. He served on the Boards of the UUA and LREDA, St. Lawrence Foundation and IARF. He founded and chaired the UU Religious Education History Group. He was an Elder of the Mass. Society of Mayflower Descendants. He is survived by his partner of 36 years, Rick McDonald; two daughters, Lydia Robertson of Brooklyn, NY and Denene Ray of Charlotte, NC, and three granddaughters. His son, Joel, died in 1993. A memorial service took place April 19.

The Rev. Dr. Wayne A. Robinson died on May 29, 2024, at the age of 86 (1937-2024).

Wayne is survived by his wife Joyce Schaffer, his three children Laura Gadberry, Brett Robinson, and Carol Pate, and eight grandchildren Dylan Gadberry, Devon Gadberry, Ella Robinson, Ford Robinson, Lila Robinson, Amber Pate, Elizabeth Deal, and Owen Pate. He also leaves behind his two sisters Mary Ann Loomis and Grace Shipley, and a myriad of cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A memorial service was held on August 10, 2024, at All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myres FL 33901.

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

Notes of condolence may be written here.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

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.

Jean Bondurant Rodes, 88, widow of the Rev. Richard Rodes, died peacefully at home on, November 12, 2006 in Columbia, MD. She played the piano and taught music for 30 years. The Rodeses founded the United Church of Christ in Columbia. They later established a Unitarian church and he was minister at large in the DC area. They also made nearly a dozen Peace Odyssey tours to the Soviet Union. Jean dedicated her life to the things in which she believed: music, faith and social justice. They were both well into their 80s, had celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary in 2005, and still enjoyed making music together and reminiscing about their travels. They had lived in Columbia, MD, since 1970 and leave behind three adult children.

Nancy Roemheld

The Rev. Nancy C. Roemheld, 80, died on January 4, 2013. Rev. Roemheld was born in Holyoke, MA on February 23, 1932 to Ruth and Frederick Stevens. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Alverno College in 1982. She went on to attain a Master of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School and a Master of Arts in Religious Studies from The University of Chicago Divinity School, both in 1986.

Rev. Roemheld was ordained on June 1, 1986 at the Unitarian Church West in Brookfield, WI. She was first called to serve the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, GA from 1986-1994. She then embarked on a remarkable 12-year career as an interim minister where she served the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro in Jamestown, NC from 1995-1996; the Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City, CA from 1997-1999; the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo, NY from 1999-2000; the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson, AZ from 2000-2001; the Bradford Community Church UU in Kenosha, WI from 2001-2002; the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wilmington, NC from 2002-2003; the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie, PA from 2003-2005; the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Los Gatos, CA from 2005-2006; and the First Unitarian Church of Omaha, NE from 2006 until her retirement in 2007. She also served as a chaplain at the Universal Unitarian Church of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada from 1996-1997.

Committed to her faith, Rev. Roemheld was actively involved on all sides of the pulpit. She was a lay leader before becoming a minister. While serving the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, she was especially proud of the work she did to help guide the church through the construction of brand new facilities. She also served on the board of the UUA’s Central Midwest District.

In a sermon she delivered one Easter Sunday called “Waking Up/Eros and Pathos,” Rev. Roemheld spoke wisely of life’s certain and universal struggles:

“From the depths of the collective human consciousness, the cosmic drama of the resurrection story emerged – to remind us that the heroic, fulfilled and therefore deathless life is achieved by surmounting some crucifixion, by living through some dark night of the soul; to remind us that the creative spirit of love lives in you and me…waiting to be expressed and experienced.”

Rev. Roemheld is survived by daughter, Joanne R. Jeanguenat; daughter, Kathryn C. Zunac and husband, Mick; son, Steven F. Roemheld and wife, Margaret; daughter, MaryBeth Roemheld and partner, Laurie Gift; grandchildren, Kristen and Jonathan; and great-granddaughter, Nora. She was predeceased by her former husband and friend, Fred Roemheld.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, February 9, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. at the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, 1342 N. Astor St., Milwaukee, WI 53202.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Joanne R. Jeanguenat at 2702 Mason St., Madison, WI 53705.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Happy Endings No-Kill Animal Shelter, 5349 West Forest Home Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53220; or to the Friends of the Unitarian Universalist Association at P.O. Box #55019, Boston, MA 02205.

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.

