Memorials

B. Dean Hokel


Rev. B. Dean Hokel, a remarkable soul whose life was dedicated to healing and compassion, passed away on September 21, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona. Born on December 11, 1947, in West Union, Iowa, Dean exhibited a warmth and generosity that touched the lives of many throughout his journey on this earth.

Throughout his life, Dean displayed a commitment to helping others with a distinguished career as a pastor, chaplain, and Certified Pastoral Educator. He devoted himself to the ministry, first being ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church in 1981 and later becoming a valued member of the United Church of Christ clergy in 2002. Dean was a Board Certified Chaplain and a Clinical Pastoral Educator, tirelessly serving at Northwest Community Hospital (Arlington Heights, IL), Elmhurst Memorial Hospital (Elmhurst, IL), and during retirement within the Rincon Congregational UCC in Tucson and the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ. He offered love, guidance, and support to countless individuals, and many will forever cherish the moments spent with him; his great sense of humor and big laughter left an indelible mark on all.

Those who had the privilege of knowing Dean remember him as a loving and warm-hearted individual, always eager to lend a hand or a listening ear. His talent for creating works of art with stained glass mirrored his gift for brightening the lives of those around him—each piece imbued with the care and compassion that defined him. Dean's kitchen was often filled with the delightful aroma of cookies, as he reveled in hosting company and creating memories that would be treasured by family and friends.

His academic pursuits were equally inspiring; Dean was the first in his family to graduate from college, earning a Bachelor of Science from Iowa State University and a Master of Divinity from St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri. His dedication to education not only furthered his own journey but set a profound example for those who followed in his footsteps.

Dean is survived by his devoted husband, Craig L. Sale, and his beloved children: daughter Rev. Lana Williams, together with Pastor Jon Williams, and son Bruce Hokel. His heart was filled with pride for his grandchildren, Reba, Lilly, Layna, and Locke. He also leaves behind two sisters, Brenda Adams and Betty Campbell, along with his brother Joseph Hokel.

Though his presence will be deeply missed, Dean now joins his dearly departed loved ones, including his parents, Meryl and Reta Hokel, his sisters Barbara Hokel and Beverly Probert (Jere Probert), his brother Meryl Hokel Austin, his beloved grandson Hunter Williams, and his cherished father-in-law Donald Sale. The legacy of his love, laughter, and unwavering faith will continue to resonate within the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to cross paths with this remarkable man.

Dean Hokel's life was a testament to the power of compassion, and his spirit will live on through the countless lives he touched with his kindness and grace. Celebration of Life services will be held at Rincon Congregational UCC (122 N. Craycroft, Tucson, AZ) on October 13, 2024 at 2pm. Memorial donations may be made in memory of Dean to the Rincon UCC Good Samaritan Fund.

 



Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in B. Dean Hokel's Memory

HENRY BRUCE MARKSBERRY

Reverend Henry Bruce Marksberry, PhD., 89, of Fort Thomas Kentucky passed away on Monday September 9th, 2024 peacefully at the Hospice of Cincinnati. Henry was born, March 26th, 1935, in Newport Kentucky to Luda Marksberry and Marjorie (Kuhnheim) Marksberry. He grew up in Newport and attended Newport High School. From there, Henry attended Georgetown College for his Bachelor of Arts. He went on to receive his Master of Divinity at Southern Baptist Seminary; his Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio; and completed the classwork for a Doctor of Philosophy from Union Institute.

Everyone who knew Henry knew he was a lifelong learner, and a scholar. In May of 1955, Henry married his sweetheart Carol Sue Embry of Winchester, Kentucky. They met in Newport, and forged a lifelong relationship and an exceptional and loving bond. Her influence on Henry was significant, and her partnership was valued. Henry was an ordained Minister by the Campbell County Baptist Association, First Baptist Church, Newport, Kentucky 1955, and received an Ecclesiastical Endorsement and Ministerial Standing, United Church of Christ, Southwest Association, Ohio Conference 1964. He also had ministerial standing in southwest Ohio. Among his accomplishments, Henry was a board Certified Chaplain; a Diplomate from the International Association of Professional Pastoral Psychotherapists and Clinical Supervisors; a Certified Supervisor of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors; a Clinical Supervisor from the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists; a Certified Group Therapist (AGTA), a Fellow of the Association of Pastoral Counselors, and a Certified Supervisor from the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. Just to name a few.

Reverend Marksberry started his pastoral career travelling the tri-state. In the beginning of his career, he worked at St. Peters Church in Osgood Indiana before joining the United Church of Christ. He led St. Johns Church of Christ in Indianapolis, then was an associate pastor in Newport, then ministered in Finneytown, Ohio, and then back to Newport Kentucky as the Senior Minister for St. Johns United Church of Christ. Later, he was a Senior Minister at the First United Church of Christ in College Hill, and was a sought after interim Minister at many tri-state churches until his retirement. His ideas, experience and leadership were always cherished. Henry’s holistic approach led him to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Licensed Professional Psychotherapist, a Licensed Drug and Addiction Counselor, a Spiritual Eldering Leader, a faculty member of the Lay Ministry Program at the Athenaeum of Cincinnati, and an Instructor at Mt. St. Mary’s College. Henry served as Director of Pastoral Care, Education, and Chaplaincy Services at Bethesda North Hospital for 24 years. He created a non-denominational approach for clinical Chaplaincy in the healthcare setting, with a focus on Death, Dying and Bereavement, servicing the whole person.

He was involved in the formation of the Bethesda Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program, served on the boards of the United Church of Christ, the Council on Alcoholism, the American Cancer Society, the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, and was active in the formation of Hospice of Cincinnati. Henry’s program for Chaplaincy was so well received by patients, family and his students that his vision spread across the healthcare and religious landscape. Some of his students commented that he was always thinking 10 years ahead. In addition to his other remarkable accomplishments, Henry was especially proud to have served as an educator at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a pioneer in clinical pastoral education and counseling. His colleagues and students saw Henry as an innovator.

None of this would have happened without the stability and grace of his wife Carol, who inevitably had to share Henry with the community. Together or apart, they were always a team. Henry and Carol loved living in Northern Kentucky, tending to their home in Fort Thomas. They always kept a beautiful garden and a focus on family. Henry is preceded in death by his older brother Donald Marksberry, and recently, his wife Carol Sue (Embry) Marksberry. He is survived by his children, Michael (Tara Scarborough) Marksberry and Lesa (David) Lipson, and his grandchildren Cory and Brooke Hemmelgarn, and Max and Dr. Molly Lipson. Visitation will be held Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 from 6-8pm at the Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home 427 South Fort Thomas Avenue Fort Thomas, Kentucky 41075. A short visitation will be held Wednesday September 18th, 2024 at 10am, with a funeral ceremony to follow at 11am at the St. Johns United Church of Christ, 415 Park Avenue Newport, Kentucky 41071. Burial will take place at the Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate, Kentucky. Henry’s wishes are for any donations to be made to the Hospice of Cincinnati. May his memory be a blessing.

Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Henry Bruce Marksberry's Memory

Harlan Ratmeyer 


Harlan Ratmeyer - husband, father, grandfather, minister, activist, and storyteller – passed away peacefully on the morning of July 19, surrounded by the love and support of family.

Born September 5, 1938, in the small farming community of Forreston, Illinois. Harlan graduated with a B.A. from Central College in Pella, Iowa in 1960. Four years later he received his Master of Divinity degree from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. He was ordained to ministry in the Reformed Church in America in July 1964.
Harlan's first ten years of pastoral service were in parish ministry in inner-city congregations – in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, and the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. He also spent six months in an intensive program at the Urban Training Center for Ministry in Chicago during the summer that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was in Chicago.

Harlan then spent three years as a Chaplain Intern in Clinical Pastoral Education (1973-75) at Prairie View Mental Health Center in Newton, Kansas and Assistant Chaplain Supervisor at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas (1975-76) before moving to California's Central Valley where he developed a Clinical Pastoral Education program at Kings View Mental Health Center in Reedley, California. He remained there for fifteen years, training men and women in pastoral ministry, and holding various leadership positions within the national and regional Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) including serving on its Board of Directors.
In April of 1995, Harlan accepted a position at Albany Medical Center to direct the hospital's Pastoral Care Department. He developed the department to include more ministry students in direct patient care and expanded the role of pastoral care to include greater involvement in staff and policy issues.