Catharine Ross

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Rev. Mounir Raphael Sa’adah, 99, died July 25, 2008 at Harvest Hill Retirement Community in Lebanon, NH. Born in Damascus, Syria, he worked as a librarian and taught history and ethics at American University’s Near East School of Theology. He married Marjorie Anne Abrahamian in 1937. The family immigrated to the US in 1947. The American Friends Service Committee recruited the Sa’adahs in 1949 to organize the care of the first Arab refugee settlements in Gaza. Rev. Sa’adah taught history for 18 years at Woodstock Country School in VT and initiated a program in Arabic and Near Eastern Studies at the Choate School in Wallingford, CT. Ordained in 1947, he served congregations in Woodstock, VT, and Mt. Kisco, NY. When he retired in 1976, he was named minister emeritus of the All Souls UU Congregation in New London, CT. He is survived by three children, two brothers, three grandchildren, four step grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and nine step great grandchildren. His wife died in 2002.

Charlotte Saleska

The Rev. Charlotte Justice Saleska, 77, died of Alzheimer’s disease on December 28, 2012. Rev. Saleska was born in Marion, IN on August 16, 1935 to Olive (Heal) and Enos Edward Justice. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Taylor University in 1957 and a Master of Arts from Hunter College in 1964. In 1988 she earned both a Master of Arts in Religious Studies from the University of Chicago Divinity School and a Master of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School. As a student at Meadville Lombard, she helped create and implement the first women’s studies course at the seminary, and led a call for the school to hire female professors to the all-male faculty.

Rev. Saleska was ordained on June 6, 1988. She was first called to serve the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities in Davenport, IA, becoming their first and only female settled minister, from 1988-2000. She then went on to serve as interim minister at the First Universalist Unitarian Church of Wausau, WI from 2000-2001, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa, FL from 2001-2002. In 2000, she was bestowed with the honor of Minister Emeritus of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities.

Rev. Saleska brought her diverse background to her work as a minister. She was a social worker at Head Start Families in Milwaukee, WI from 1968-1975; coordinator of the Milwaukee-area high school Inter-Urban Health Careers program from 1975-1980; and, for many years, a high school English teacher. While her husband, the Rev. Charles Saleska, was serving the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, FL (1980-1985), she served as the Fellowship’s Director of Religious Education from 1983-1985. She often recalled that, growing up as an Indiana farm girl in the 1940s and 1950s, it never occurred to her that ministry was something a woman could do. When her husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness, though, her women’s group helped her see what had really been her deeper call: ministry. And so, in 1985, at age 50, she entered Meadville Lombard Theological School.

Rev. Saleska’s tenure as minister, as in life, was marked by a love of literature, a commitment to religious pluralism and social justice, and the enduring power of liberal religion in local congregations. While in Davenport, IA, she co-founded the Interfaith Theological Symposiums to bring her Unitarian Universalist Congregation together with Edwards Congregational United Church of Christ and the Temple Emanuel Reform Jewish congregation for religious dialogue and social action. An early supporter of marriage equality, she began performing gay and lesbian wedding ceremonies in the early 1990s. As part of her passion for merging justice and religion, Rev. Saleska also helped guide the church through a building expansion that created more religious education classroom and meeting space.

Rev. Saleska’s passion for women’s issues, and for reclaiming the role of women in human society, began at home as she taught and guided her sons to feel compassion and respect, and to speak out for women and women’s issues; and expanded to include her engagement in seminary and in ministry. She also loved deep discussions of any kind, especially book discussion groups and movie discussions. Because of her background in English literature and her love for Shakespeare, she could quickly recall and expound on literary references, metaphors and poems, giving them voice in her sermons and discussions.

She loved to garden, and in later years, her house was full of green and growing plants of many varieties. Rev. Saleska also loved to travel, and during her years of ministry she took trips to Transylvania, Germany, France, and Italy. When she could, she also traveled to Chicago and New York to visit friends and attend the theater. One of her favorite activities before and after retirement was to drive to Spring Green, WI, to meet her sister and brother-in-law to attend Shakespeare plays by the American Players Theater.

Rev. Saleska is survived by her sisters, Carol Jones and Carmen Wilks; brothers, Warren Justice and Sam Justice; son, Scott Saleska, his wife, Kirsten Engel and their daughter, Helene; son, Kent Saleska, his wife, Heidi Saleska, and their children, Parker and Mirek.

A memorial service took place on Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church West, 13001 West North Avenue, Brookfield, WI 53005.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation (http://www.uuwf.org/donatejoin.html) or to Planned Parenthood (http://www.plannedparenthood.org/) in honor of the Quad-Cities location Rev. Saleska helped establish.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Kent Hemmen Saleska at 210 12th Ave. N., Hopkins, MN 55343; or to Scott Saleska at 2210 E. Hawthorne St., Tucson, AZ 85719.

The Rev. Robert “Bob” C. Sallies died on August 6, 2024, at the age of 92 (1931-2024).

Bob is survived by his wife (of 71 years) Margie Garrison Sallies, daughter E. Elizabeth Sallies, sister-in-law JoAnn Bolt Garrison, a larger number of nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, great-grand-nieces and nephews, as well as one great-great grand-niece.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at the First Universalist Church of South Paris, 36 Pine St, South Paris ME 04281.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Universalist Church of South Paris, 36 Pine St, South Paris ME 04281. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be written here.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. 

Lois Samsom

Lois Ann Jones Samsom, 84, widow of the Rev. Dr. Peter Samsom, died Oct. 5, 2009 in Asheville, NC. A native of Indiana, she later lived in San Diego, CA, Cleveland, OH, White Plains, NY, and Asheville. She was a faithful churchgoer, who devoted her life to supporting her husband’s ministry, which included six settled and seven interims. She also was also devoted to caring for her children. Her daughter was born with cerebral palsy and required a great deal of attention. After her husband died in 1992 she and her daughter moved to Asheville. She enjoyed gardening throughout her life. Lois had taken art classes as a young woman and picked up that interest again late in life. She is survived by her son Peter and her daughter Diana and her sister, Mary Jane Myers.

The Rev. Kenneth “Ken” W. Sawyer died on April 24, 2022, at the age of 77.

Ken is survived by his wife, Carol Sawyer, and by daughters, Amy Washek and Rebecca Howard.

A memorial service centered on Ken’s family, friends, and the First Parish in Wayland congregation will be held on May 21. A celebration of Ken’s ministry and service to Unitarian Universalism will be held later this fall.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the First Parish in Wayland, Ken Sawyer Unrestricted Endowment, P.O. Box 397, Wayland, MA 01778 or to the UU Urban Ministry, Attn. Annie Stubbs, 10 Putnam Street, Roxbury, MA 10019. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences can be sent to Carol Sawyer, 16 Orchard Lane, Wayland, MA 01778.

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

Paul Sawyer

The Rev. Paul W. Sawyer, 75, died June 23, 2010 from pancreatic cancer. He had just finished his memoir, Untold Story: A Short Narrative History of Our Time. A graduate of Harvard College and Starr King, he served churches in CA, NJ, PA, WA, OR and Russia. The Pasadena Weekly called Paul “a tireless advocate for the dispossessed who often risked arrest in his opposition to war, capital punishment and nuclear energy.” The LA Times described him as “a scholar of American Transcendentalism and ancient Chinese texts, a founder of the Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace… [who] served on the boards of the UN Assn. and the Jackie Robinson Center in Pasadena.” He enjoyed jazz, politics and history. He is survived by his wife, Susan, and their son, Alexander, and by his first wife, Carolyn Colbert, and their daughters Sharlyn, Shanda and Katherine Sawyer, and his son Adam Sawyer, and Adam’s mother, Carole Selter Norris.

The Rev. Shermie L. Schafer died on February 23, 2021 at the age of 78.

Shermie is survived by her sisters, Sue Medley and June Schafer, and their children; her stepson, Kai McLaughlin; her German Shepherd, Rika; and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, infant sister, and brother William L. Schafer.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the German Shepherd Rescue Indy or to PBS. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be sent to the family of Rev. Shermie Schafer, care of Neptune Society, 4825 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46240.

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

The Rev. Robert “Bob” L. Schaibly died on November 11, 2019, at the age of 77.

The Reverend Bob Schaibly—whose life path was deeply shaped by Unitarian Universalism, by participation in the 1965 Selma march in his senior year of college, and by a mid-life embrace of Buddhist practice—died on 11 November 2019, aged 77, of complications from a more than 30-year battle with throat cancer.

Bob found his interest in Buddhism to be transformatively deepened in 1988 when Thich Nhất Hanh came to speak at the Houston (TX) church where Bob was serving. Already in the early stages of cancer therapy, Bob recalled that “Thầy,” as he was familiarly called, “saw the still-desperate look in my eyes as I was struggling to recover from radiation treatment. His personal message for me was that being was an important practice, since most people find their self-worth in doing.” On returning from his first retreat with Thầy the next year, Bob founded the Houston Zen Community and then supported the development of the Houston Sangha. In 1992 he was invited by Thầy to come to Plum Village, to receive the lamp transmission, and to be ordained as a Dharma teacher, whereupon he was given the name “True Deliverance.”