Harlan was a tireless advocate for universal healthcare, and penned the Health Care Manifesto, calling for such coverage and challenging the current model of fiscal considerations as the primary driver for healthcare decision-making, and he rallied the local faith community around this document.

Harlan taught at Albany Medical College in areas of spirituality, ethical considerations, and professional integration. In 2000 he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from New York Theological Seminary.

In 2011, he was awarded Honorary Membership of the Alumni Association for work establishing the Clinical Pastoral Care program at AMC and the impact the program has had on the AMC Community. He educated countless students, residents and staff, helping them to explore spirituality, and the mind-body-spirit connection for themselves, particularly as they are for their patients. He served on several hospital committees, including the Internal Review Board and Ethics Consultation Committee, interacting with a variety of agencies and organizations, including Interfaith Impact.
In 2011, Harlan received the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education Distinguished Service Award. This presentation is made each year to one of more than 400 supervisors in Clinical Pastoral Education who are recognized by their colleagues for their faithful and distinguished service.

In 2015, Harlan received one of Albany Medical Center's highest honors – the Pillars Award. The award is given annually to individuals who epitomize the spirit of the Medical Center and whose sustaining work and contributions reflect the essential community-based nature of its mission. "Importantly, his patients have observed that he has been their light in their darkest hour; a warm, caring, radiant presence that guides them through to health or, in some cases, helps them come to terms with the end of life," said James J. Barba, president and chief executive officer of Albany Medical Center (now retired).

In 2018, Harlan retired as the part-time pastor for the First Reformed Church of Bethlehem in Selkirk, New York, a small congregation he served for more than twenty years (concurrently with his service at Albany Medical Center). In 2019, he retired as Manager of Pastoral Care at Albany Medical Center.

In his retirement, as throughout his working life, he pursued several passions –gardening (tomatoes, garlic), cooking (pies, rib roasts), storytelling (childhood, pastoring), and driving (Mini) – and reveled in his time with family and friends. His storytelling was deeply valued by his friends, family, and community, and some of his stories have been captured in recordings, and in his December 2022 book, For Everything a Season.

Diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2017, Harlan resisted its ravages with the profound courage, grace, and humor that wove through everything he did – including taking up boxing and enduring long walks in any weather.

He is survived by his wife, Ellen, his daughters Stephanie Ratmeyer and Julia Ratmeyer, his grandchildren Sarah and Christopher Richardson, Madeleine and Emma Folkerts, and his son-in-law Paul Richardson.

A service honoring Harlan's life will be held on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., at Delmar Reformed Church, 386 Delaware Ave., Delmar, N.Y. 12054. Lunch will be provided in the Fellowship Hall following the service.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, please make donations to the Pastoral Care Department, Albany Medical Center.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.



Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Harlan Ratmeyer's Memory

Agnes M. Barry 


Agnes M. Barry died on July 15 at her home in the Salemtowne Retirement Community where she had been a resident since 2017. Agnes was born in Brooklyn, NY on April 26, 1935, the third daughter of the late Gertrude (nee McGroarty) and Hugh Barry. Agnes is survived by her life-partner, Jane Litzinger; her sisters Ursula Erit (Wayne, NJ), Arlene Murphy (Hilton Head, SC), and Gertrude Hooker (Charlotte, NC); her brother Hugh and his wife Elaine (Kings Park, NY); and many nieces, nephews, and their families and cousins. She is predeceased by her sister Madeline Mullane.

Agnes graduated from St. Saviour Elementary and High School in Brooklyn. She completed her undergraduate degree at the College of Notre Dame in Baltimore, MD. Agnes received a Master of Arts degree from Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, and a Master of Divinity degree from the New York Theological Seminary in New York City.

From 1954 until 1975 Agnes belonged to the School Sisters of Notre Dame, a Roman Catholic Religious Community. In her ministry in that community, Agnes served as an elementary school teacher and later as founding principal of St. Catherine of Siena School in Nichols, CT and as principal of St. Alphonsus Elementary School in Brooklyn, NY.

In 1975, Agnes took a position as a chaplaincy student at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn. There she discovered a new ministry call in work she loved and for which she was uniquely gifted. In 1976 she began training in Clinical Pastoral Education at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, VA. At UVA Agnes obtained certification as a Chaplain Supervisor and served in that position in the UVA Medical Center’s Department of Patient and Family Counseling until 1989. In 1989 Agnes was recruited to oversee the development of the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte where she served until her retirement in 2000. Agnes also served as the first Board Chair of RAIN an advocacy non-profit supporting individuals and families affected by HIV in the Charlotte metropolitan area.

Agnes was a compassionate and thoughtful companion to many suffering sickness and facing death. She was a brilliant teacher and mentor to countless ministry students as she taught them the art of pastoral care. Agnes was devoted to her family and friends and loved nothing more than preparing fine cuisine at her welcoming table. She appreciated sound theology, was a serious student of medical ethics, loved a good novel, and cheered for UVA basketball. Agnes was a powerful presence in most all settings. She served in regional and national leadership positions in the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education and in 1999 was the first woman to receive the Association’s Distinguished Service Award. Agnes’ influence as an educator shaped many students throughout her career. She did so with a quiet authority, seeing the person before her and creating space for them to better see themselves.

Agnes’ funeral will be held in the Saal at the Community Center of Salemtowne Retirement Community (190 Moravian Way Dr., Winston Salem, NC 27106) at 10:30 AM Friday, July 26. Clergy from St. Paul Episcopal Church will lead the service. Reflections on Agnes’ life will follow the service. Interment of ashes will be in the Dalton Memorial Garden at St. Paul’s at 4:00 pm. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to RAIN (601 5th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202) or Outreach Ministries at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (520 Summit Street, Winston Salem, NC 27101). Condolences may be made online at www.salemfh.com.

To send flowers to the family of Agnes, please visit our floral store.



Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Agnes M. Barry's Memory

Rev. Daryl Martin Hanson


Rev. Daryl Martin Hanson died May 17, 2024, at the age of 71. He was born in Appleton, WI, on June 14, 1952, to Harold and Inez (Botker) Hanson. Daryl's earliest jobs were at a Wisconsin paper mill and a hardware/hobby store. After high school, he pursued his call to ministry. In 1978, he graduated from Concordia Seminary (St. Louis, MO) with a Master of Divinity. Daryl embarked on a life of service and teaching. In addition to serving as a parish pastor, he also was a volunteer firefighter in Mokena, IL. Throughout his ministry, Daryl was also called to serve in Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, and Ohio. He transitioned to chaplaincy in different communities. Ultimately, he became a Certified Supervisor through the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. Daryl and two colleagues formed the Spiritual Care and Education Center (Toledo, OH) to train chaplains. He returned to parish ministry where, after serving several congregations, he retired from St. John’s Lutheran Church (Toledo, OH) on April 30th, 2024.

While an undergrad, Daryl met the love of his life, Mary Jane (Thomay) and they were wed on September 18, 1976. They were blessed with two beautiful daughters. Daryl was a craftsman and enjoyed woodworking, pottery, baking, making chocolate covered sweets, winemaking, photography, and community theater. He enjoyed gathering with family and friends to play Pinochle, Euchre, Sheepshead, and other games.

Daryl enjoyed his sweets and later in life craved shrimp, olives, and pickles.

Left to mourn Daryl: his wife of 47 years Mary; daughters Jennifer (Scott) Krankowski and Sarah (Kevin) Styer; grandchildren Aaron and Isaac; siblings Darlene (Richard) Weaver, Darwin (Karen) Hanson, Darroy Hanson, Darice (Jeff) Button; and several aunts, an uncle, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. Preceding him in death are his parents and many other beloved family members.

The family will welcome visitors on June 7, 2024, from 4 pm to 7 pm at the Walker Funeral Home (5155 W. Sylvania Ave.) and from 9 am to 11 am on Saturday, June 8, 2024, with a memorial service beginning at 11 am at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests a contribution to Lewy Body Dementia Association (www.lbda.org) or ELCA Good Gifts (https://goodgifts.elca.org/).

 


Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Rev. Daryl Martin Hanson's Memory

ACPE Educator Rev. Dr. Gerald "Gerry" Wyrwas

 

The Rev. Dr. Gerald "Gerry" Wyrwas, a Presbyterian minister who was the long-time director of pastoral care at Bon Secours Hospital (now called the Holy Family Hospital) in Methuen, Mass., died May 2, 2024, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 89.