Buddhist teaching continued as a major focus of ministry for Bob after retiring from parish ministry and moving to Oregon. He became active in Portland’s First Unitarian Church, a weekly Sangha, and a Buddhist men’s group. Bob’s husband, Steven Storla, having heard many of Bob’s sermons and Dharma talks, described him as “a wonderful and powerful speaker.” In the memory of his friends in the Buddhist community, Bob touched many lives, and he is remembered for his kind, inspiring, and compassionate demeanor, [as he] continued to share his wisdom by his loving presence. Despite many years of health challenges and limitations, he consistently taught how to meet suffering with equanimity. Bob shared his true self—all of his humanity—by being transparent and vulnerable, and by being open to the “full catastrophe” when it arose.

Robert Lloyd Schaibly was born on 16 August 1942 in Lansing MI, to Robert Lloyd Schaibly, Sr. and Dorothy Strieter Schaibly, who raised him in the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. During college years at Michigan State University, he discovered a more liberating tradition at Lansing’s UU church, and in his senior year answered Martin Luther King’s call to Selma. “It changed Bob’s life to see religious institutions witnessing for justice and changing lives,” recalls his husband, and that was perhaps an important early experience in his call to ministry.

After graduation with a B.A. in humanities in 1965, Bob moved to San Francisco, joined the UU congregation there, and soon took a position as the church’s administrator. Turned down by Starr King School for the Ministry but encouraged by his minister, Harry Scholefield, to apply to Harvard, Bob moved east and completed work for his M.Div. at Harvard Divinity School in 1971. 

Mr. Schaibly’s first parish call was to the Beverly Unitarian Church in Chicago IL, where he was ordained in 1971 and continued to serve until 1979. In those years he served at times on the Planning Council of the Lake Geneva Summer Assembly, and at a summer gathering there he met, and later married, Elinor Berke. Their marriage ended amicably some years later, while she went on to pursue her own career in UU ministry.

The Rev’d Mr. Schaibly moved on to a briefer pastorate (1979–82) at the UU Church of Concord NH and then accepted a call to the First Unitarian Church of Houston TX. There he served as senior minister for two decades (1982–2002), during which that church was the first in Texas to become a sanctuary congregation for Central American refugees and to start a support group for gay and lesbian teenagers. In his public ministry to the Houston area, Mr. Schaibly spoke at multiple rallies against the death penalty, for abortion rights, for the right to die, and for marriage equality. In 1985, when the first UU LGBT convocation was held in Houston, Bob met Steven Storla. In 1991, they made their life commitment to each other at that year’s convocation in San Francisco.

In 2002, with his preaching voice much weakened by throat cancer and radiation treatment, the Rev’d Mr. Schaibly took early retirement at age 60, and the Houston congregation named him Minister Emeritus. He and Steven relocated to Portland OR, where Bob came briefly out of parish retirement to serve an interim ministry (2005–06) at the UU Community Church of Washington County (Hillsboro OR). It was in 2015, on the 24th anniversary of their mutual commitment, that Bob and Steven were finally married in a ceremony conducted by the Rev’d Bill Sinkford.

In the wider UU movement, Mr. Schaibly served on the boards of the UUA’s Southwest District, the Houston Area UU Ministers, and the UU Service Committee, and on the Emerson Centennial Celebration Committee of the UU Historical Society. He was active with the UUA’s Office of Gay & Lesbian Concerns. He was a member of the UUA Affirmative Action Task Force, served as president the UUMA’s Southwest chapter, and was a founder and chair of the New England Students for the UU Ministry. He was the theme speaker at Star Island’s “Life on a Star Family Week” in 1983. The Rev’d Mr. Schaibly saw many of his sermons published in The UU World and the Church of the Larger Fellowship’s monthly newsletter, Quest.

During his three parish settlements and beyond, Mr. Schaibly was supportive of or active with the Child and Family Services of New Hampshire, a food pantry program, a day center for the homeless, Amnesty International, and People for the American Way. He was president of the New Hampshire chapter of the ACLU (1980–1982), a community representative for the University of Houston Animal Research Committee, a board member of the Houston ACLU and the AIDS Foundation of Houston, and a theme speaker for the American Cancer Society of Texas. He chaired a local mental health council and an ecumenical ministerial fellowship.