Those who knew him well describe Wyrwas as a family man of deep faith who embraced the many facets of his career in addition to being director of pastoral care, minister and licensed psychologist.

In the 25 years he was the director of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Holy Family, almost 600 participants, called “interns,” from 43 countries participated in the hospital’s program. CPE is a multicultural, interfaith approach to teaching doctors, lawyers, hospital administrators, and educators how to more effectively deliver spiritual care to seriously ill patients and their caregivers.

“To say that Gerry Wyrwas is a visionary is an understatement,” a hospital colleague said when he retired from full-time work in 1999. “His work inspired CPE interns to join the ministry or to further theological education, as well as refreshing and revitalizing the work of missionaries throughout the world.”

Other colleagues said his integration of theology and psychology was a “unique gift” that gave him an in-depth understanding of people. “He invites people forth, into being the best they can be, and does so with a delightful sense of humor. He is a deeply compassionate and warm person.”

Family members and graduates of his CPE program often recall favorite aphorisms he relied on to perk up interns. One was: “Whenever we fail to acknowledge our God-given talents, we lie, cheat, and steal.” Another: “How are you feeling? Are you mad, sad, glad, or fearful?”

Gerald Grant Wyrwas was born September 28, 1934, in the small, remote coal-mining village of Inverness, Nova Scotia. He was the youngest of six children of Edward Theodore Wyrwas, an electrician, and Mary Agnes (MacKenzie) Wyrwas, a Sunday school teacher.

After graduating from high school, he briefly worked for his father, then took a job at the Royal Bank of Canada. After being promoted to assistant accountant and assigned to the Halifax branch in 1955, he met his future wife, Ethel M. Bowman, on a blind date. They married in May 1957.

Around that time, he decided to leave banking and join the ministry. “I liked banking and . . . had more than doubled my salary while I was with it,” he wrote years later, “but I was not satisfied. I felt there was more to life than handling other people’s money.”

He enrolled at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and philosophy, with a minor in Greek. He then earned a Bachelor of Divinity at Pine Hill Divinity College in Halifax.

He was a student missionary in Alberta and assisted the ministers at the Brunswick Street United Church, Truro, and Guysborough-Canso Pastoral Church. While at Pine Hill, he served as Old Barns Pastoral Charge and Maitland Pastoral Charge. After ordination, he served as Winsloe Pastoral Charge, P.E.I., and then assistant minister of Trinity United Church in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

He was ordained a minister of the United Church of Canada in June 1960 and began his ecclesiastical career as the pastor of four rural churches in the village of Winsloe, Prince Edward Island.

In 1967, Wyrwas moved with his family to Massachusetts and was called into pastoral ministry in the Presbytery of Boston to serve as pastor with the First Presbyterian Church of Lynn. He also was named director of the Department of Spiritual Care (Pastoral) Services at Holy Family Hospital and maintained a pastoral counseling center in Lynnfield, Mass.

In 1980, Wyrwas was Moderator, or senior leader, of Boston’s presbytery, the regional governing body for Boston-area churches. A year later, he was the presbytery’s minister commissioner to the 193rd General Assembly in Houston.

A Boston Presbytery colleague described him as “an articulate and calming presence” at presbytery meetings and “invaluable” as chair of the Committee on Ministry. He was a founding member of the presbytery’s Honorably Retired Ministers group.

Wyrwas remained the pastor of the Lynn congregation for 20 years, finding time to earn two graduate degrees—Master’s of Sacred Theology and Doctor of Ministry—from the Andover Newton Theological School in Newton Centre, Mass. He also was a long-time adjunct faculty member of the school.

In addition to his ecclesiastical training, Wyrwas was a licensed psychologist and was a member of both the American Psychological Association and the Massachusetts Psychological Association.

A natural raconteur, he also enjoyed sharing humorous stories and indulging his children. His daughter Margaret said he delighted in impishly treating her and her siblings to soda and candy when they accompanied him on errands without Ethel, who frowned on her children indulging in junk food.

“Family was most important in Dad’s eyes,” his son, David, said. “The second most important thing was education and knowledge. He continually was trying to enhance his knowledge and wanted to share it with everyone he came in contact with.”

His musical tastes ran from Frank Sinatra to Rod Stewart, and he had a treasure chest of amusing stories to share with his family, students and parishioners.

“Dad was a man of deep faith, devotion to his family and friends, and dedication to helping others,” his younger daughter, Susan Lynn, recalled. “He was willing to listen and give advice, and would surprise people who didn’t know him with his dry wit.”

Susan Lynn’s son Daniel, using his nickname for the pastor, said, “Grampie had a story for everything with a knack for telling them to others. At the end of each story, he would typically share a good laugh with everyone he was telling the story to.”

Wyrwas was a lifetime member of Clan Mackenzie Society of the Americas, a Master Mason for 20 years with the Lynnfield-Zetland Lodge, chaplain for the Daughters of Scotia, and president and chaplain of the Scots’ Charitable Society.

He is survived by his wife, Ethel, a retired Registered Nurse Practitioner; daughters Margaret (Peter Thorner) of Westport, Conn., and Susan Lynn (Kevin Winters) of Easton, Mass.; son David (Myoung Hee) of Merrimack, N.H.; and grandson Daniel B. Winters of Philadelphia, PA.

He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings Leonard, Margaret (Banks), Raymond, Maxwell, and Harold; and grandsons Thomas Ryan Winters, John David Wyrwas, and Edward Gerald Wyrwas.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. at the Bedford Presbyterian Church, 4 Church Road in Bedford, N.H. on September 28, 2024, which would have been his 90th birthday. The Rev. Dr. John Sawyer will conduct the service. Interment will occur in the Sand Hill Cemetery, Upper Nine Mile River in Nova Scotia at a later date.

It has been suggested that those who wish may make memorial contributions to one of these groups: the Alzheimer’s Association, Presbytery of Boston, Scots’ Charitable Society Scholarships and the Bedford Presbyterian Church.

The Wyrwas family gives special thanks to Gerry’s caregivers: the memory care staff at the Bedford Falls Assisted Living Facility, clinical staff members at Brookhaven Hospice, both in Bedford, N.H., and the Rivet Funeral Home and Crematorium in Merrimack, N.H.

 


Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Rev. Dr. Gerald "Gerry" Wyrwas' Memory

ACPE Educator W. Ray Baile

 

Obituary published on Legacy.com by Alden-Harrington Funeral Home on Jun. 6, 2024.

W. Ray Bailey, age 97 of Lake of the Forest in Bonner Springs, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

Rev. William Ray Bailey was born on September 30, 1926, in Tazwell, Virginia. He was one of three children born to John and Hattie (Jones) Bailey. He had two sisters, Ruth Ann and Nell.

Ray graduated from Tazwell High School and afterward, Ray was granted a "local preacher's license" in the United Methodist Church. He earned a B.A. degree from Emory and Henry College in 1951 and a B.D. degree from Duke University of Divinity School in 1956. He married Ellen Depew from Cambridge, Maryland in 1955. Ray was ordained a United Methodist Minister in 1958. He was introduced to Clinical Pastoral Education while at Duke University and after graduation, had further Chaplain Supervisor training in Houston TX (Institution of Religion), Topeka, KS (Topeka State Hospital), and Joliet, IL (Reception and Diagnostic Center). Ray then came to Bethany Medical Center in Kansas City, KS in 1960 to be a Chaplain Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor. He and Ellen moved to Lake of the Forest in 1963 and raised three children there, Kevin, Kathryn, and Kristen. Ray retired from Bethany Medical Center in 1999 after 40 years of service.

Over the years Ray helped with many organizations in the Kansas City area, including the Kansas East United Methodist Conference, the YMCA Kansas City Kansas Board (chosen YMCA Man of the Year in 1975), Cancer Action KCK Board, KCK Salvation Army Board, KCK Kiwanis Club, Bonner Springs-Edwardsville Kiwanis Club, was a Major in the Civil Air Patrol 1974-1978, Lake of the Forest Board President and Wayside Waifs Board.