At his death, Bob Schaibly was survived by his husband, Steven R. Storla; a sister, Rebecca Davidson; two brothers, Ben and Bill; and many nieces and nephews. Donations in Bob’s memory are encouraged to the Endowment Funds of the First Unitarian Church of Portland (firstunitarianportland.org/foundation) or the First UU Church of Houston (firstuu.org/donate). Memorial services were held at both congregations

Kurt Schekel, widower of the Reverend Marcia Schekel, died on April 7, 2019. No further obituary is expected.

The Reverend Marcia Schekel—educator, compassionate chaplain, and lifelong religious seeker who moved from Catholic to Methodist and finally to UU affiliation—died on 18 May 2017, aged 70.

Marcia Welsh was born to Joe and Margaret Welsh on 4 June 1946 in Marion, Ohio, and grew up in nearby Dayton until age 13, when the family moved to Boulder, Colorado. She earned a B.A. in journalism at Colorado State University in 1968 and married fellow student Kurt Schekel the same year. Growing interest in feminist theology drew her from Roman Catholicism to the more liberal Methodist church, where she was active as a religious educator for 14 years.

After earning an M.A. in adult and continuing education at Washington State University (Pullman) in 1978, she stayed on to direct WSU’s women’s programs (1978-83) and then as manager of its continuing education program (1983-98). Meanwhile, work with Elderhostel (now Road Scholar) beginning in 1983 led Marcia to an interest in “models for aging” and in 1998 she moved to Portland (Oregon) to accept a job with Elderhostel.

Once again religiously restless, Marcia joined the First Unitarian Church of Portland. Volunteer work with hospice programs and bereavement groups encouraged her to further study at Marylhurst University (OR). She earned an M.A. in applied theology in 2004 and then became a hospice chaplain at Providence Home and Community Services. In recognition of her gifts for this work, Ms. Schekel was ordained by the First Unitarian Church of Portland on 15 April 2007 and served there as an affiliated minister until retirement in 2013.

Marcia is survived by spouse Kurt, son Zachary, brother Mike, and four grandchildren.

Fia Scheyer

Fia B. Scheyer, 82, wife of the Rev. John David Scheyer, died Dec. 1, 2013. Born in Brooklyn, NY, she was the daughter of the late Sasha Bartnovski and Antonette Salisbury Bartnovski.

Fia was a Julliard trained professional singer and recording artist. She was the author of numerous articles and curricula, who had two books in print. She worked for the Unitarian Universalist Association as the Director of Volunteers and Fundraising. She was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Franklin, NC. She was also an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers’ Partners for many years.

In retirement, Fia was elected to the UURMaPA board but was unable to serve due to her poor health. She took her physical losses in stride over many years.

She is survived by her husband of 45 years and by three children, Suzie DellaPenta and son-in-law, George of Cheektowaga, NY; David Cefkin and daughter-in-law, Mia of Franklin; and Beverly Calobrace of Tamarac, FL; two sisters, Helen Lamb of Pompano Beach, FL and Beverly Smalheiser of Tamarac, FL; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life was held at December 7, at Macon Valley Nursing Home. Her son David says, “Fia’s Memorial service was fantastic. She was honored in a way that would please her. There was a packed house. Friends, family and colleagues told stories of their time spent with her, and how she changed their lives. She was a remarkable woman who touched the lives of many. Her work and contributions to the world will have a profound effect for years to come.”

Sympathy notes may go to David Scheyer at Macon Valley Nursing Home, 3195 Old Murphy Rd., Franklin, NC 28734. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Care Net, 130 Bidwell St., Franklin, NC 28734.

David Scheyer

The Rev. J. David Scheyer, parish minister, outdoorsman and avid sailor, zealous fighter for justice, and dedicated volunteer and counselor in programs for victims of domestic violence, died at age eighty-five on 7 February 2014 after several months of declining health.

David Scheyer was passionate about hiking and sailing. He went on week-long backpacking trips in California during his seminary years and did a month-long hike through the Alaskan wilderness in the early 1960s. For many summers he and his wife Fia anchored their sailboat in the Bahamas, living on board and enjoying the water, sunsets, and people they met. They also spent time sailing in Massachusetts and Florida, living first on their boat and later in their homes on shore.