He was preceded in death by both his sisters, Ruth Ann Burke, and Nell Moore. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Ellen (Depew) Bailey, his three children, Kevin Bailey, Kathryn Bailey, and Kristen Christensen and spouse Terry, Grandchildren: Philip Bailey, Janae (Bailey) Thornton and spouse John, Alison Bailey, Bethany (Bailey) Thompson and spouse Aaron, Jessica (Christensen) Wells and spouse Xavier, Benjamin Bailey, Andrew Christensen and four Great-Grandchildren.

Memorial contributions can be made to Wayside Waifs Animal Shelter, 3901 Martha Truman Road, Kansas City, MO.

Visitation will be 10am to Noon, with the Funeral Service beginning at Noon, both on Friday, June 14th at the St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church

(1501 Edwardsville Dr. Edwardsville, KS 66111) Burial will follow in the Edwardsville Cemetery.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store


Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in W. Ray Bailey's Memory

ACPE Educator Horace O. Duke Jr. 

Horace O. Duke Jr.
May 15, 1935 - March 6, 2024
 
It is with our deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of Horace Duke. Horace passed away Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at home in Warren, Ore. He was 88 years old.
 
Horace lived his life in service to God, his wife Nancy, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and the immeasurable number of people lucky enough to call him teacher, counselor and friend. He was a force of nature which served him well in his career as an Army Officer, allowed him to never take no for an answer when he was advocating for a loved one, and contributed to the early demise of many fish. He was many people's first call which spoke volumes to his character, love and formidable nature. He was a source of love and laughter to all who knew him and is sorely missed.
 
Horace was born in Hot Springs, Ark., where he graduated from Hot Springs High School and Ouachita Baptist University. Horace later graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Doctorate of Ministry Degree in Pastoral Counseling.
Horace began his career as a minister, eventually becoming a hospital chaplain and a pastoral counselor. Horace was an adjunct professor at Marylhurst College where he taught clinical pastoral education (CPE) at Providence Hospital, and the VA Hospital in Portland, Ore.
Colonel Horace Duke served in the United States Army in the role as the Chief of Chaplains for the 50th General Hospital during Operation Desert Storm. For his service during the war, Horace was awarded the Bronze Star. After the war, he was promoted to Chief of Chaplains at the 124th Army Command in Seattle, Wash., where he was awarded the Legion of Merit for exemplary service, completing his military career in 1995. Throughout his career, Colonel Duke was a professional soldier and effective minister of the gospel.
Horace loved the outdoors, hunting, camping and fly fishing. Horace and his wife Nancy would take an annual trip to Montana, where he would fish his favorite rivers and lakes.
 
Horace leaves behind his wife of 50 years, Nancy Duke; five children; 11 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
 
A celebration of Horace's life will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Grace Baptist Church, 58690 Ross Road, Warren, OR 97053.
Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits
 
Published by The Oregonian from Mar. 20 to Mar. 24, 2024.
 
 
Rabbi Sarah Barukh & Reverend Brandy R. McMurry

PCoP Communications Team


Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Horace Duke's Memory

ACPE Emeritus Educator Chaplain Wendell Stangeland

El Dorado Hills, California - Chaplain Wendell Millard Stangeland, age 92 passed away Wednesday, February 14, 2024, at home with his loving wife of 35 years, Elizabeth Lynne by his side.

Wendell was born at home on September 15, 1931, in Wedron, Illinois.

He was the youngest of three children born to Archie and Ida Stangeland. He grew up during the Depression on the family’s farm, raising chickens and dairy cattle, so the family was able to endure well. He delivered milk with his sister and brother to the community, early in the morning before attending school.

He loved to play football and was a high school football star, receiving a scholarship to play football at LaSalle-Peru Jr. College and Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. During that time, he felt called to the ministry and after graduating, enrolled in Luther Theological Seminary.   He was ordained as a Lutheran Pastor on June 2, 1957. His first parish was in Sherman, South Dakota. From there, he accepted a call to Faith Lutheran in Meadow Vista, CA. While serving, he participated in a summer quarter of Clinical Pastoral Education at the University of California Medical Center and his love for Institutional Ministry was born. In 1966, he and his family moved to Houston, Texas where he enrolled in the Institute of Religion and Human Development. Two years later, he accepted the position of Director of Chaplaincy Services of the South Carolina State Hospital and Coordinator of Clinical Pastoral Education, a training program required of ministers going into institutional chaplaincy in Columbia, South Carolina. Six years later, Wendell accepted the position as Chaplain to the Sutter Community Hospitals and the family moved back to California. While there, he established a Clinical Pastoral Education Program teaching others to be hospital Chaplains. He enjoyed a long career at Sutter until retiring in 2001.  After retirement from Sutter, he continued teaching Clinical Pastoral Education flying out to Montana and Idaho for five years.

Wendell loved to hunt and fish with his beloved black Lab dogs, Thor and Bjorn. He looked forward every year to his annual trip to Montana with his buddies to hunt deer, elk and antelope. When he wasn’t preaching, teaching and hunting, he could be found watching his favorite football and baseball teams, the Bears and the Cubs.

Wendell loved to travel and enjoyed the annual summer vacations in Mendocino with his children and grandchildren along with trips to Europe, China, the Mediterranean, Mexico and the Holy Land.

He loved his family dearly and they loved him. He was known for his great sense of humor which he maintained up to the day of his death. He was always laughing at his own jokes and loved to tease and joke around with everyone. He was always positive about life and the world, and believed that “tomorrow will be better”. Wendell always knew, and shared with others, that “God is in charge” and truly loved the Lord with all his heart.

Wendell is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Lynne, his daughters, Mary (Karl), Anne (Todd) and two step daughters, Jenny (Eric), Sandra (Phil), ten grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held as follows:

Sunday March 3, 2024 at 2:30 p.m. with a reception to follow at the church.
Light of the Hills Lutheran Church
3100 Rodeo Road
Cameron Park, California 95682

Memorial Donations may be given to Light of the Hills Lutheran Church 

 

Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Wendell Stangeland's Memory

ACPE Retired Educator Rev. Raymond Otto

April 14, 1933 - January 12, 2024

Rev. Raymond Otto passed peacefully into the arms of Christ on January 12th, 2024. Ray was born in Detroit, MI on April 14th, 1933 to Claudia and Christian Otto. The oldest of five siblings, Ray often reminisced about childhood adventures with Ruth, Robert, Grace and Eunice, who he loved dearly and remained close with throughout their lives. With limited resources during the Great Depression, Ray’s family enjoyed simple pleasures such as fishing from the family boat on the Detroit River, lining up live Christmas trees in the dining room, enjoying their pet parakeet who flew freely in their home, and star gazing from their balcony on balmy nights.

Detroit’s booming auto industry offered fertile ground for Ray’s lifelong love of cars, and he had early aspirations of becoming an automobile designer. With encouragement from his mother however, Ray set his sights on becoming a minister, graduating from Concordia Seminary in 1958. Following initial work as a church pastor, Ray found his true calling in 1965 as a pastoral care director. Ray was a passionate leader of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs, which he launched at several hospitals during his career. Ray was active in CPE work at the national level, serving as the Southeast Region Chair for the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education from 2002-2004. Ray was a strong believer that CPE programs provided the self-reflection and skill building needed for pastors to provide effective counseling support.

Ray touched the lives of so many with his warm and caring spirit, including countless patients and treasured friends, colleagues and family members. His children and grandchildren will be forever thankful for the loving support he wrapped them in. He had a gift for truly understanding people without judgment, and readily offered sage advice or a perfectly apt anecdote to guide others through the ebbs and flows of life. He served as a model of empathy, love, and insight for all who knew him. He is survived by his loving wife, Judith Bunker Otto, his children Aurora Otto, Jill Otto, and Nathan Bunker-Otto, as well as grand-children Lynn Otto, Jacob Burnett, Jordan Francis, Blake Bryant and Rebecca Francis. 

 

Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Raymond Otto's Memory

Dr. Joseph Warlick Whitwell Jr, ThD

December 15, 1939 – January 2024

Dr. Joseph Warlick Whitwell Jr, ThD was born on December 15, 1939 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was the oldest of three boys born to Joseph Warlick Whitwell, Sr. and Lucile Bean Whitwell. At age 3, the family moved back to their hometown, Senatobia Mississippi, after his father took ill. Unfortunately, just 6 years later, when Joe was only 9 years old, his father passed, leaving Lucy to raise her three small boys alone. Growing up in the small town of Senatobia, MS in the 1950’s, Joe made the best of his situation as Senatobia took good care of him. As a young man, he took on whatever job he could. He was bagging groceries at the local grocery, lifeguarding and worked construction.

Many summers, James Coleman, the Senatobia Warriors coach, would have Joe and some of his teammates help build houses. Joe learned to swing a hammer, repair a roof, build a stone wall and other essential skills that he would use for the rest of his life. Joe loved sports and was very athletic in his high school and college years. Joe aggressively defended the Senatobia Warriors on the football and baseball fields. Joe’s dedication was evident because at halftime he would run off the field to Water skiing was another beloved sport. The local Senatobia doctor, Dr. Ethlen, took Joe out on her boat and taught him how to water ski. Water skiing translated into an intense love of snow skiing. These traditions of his youth carried on as Joe, his wife, Marguerite, and his children spent hours on the waters off Lake Lanier and on the slopes of North Carolina and Colorado. After high school, Joe went to Millsaps College in Jackson, MS. He firmly believed in keeping an active mind and body. Academically, he earned his bachelors in Philosophy and was named honorable mention Little All-American for playing football at Millsaps. In 2023 Joe was inducted into the Millsaps Football Hall of Fame. His social life was filled with being Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity President. In his sophomore year, he began to serve as pastor to several Methodist churches near Jackson, MS. In his junior year at Millsaps, he met his future bride, Marguerite and on January 24, 1964, they were married. Joe’s greatest passion, his life’s work, was to help others through the toughest or darkest times of their lives.

To pursue this passion as a career, he sought his post-secondary education at The Candler School of Theology at Emory University and received his doctorate in Pastoral Counseling. He was a minister for the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC). In 1972, he became the Director of Pastoral Services and Staff Therapist for the Wesley Woods Geriatric Center in Atlanta, GA, which included a clinical pastoral education program that was a part of the Georgia Association for Pastoral Care (GAPC). In that capacity, he provided supervision for students in the doctoral programs in pastoral counseling through Atlanta area seminaries. trade a football uniform for a band uniform. Just as quickly, changing back into his helmet and pads to join the huddle. It’s no wonder why he was voted Mr. Senatobia in High School. Shortly thereafter, he established a satellite counseling center on the Wesley Woods campus to provide psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and families. This especially helped families struggling with issues in the care of an aging parent or relative. He loved to dance. Joe and his zest for life will be greatly missed.

In 2009, he shifted his attention to providing mental health support as a Marriage and Family Therapist. As the Executive Director of The Covenant Counseling & Family Resource Center in Snellville, Ga., Joe was able to provide support for families in crisis and train others to do the same. It is impossible to measure the number of lives he touched, the people he helped, and the impact he made in the lives of his clients, his students, his friends, and family. No doubt, he will be remembered for his compassion, dedication, and his generosity of spirit in helping others. Joe was a great father, an average musician, an avid sportsman, and master craftsman. He loved his wife and kids. He enjoyed playing the guitar and ukulele. He loved to water and snow ski. He had a passion for building, repairing, and creating. He enjoyed a good drink along with a great story or joke. Even though he wasn’t very good at it, he loved to dance. Joe and his zest for life will be greatly missed.

 

Jonathan Waddell

August 30, 1941– November 20, 2023

The Reverend Doctor Jonathan Howard Waddell was born in Mississippi on August 30, 1941, and passed away peacefully in Birmingham on November 20, 2023.

He is survived by his wife, Lucie Magnus, whom he loved tenderly. Their relationship was one of healing and devotion. The lyric "his gentle means of sculpting souls took me years to understand" from the song "Leader of the Band" by Dan Fogelberg aptly describes Jonathan's way of being. He lived a life of service, touching thousands of lives as a priest, educator and as a marriage and family therapist. As a clinical pastoral educator with the Baptist Health System and University of Alabama Birmingham, his innovative approach often led to his students uncovering things about themselves that they hadn't previously known or understood, much to their surprise. He loved playing golf, fishing, working in the yard at his beloved lake home and a nice glass of Scotch.

He will be remembered for his sparkling eyes, loving smile, wicked sense of humor, deep soul, kindness, generosity and, above all, his acceptance of people as they were. He had a keen intellect, a love of learning and he cherished his solitude. He was a towering man with a gentle shoulder to lean upon, and those who knew him will miss his willingness to be there for them.

He is also survived by his son, Michael Waddell; his stepchildren, Daniel Wright Beck (Lyndall), Matthew Magnus Beck (Darlene) and Laura Beck Carlson (Jeremy); his grandchildren Ann Wright Carlson, Alice Beck Carlson, Boyd Wright Beck and William Knight Beck. Additionally, he is survived by his nephews Gary and Dennis Freeman and his niece Jeannie Ross. He was predeceased by his mother Annie Josephine Waddell, his father Howard Hagan Waddell, his brother David Paul Waddell, his sister Elizabeth Josephine Waddell and his first wife Donna Grice Boone.

He grew up in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, and graduated from Crystal Springs High School in Mississippi, and graduated from Crystal Springs High School in 1957. He graduated from William Cary College in 1961. He received his Masters of Theology in 1967 and his Doctorate of Education in 1972 from The New Orleans Baptist Seminary. He was an ordained Baptist minister for 25 years. In 1991, he was ordained as an Episcopal priest. Jonathan was highly credentialed in his professions as a clinical supervisor for marriage and family therapists and licensed professional counselors. He was a clinical pastoral education supervisor and was a Diplomate in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. He served on the staff of several Episcopal churches in Alabama.

His memorial service will be at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Birmingham on Tuesday, November 28 at 3 p.m. with visitation starting at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to STAIR Birmingham, a literacy organization, or your favorite charity.

Services are under the direction of Ridout's Valley Chapel (205-879-3401) in Homewood.

Peggy Davis Gold

November 24, 1959– November 1, 2023

Peggy Davis Gold, 63, of Durham, N.C., died on November 1, 2023, at Duke Regional Hospital. She was born Nov. 24, 1959, and was the daughter of the late Barbara Geer Davis and Dr. Richard T. Davis.

She is survived by her son, Austin and his wife Tara of Durham; her brother, Richard T. Davis Jr. of Danville, Va.; her sister, Nancy Davis and husband Tip Nicholson of Statesville; nephew Richard T. Davis III (Rachelle) of Largo, Fla.; and nieces Brittain Kenney (Will) of Charlotte, Stacy Knabb (Drew) of Fox Point, Wis., and Peggy Nicholson (Justin Tosco) of Durham; and her great nieces and nephews who loved their “Aunt Lady.”

For more than 20 years, Peggy served as a chaplain at Duke Hospital. She was a certified educator for the hospital’s Clinical Pastoral Education program. A graduate of Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Peggy received her master’s degree in divinity from Duke University. She completed her residency in pastoral care at Duke and is certified as an ACPE certified educator by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. She previously served as a chaplain with Partners in Caring, an HIV/AIDS ministry.

Perhaps Peggy’s greatest gift was how she made everyone around her feel truly seen and heard, knowing exactly whether you needed wisdom, wit, or just an understanding smile. In addition to bringing great conversation, laughter and love to any occasion, Peggy excelled in party planning and gift giving. Her gifts were also shared in the way she eased the nerves of countless couples as their wedding officiant and comforted grieving families with words and compassion in times of loss.

Extremely proud of her son, Peggy delighted in the company of Austin and Tara and the home they created for foster children. While she loved her grandmother name, “Mamie,” she especially loved “being” a Mamie, a role which she embraced devotedly.

The memorial service for Peggy will be held Friday, November 17, at 3 p.m. in the outdoor sanctuary at Bluestem Conservation Cemetery, 1900 Hurdle Mills Road, Cedar Grove, N.C. Because this is a natural area, guests are encouraged to dress comfortably. A private burial will be held earlier. Friends and family are also invited to a time of “story-sharing” on Thursday, November 16, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the home of Austin and Tara, 3 Brown Bark Court, Durham.

To honor Peggy, donations may be made to the 501(c)3 Bluestem Community.


Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Peggy Gold's Memory

Mary Ann Weigel

July 9, 1941–August 6, 2023

Mary Ann Weigel passed away peacefully Sunday August 6, 2023, at Mayo Clinic Hospital. Mary Ann was born July 9, 1941, in Napoleon, ND to Baltzer and Katherine (Wangler) Weigel. She graduated from Napoleon High School in 1959, Presentation College in Aberdeen, SD in 1962, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI in 1967, and graduated with a Master of Clinical Pastoral Counseling from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA in 1971. Mary Ann was a member of the Presentation Sisters in Aberdeen, SD for 18 years.

Mary Ann spent many years ministering to families and the sick at St. Luke’s Hospital in  Fargo, ND and later transferring to the Spiritual Care Department at Mayo Clinic in  Rochester, MN where she was Supervisor of Clinical Pastoral Education for 15 years.

Mary Ann was an avid reader with many hobbies including travel, playing cards, and  visiting her family including her many nieces and nephews. Mary Ann and Clarence  enjoyed spending summers in Rochester, MN and winters in Green Valley, AZ.  Clarence and Mary Ann were married for 36 years.

She is survived by her husband Clarence Wanner; stepsons Michael Wanner and his  partner Laura Robertson, of Austin, TX, and Robert and his wife Laura Wanner, of  Fountain Hills, AZ; siblings Agatha Schaffer, of Detroit Lakes, MN, Ben Weigel, Carolyn  Gross, and Medy Gross of Bismarck, ND.

Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents Baltzer and Katherine Weigel; Agnes  and Andy Gross, Helen and Baltzer Wald, Herman Schaffer, Delores Weigel, Marian  Weigel, Alvin Gross, John Gross; nephews Robert Weigel, Darren Gross, and niece  Mary Ann Goetz.

Funeral Service celebrating Mary Ann’s life will be at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 9th  at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 2830 18th Avenue NW, Rochester, MN with Pastor Glenn  Monson officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.

Online condolences are welcome and may be shared at mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Mary Ann Weigel’s own statement from the publication: Retired Supervisor’s Network-Legacy Issue-ACPE Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN: May 3-6,2017

“We have not ceased in our explorations until we have come full circle and know that place for the first time.” T.S. Eliot

The above statement was the title of my theory paper for supervision. I have experienced this phenomenon in my own growth as a supervisor and observing the process in my students. I entered CPE from the background of Presentation Sisters formation program and Marquette University, Milwaukee WI, and Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. What excited me most in my training was the interdenominational nature of the groups. That breadth and depth of the training environment watered my soul from the beginning. Today I still receive the greatest satisfaction working within ecumenical circles. I am indebted to S. Marvin Johnson, Earl Cooper and Adeline Anderson. They were my mentors- supervisors.

My CPE supervision called me to the North Central region and within that support I was fully certified in 1983. In Fargo, ND at Saint Luke's Hospital (now Sanford) and at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN, I spent 33 years supervising students. A cast of characters have been my students, both learning from them and helping them reflect on their learning. I probably would have never been in ministry without the interdenominational aspects of the learning environment. My high point in supervision has always been the basic seminary students. What excitement in the eyes of a student who for the first time was able to integrate (get it) theology with the practice of the ministry!

One learns by teaching. In working within the ecumenical setting, I have been able to deepen my own Roman Catholic theology as that has evolved over time. I am deeply grateful for what I have learned from my students and the part I have been able to play in their professional and personal development.

 

Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Mary Ann Weigel's Memory

Reverend Father Samuel Kochuplavila Mathew

May 31, 1949– July 31, 2023

Rev. Fr. Dr. Samuel K. Mathew, a devoted father, husband, Indian Eastern Orthodox Priest, esteemed chaplain, army veteran and educator, passed away on July 31, 2023, at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center with his family by his side.  He was 74 years old.

Father Sam pursued an extensive academic journey, culminating in several degrees and certifications in the fields of theology, counseling, and chaplaincy.  His educational accomplishments include a Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Counseling, Masters in Sacred Theology, Masters of Divinity, Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in History and Economics from Kerala University.  Fr. Sam dedicated himself to serving others through his roles as an ACPE Certified Educator, Chaplain, and Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor at Perry Point, Maryland VA Medical Center, Koala Hospital, Lutheran Hospital, Methodist Hospital, Howard Community Hospital, Geisinger Health System, Morristown Medical Center, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Holy Redeemer Hospital and Albert Einstein Medical Center.  Fr. Sam’s dedication to helping others extended to providing family therapy at Kirkbride Center, Northwestern Human Services and leading the Head of Religion and Counseling Department at Martin University.  His chaplaincy roles included service in the United States Army as a Captain from 1983 - 1988.

Fr. Sam is survived by his loving wife Rebekah Mathew and children - Phoebe Mathew, Phinehas Mathew and Philbie Mathew.  However, he was predeceased by his beloved daughter, Priscilla Elizabeth Mathew, who passed away on August 1, 1993.  Fr. Sam’s impact on the lives of those he touched will be remembered fondly and his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.

ACPE Retired Educator Rev. Dr. C. George Fitzgerald

July 23, 1934 - July 6, 2023 

Rev. Dr. C. George Fitzgerald, who most people knew as George, was born on July 23, 1934, in Faith, South Dakota to Roland Edward Fitzgerald and Mary Elizabeth Weedman Fitzgerald. His family moved to Glendale, CA on December 7, 1941, where George attended school and was in The Police Boys Band. He graduated from UCLA in 1956. He graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1959. He married Mary Lee in 1959. They had two children, Erin and David. They both had children, making him Grandpa George. 

Upon completing his seminary education, he was ordained a pastor in the Presbyterian Church. His first assignment as a new pastor was in a small mining town of Minturn where he also performed services every Sunday in the small town of Redcliff. Following that he served a church in a suburb of Denver, Broomfield, 1961-1965 where he had been called to assist the church to get out of debt after building a new building. 

Following his ministry with the church in Broomfield he spent one year at Menniger Foundation, Topeka, Kansas enrolled as a fellow in Pastoral Care Ministry. Upon his successful completion of that training he was certified by ACPE as a CPE Supervisor and in 1966 began as a chaplain Princeton Hospital. He also trained in family therapy at the Ackerman Institute for the Family in New York City. 

In 1978 he left the east coast and began as the Director of Chaplains at Presbyterian Hospital in San Francisco. He worked there until 1988 when he became the Director of Spiritual Care at Stanford Hospital. He had a successful career at Stanford and retired in 2014 at age 80. George was active in his professional organization, ACPE, Inc. One year he received the Distinguished Service Award for his work with ACPE, especially with the international community. During the time he was at Presbyterian Hospital he was enrolled in a doctoral program at San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, CA. He was immensely proud when he completed this doctoral degree in systematic theology. 

He married his wife, Susan, in 1983. They both sang in the choir at Old First Presbyterian Church in San Francisco. After living a couple of years in San Francisco, they moved to Alameda, an island adjacent to the City of Oakland. They loved Alameda so much they found a home on the estuary that they renovated it and turned it into their incredibly exceptional home. George and Susan were active service volunteers in Rotary International and The Hearing Loss Association of America. They also were members of the Aeolian Yacht Club. They enjoyed traveling, having visited five different continents in their travels. They were active in their local Presbyterian Church during their marriage.  

One endeavor George was proud of was in 2006 when a group of 12 gathered to discuss rescuing a journal that focused on educating chaplains and creating a new life for the journal. The Board elected him as the president of the Board of Editors for Reflective Practice. He served as the president of the Board for ten years. This new journal is now in its seventeenth year of publication and going strong. 

The last year of George’s life was challenging for him and his family. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s last year and required 24-hour care in a memory care center in Oakland. While at the care facility he required surgeries twice. Following each surgery, he needed to recuperate in a care facility for memory patients recuperating from surgery. On July 6 he died while taking his afternoon nap. 

George is survived by Susan, his wife; Erin, daughter (New York); David, Son (Florida); grandchildren: Beatrice and Clara Steuer; and Christopher, Steven, and Amber Fitzgerald. Sister, Adele Gronbach. Alexis Horn, Stepdaughter; Step grandchildren, Alexander and Josephine Horn 

A memorial service for George will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Alameda, 2001 Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501 at 1:00 PM. 



Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in George Fitzgerald's Memory

ACPE Retired Educator Brown Kinnard, Jr

Brown was born June 13, 1933 near Franklin, Tennessee to Ida Beasley Kinnard and Brown C. Kinnard, Sr., both of families long established in the county. He had an older sister, Carolyn. He died May 11, 2023 in Dexter MI at age 89 of prostate cancer. He grew up on a large, beautiful, four-generation farm where his love of the outdoors was born. He grew up with great stability and the basics of belief in God, church, and right living. In his early 20s he experienced the absolute reality of Jesus and the gift of unearned forgiveness and grew and deepened in Christian faith over his lifetime. 

 

The early social realities were the Great Depression, Bible Belt religion, racial segregation, WW II, and the Korean War. After high school at Battle Ground Academy, he met Gisela Kelm at David Lipscomb College, a Church of Christ school in Nashville. She was a survivor of WW II from Frankfurt, Germany. Inspired by her faith, he changed from math to ministry, his true calling. They married in 1954 and had five beautiful children -Cynthia, Mike, Steve, Katrina, and Rebecca. After 24 years the marriage ended in divorce. In 1980 he married Evelyn Dawes Thoma of Ann Arbor MI originally from Anderson SC, a church musician, and later social worker and Bible storyteller. Brown became stepfather to Fran, Lynn, and Hans. He and "Ev" became best friends sharing their southern roots and humor, Christian faith, church music, family times, and outdoor adventures.


In 1988 they moved near Dexter on the Huron River. Brown had three careers in ministry over 50 years -church minister; hospital chaplain/chaplain educator; and seminary teacher. He completed seminary, was certified as a chaplain and chaplain educator, changed denominations to the Disciples of Christ, and took doctoral courses in Biblical Studies at University of Michigan. A job at U-M Hospitals brought him to Ann Arbor in 1975. His last job at Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit, 1990-2005, brought together his varied teaching gifts-directing the ministry practicum, and teaching pastoral care, New Testament, and biblical languages.

 In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts to Arbor Hospice, Dexter United Methodist Church, Dexter Faith in Action or the Humane Society of Huron Valley. A private graveside service for family was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Dexter. The memorial service will be at Dexter United Methodist Church on June 13th at 11am, preceded by a visitation at 10am, and a luncheon at noon. 

If planning to attend please, RSVP via https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/65XD6SQ . For full obituary, please visit  www.mitchellfuneral.com/obituaries/brown-kinnard. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.

Published by Ann Arbor News from May 19 to May 21, 2023.


Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Brown Kinnard's Memory

ACPE Retired Certified Educator Richard Dayringer

Dr. Richard Lee Dayringer, 88, went to be with his Lord and Savior on October 13, 2022, at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa. Richard was born on February 3, 1934, in Carthage, Missouri. He was the son of Sarah Marlin (Ruppert) and Joe Allen Dayringer.

Richard Dayringer was an Adjunct Professor at the Oklahoma University School of Community Medicine-Tulsa in the Bioethics Center. He supervised a dozen pastoral counselors in Tulsa and taught clinical pastoral education in Joplin. He was the Director of Care Ministry at the First United Methodist Church in Grove, OK.

Richard was also Professor Emeritus and for 23 years was Professor and Director of Psychosocial Care in the Department of Medical Humanities and Professor and Chief of Behavioral Science in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield.

Richard was a pastoral psychotherapist for over 30 years, Dr. Dayringer was Director of the Department of Pastoral Care and Counseling at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Kansas City for ten years before joining the faculty of the SIU School of Medicine in 1974. He has also served as a pastor in Missouri, Kansas, and Louisiana prior to beginning his academic career.

Richard served as a consultant to various organizations including Texas A & M School of Medicine, the Department of Allied Health at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Ohio State University School of Medicine, the Cleveland Clinic, Walter Reed Army Hospital Department of Pastoral Care, and the American Correctional Chaplains Association.

Richard has given countless international, national, and regional lectures and workshops on topics such as ethical issues in medicine or pastoral care, depression, pastoral interventions for the sick or bereaved, and the spiritual and psychosocial aspects of AIDS.

Dr. Richard Dayringer holds a Doctor of Theology degree from the New Orleans Theological Seminary. He has been certified as an Approved Supervisor in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy; a Diplomate in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors; a Chaplain Supervisor in the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education; a Certified Sex Therapist in the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists; a Certified Hypnotist in the Society for Clinical Hypnosis; and has been a member of the American Academy of Religion, the Society for Pastoral Theology, and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.
Richard has written or edited six books and is the author of more than 70 journal articles in the fields of medicine and pastoral care and counseling. For ten years, he served as the Editor of the American Journal of Pastoral Counseling and is on the Editorial Boards of the American Journal of Psychotherapy and the Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling.

Dr. Dayringer served as a Spiritual Care Representative for the Red Cross at the Alaskan Airline disaster in Los Angeles and at Ground Zero in New York City.

He and his wife, Janet, who was a nurse, were married for 68 years until her passing they had five children and eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, a son Daniel Hymer Dayringer, and a brother James Allen Dayringer. He is survived by his children; Stephen Lee Dayringer, David Carter Dayringer, Deborah Evelyn Egerer, and James Ray Dayringer, his brother and sisters Edgar Dayringer, Judy Francisco, and Jane Parsons. Grandchildren Jason Dayringer, Sarah Dayringer, Katie Winkler, Evelyn Wulf, Joshua Burns, Zeke Burns, Landan Dayringer, and Lily Dayringer, as well as four great-grandchildren Atli Dayringer, Tommy Winkler, Jack Winkler, and Edith Dayringer.

His funeral service is scheduled for 10:00 am, Tuesday, October 18, 2022, at Grove's First United Methodist Church. Richard will be laid to rest in Park Cemetery in Carthage, Missouri, see website for time. Services under the direction of Worley-Luginbuel Funeral Home, Grove, Oklahoma.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.



Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Dr. Richard Dayringer's Memory

ACPE Retired Certified Educator Priscilla L. Denham

June 5, 1952 to March 24, 2023

Rev. Dr. Priscilla Lane Denham, of Royersford, PA passed away suddenly on March 24, 2023.

Priscilla was born to The Rev. William (Bill) Denham and Priscilla Kelly Denham while Bill served at River Oaks Baptist church in Houston Texas.  They encouraged her curiosity, voracious reading, independent thinking, and graciousness of spirit. She grew up and maintained close connections with her beloved oldest brother Bill, (1934-2020) and siblings Jim and Elizabeth, all of whom entered ministry. 

Priscilla graduated with an B.A. from Baylor University in 1974, attended Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1974-75, and earned an M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary in 1978, and a D. Min. from the University of Creation Spirituality in the 2000s. As well as being an ACPE Certified (Supervisor) Educator and an ordained Minister, she was a Certified Chaplain and Fellow of the College of Chaplains, a Fellow AAPC, and Clinical Member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

Priscilla spent her life working in chaplaincy, CPE education, and church ministry accompanying people through their struggles and celebrating their triumphs. She served as a chaplain and chaplain educator and counselor in a variety of settings in Georgia, Texas, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and for many years in Pennsylvania. Priscilla also served as pastor in several churches over her career in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and, most recently at Shenkel UCC Church in Pottstown, PA. Priscilla wrote several articles that were published in professional journals, and presented a number of seminars and workshops, including at ACPE regional conferences. Priscilla served on national ACPE Certification Committees and served as Easter Region Certification Chair. 

Colleagues and students described Priscillas as: 

a force- astute, wise, compassionate, fierce, spunky, delightfully curious and enthusiastic, and committed to relationships.

brilliant with students, tracking every word, inviting reflection on ways to grow, to claim their self-agency and expect respect from others.

often bigger than life in her effusive and infectious enthusiasm for teaching and life.  A remarkable entertainer and teller of stories who offered unmatched hospitality and always made others feel welcomed at meetings and committee appearances.


Priscilla was creative, whether it came to arts and crafts with her grandchildren, writing poetry, or offering a humor-filled perspective. She was a vivacious introvert.

Priscilla loved cooking for family and friends, flower gardening and the rebirth of spring, and natural and human-made beauty. Her home and yard were filled with flowers, art, pottery, quilts, and antique furniture, (each connected to a person and a story), and the smell of her home-baked treats.

Priscilla adored her grandchildren, Isaac, Mason, and Amara, her favorite people to spend time with, who brought her laughter and joy every day. In addition, in her retirement, she worked in a French bakery for pleasure and joyfully spoiled her pets, Alfred and Ruthie. 