Early on in his ministry, the Rev. Mr. Scheyer foresaw the evil of market values permeating social relationships, and he lamented the “dehumanizing” impact of materialism as “the gravest problem facing the world today.” At the same time his tastes were simple and unpretentious. In a 1974 interview, he told a local news reporter that, for longer than he could remember, cheeseburgers—made with equal amounts of meat and cheese—were “the best eating around,” and when served with a “mug of coffee together, that’s good chow!” [Lenn Speers, “Minister of the Week,” The Ledger, Lakeland, Florida (20 April 1974), p. 1C.]

John David Scheyer was born in Philadelphia on 28 April 1928 to Dr. Frederick L. Scheyer and Synette Swensen Scheyer, but after a family move to Puyallup he grew up near the south end of Washington’s Puget Sound. College attendance at Princeton University, Reed College, and UC Berkeley was interrupted by service (1951-53) as a Marine during the Korean conflict. By his early 30s, Mr. Scheyer was living in Billings, Montana and working in drug sales to physicians. Unchurched since the Methodism of his teens, he discovered the Billings Unitarian Fellowship—“the most comfortable meeting I had ever attended”—and quickly became an active member, soon serving as the congregation’s president. With his increasing involvement in the anti-war movement and growing dissatisfaction with the values of the pharmaceutical industry, ministry began to call to him as a more fulfilling career. He went off to Berkeley and was graduated from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1967.

David Scheyer

In his first call, he served the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale from 1967 to 1971, where he was ordained on 9 February 1968. Moving to a period of yoked ministry (1972-76), he served the Unitarian Fellowship of South Florida and made monthly trips to the Lake Region UU Fellowship (now the UU Congregation of Lakeland). After calls to the Church of the Mediator in Providence, Rhode Island (1977-78) and the UU Church of Marblehead, Mass (1979-82), the Rev Mr. Scheyer moved into a series of interim ministries, serving successively the First Parish Church (UU) of Ashby, Mass (1983-84), the UU Fellowship of Raleigh, North Carolina (1986-87), the Unitarian Church in Charleston, South Carolina (1987-89), and lastly the First UU Church of Austin, Texas (1989-90).

Service to the UUA included membership on the board of the association’s Florida District and presidency of the Massachusetts Bay District. Mr. Scheyer’s ministerial career was brought unexpectedly to an end by amnesia in early February 1990 when he went missing for nearly three months, after failing to show up for two events at the Austin church where he was an interim minister. Wandering apparently from Texas, to Florida, and then to Arizona, without knowledge of his own identity, he chanced to overhear mention of “Puyallup,” which triggered memory of his boyhood town. He made his way there by late April, and with only a social security card to remind him of his surname, he found a “Carl Scheyer” in the local phone book, who turned out to be his uncle. Thus reconnected with family, including his brother Warner living in nearby Redmond and his wife Fia, who had returned to Boston after his disappearance, Mr. Scheyer seems to have gradually recovered.

Relocating with his wife to Franklin, North Carolina, he joined the UU Fellowship there to live out the last twenty years of his life. He made friends easily. A computer store owner in Franklin recalled that he “was always one of my favorite customers. We became friends and I always enjoyed discussing religion, spirituality, and politics with Dave. We had lots of laughs, and seeing him come through the door always put a smile on my face.” The Rev. Mr. Scheyer was also deeply concerned about domestic violence and devoted much time in his retirement years to volunteering at Resources Education Assistance Counseling Housing (REACH), a local agency with a mission “to eradicate domestic violence and sexual assault crimes in Macon County, through prevention, intervention, and educational services.” He spent many nights in hospitals, talking with domestic violence victims and offering comfort and companionship.

In frail health but cheerful spirits during the last months of his life, David moved into the Macon Valley Nursing Center, where his outgoing friendliness continued to touch people. One visitor to the Center, who met him there only three months before his death while visiting members of her own family, continued to visit him regularly and, despite brief acquaintance, felt moved to write at some length a generous remembrance of him and Fia as “kind, caring, and loving.” Sadly, David’s wife Fia was killed in a car accident in December 2013, just two months before his own death.

David Scheyer is survived by his brother, Warner; three step-children, David Cefkin, Suzie Della Penta, and Beverly Calobrace; eight grandchildren; and five great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Fia Bartnovski Scheyer. His life was celebrated in a memorial service led by long-time friend and fellow UU, Walter Burnett, on February 22 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Franklin, North Carolina. His stepson, David Cefkin, described him as having “a passion for equality, and a very low tolerance for injustice.”

Memorial donations may be made to REACH of Macon County, PO Box 228, Franklin, North Carolina 28744.