She was joyful, caring, and passionate about life. Her family and friends miss her deeply. 

Priscilla is survived by her son Isaac Denham (Patricia), her three grandchildren, Isaac, Mason, and Amara, step-grand-daughter Hailey, her brother Jim Denham (Molly), her sister Elizabeth Denham Thompson (Phil), who is also an ACPE member as a psychotherapist, and many nieces and nephews.


Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Rev. Priscilla L. Denham's Memory

ACPE Certified Educator Emeritus Rev. Donald E. Blume

5 January 1935 – 25 March 2023

Born in the same house as his father on a farm outside Crown Point, Indiana, and baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church 3 March 1935, Rev. Blume lived during the 1940’s with his parents in trailer camps throughout the southwest while they sought a healthy climate for his mother and employment for his father, eventually settling in Kerrville, Texas.

 

Rev. Blume graduated from Concordia College, Austin, Texas, and Concordia Theological Seminary, Saint Louis, Missouri.  He interned with the Lutheran Service Society of Western New York in Buffalo prior to his senior year at seminary.  He was ordained on 11 September 1960.

 

His preparation for eventual certification as a hospital chaplain and clinical pastoral educator occurred at Gowanda (NY) State Hospital (Richard J. Lehman); Saint Louis City Hospital (Peter T. Burke); Minneapolis General Hospital (David Belgum); Boston City Hospital (Frank Oxenford), which were Institute of Pastoral Care centers, and at Methodist Hospital of Brooklyn (Keith Keidel), a Council for Clinical Training center.  The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education granted Acting Supervisor status in 1968 and full certification as Supervisor in 1969.  The chaplain’s division of the American Protestant Hospital Association (a predecessor body to the Association of Professional Chaplains) granted certification in 1966.

 

Prior to entering chaplaincy, Rev. Blume served as co-pastor at Zion Lutheran Church, Kearney, Nebraska, before accepting a call to develop a full time campus ministry at Kearney State College, now the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

 

In 1965, Rev. Blume became the first Director of Chaplaincy at Clara Maass Medical Center, Belleville, New Jersey, where he established and developed an ACPE accredited program.  Rev. Blume served there in the capacity of chaplain and clinical pastoral educator until 1986, when he accepted a call to Manchester, New Hampshire, to establish and develop an ACPE accredited center as part of an already existent chaplaincy department at the Elliot Hospital, where he served as chaplain and clinical pastoral educator until retiring in 1998.

 

Rev. Blume’s involvement with the ACPE beyond the hospitals in which he served included membership on the Certification Committee (National, Eastern Region, Northeast Region); Accreditation Committee (Northeast Region); and Chair of the Northeast Region.  He served in numerous capacities within the College of Chaplains, which awarded him a certificate of recognition “In appreciation for outstanding contributions, leadership and professional services,” and on his 80th birthday the Association of Professional Chaplains named him an Honorary Life Member.  He was a member of the Consultation Committee for Specialized Pastoral Ministry of the Lutheran Council, USA; served as chair of the New Jersey Chaplains Association; president of the chaplains division for the Middle Atlantic Health Conference; and was a Pastoral Fellow at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in New York City.

 

With retirement came the freedom to become more directly engaged in the life of the church. Rev. Blume was the Dean of the New Hampshire Conference of the New England Synod, ELCA, for twenty-one years; a member of the New England Synod Council; a member of the synod’s Health and Wholeness Team; a founding member of the Granite State Organizing Project; and served as an interim pastor in several congregations as well as doing supply ministry.  Blume was a member of the New England Episcopal-Lutheran Dialog and was appointed co-convener.  Following the adoption of Called to Common Mission, he co-convened the New England Episcopal-Lutheran Implementation Team, dissolving the group after accomplishing its purpose.

 

Rev. Blume is survived by a son, Alan, and daughter-in-law, Martha neé Dieter, and their two daughters, Phoebe and Margaret; a daughter, Anne, and son-in-law, Johan Robertsson, and their daughter, Astrid, and son, Joar.

 


Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Rev. Donald E. Blume's Memory

ACPE Certified Educator Jennifer "Jenn" Hall


Jennifer “Jenn” Hall (they/them) was born on June 21, 1967, in Denton, Texas. On March 19, 2023, Jenn died at the age of 55. Jenn resided in Des Moines, IA, with their spouse, Cyndi, and beloved animals.

Growing up, Jennifer was born the first of five siblings. At age fifteen, they moved from their hometown in Texas to Edmond, Oklahoma. Jenn was heavily involved in FFA, often bathing and styling sheep in their mama’s kitchen.

While still living in Oklahoma, Jenn earned their bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Central Oklahoma.

A job at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville brought Jenn to St. Louis, Missouri. Jennifer played rugby and earned the title of “Rookie of the Year.” The years spent playing rugby were some of Jenn’s most fond and treasured memories. They formed lifelong bonds with the team and enjoyed recounting stories of their rugby days frequently.

In St. Louis, Jennifer attended seminary and earned their MDiv at Eden Theological Seminary. After graduating, they got ordained with MCC (Metropolitan Community Churches) and moved to Des Moines, Iowa, to do their Chaplain residency.

Jenn worked as a hospital chaplain and became a certified Clinical Pastoral Educator. They were a gifted chaplain and a dedicated educator, scholar, and theologian. Through their chaplaincy work and work in chemical dependency, Jenn impacted a vast number of lives. | Read more

 

Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Jennifer "Jenn" Hall's Memory

ACPE Retired Educator Rev. Paul David Steinke 


Paul D. Steinke died before dawn on the morning of March 7, 2023 with his wife Ann at his side.

Paul was ordained a minister in the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church in 1961. He worked for more than 50 years as Certified Educator (Clinical Pastoral Supervisor) in the nationally accredited organization, ACPE (Association for Clinical Pastoral Education). His creative educational style influenced thousands of students in their pastoral formation and development.

Before he retired in 2016, Rev. Steinke was the Director of Chaplaincy and Clinical Pastoral Education at both NYC Health and Hospital/ Bellevue Center and NYU- Langone Medical Center. He was also a certified Marriage and Family therapist in Virginia where he taught and counseled at Mental Health Services of the Roanoke Valley.

The Reverend Steinke trained in CPE at Norwich State Hospital in Connecticut with Rev. Clarence Brunniga, as well as at Philadelphia State Hospital.

He is survived by his three children:

Darcey, her husband Mike and her daughter Abbie Jones.

David, his wife Lauren and their two children Bayla and Jacob

and Jonathan, his wife Nicole and their two children Theo and Zach.

 

Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Paul David Steinke's Memory

ACPE Certified Educator Candidate Joel Jueckstock

Joel Jueckstock died at home on March 1, 2023, surrounded by his wife Kristen and three children, Kyle, 11, Audrey, 9, and Sam, 5.  Joel was a 15-year cancer survivor until a stage 4 recurrence took his life at the age of 40.  He was a leader in the Twin Cities, establishing Spiritual Care at the then brand-new Maple Grove Hospital and growing the north region hospitals of Allina Health.  As an academic, Joel focused on the intersections of Spiritual Care & behavioral science, studying Marriage & Family Therapy at Bethel Seminary for his M.Div. and attachment in grief and loss at Luther Seminary, where he earned his Ph.D.  Joel was a gifted chaplain, leader, seminary professor, and Phase 2 ACPE Educator Candidate.

Fitness and adventure were spiritual practices for Joel.  He was an 8-time marathoner and a ubiquitous presence on his kids’ ball fields and courts.  He loved being a dad and husband and died well, connected to family, community, self, and God.


Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Joel Jueckstock's Memory

ACPE Retired Educator Clarence Young Barton

Clarence Young Barton, 93, died January 12, 2023. He lived at Miralea in Louisville, KY, for the last ten years. Clarence was born on February 28, 1929 in Reidville, SC to Jerry Easley Barton and Ziza Bruce Barton Martin. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Mary DeVilbiss Barton; his four children, Melanie Ahr (Steve), Judy Sellars (Terry), Lisa Jensen (Mark), and Bruce Barton (Renee); four grandchildren Anna Jensen (Matt Naylor), Mollie Jensen Crockett (Martin), John Barton, Natalie Barton; and two step-greatgrandchildren Brayden and Mila Angel.

Read more

 

Make an ACPE Foundation Gift in Clarence Young Barton's Memory