Mr. James L. Hickey (STH’70)

By sthalum November 12th, 2021 in Alumni/ae Deaths

The obituary was originally published by Boston Globe from Oct. 27 to Oct. 31, 2021 and can be found here.

HICKEY, James Leo Age 85 of West Roxbury, passed away October 22, 2021. Born in Boston, February 12, 1936. Jim was the devoted husband of the late Claire Ryan Hickey and the beloved dad of Maureen Hickey and her husband Jeremy Kamm of Roslindale and Kathleen Hickey and her husband Alfonso Pruneda Fuentes of West Roxbury.

For nearly five decades, Jim drew strength from his loving relationship with his wife, Claire, and together they leave a legacy of love, generosity, and kindness. Jim was the second son of the late William J. and Catherine A. Hickey. He was a cherished brother to the late William J. Hickey, Jr., Patricia A. Leger, Kathleen D. Hickey, and Mary Ellen Sullivan. Jim was an adoring Papa to Colin, Nora, Claire, and Rafael, and he delighted in playing, reading, and spending time with them. A loving uncle to many nieces and nephews, especially his nephew James L. Hickey, with whom he had a wonderful relationship. Jim enjoyed supporting and celebrating his family members, and especially his daughters, through all of life's experiences. Jim graduated from Boston College High School, and he earned degrees from St. John's Seminary and Boston University. He spent about a decade as a priest, during which time he met lifelong friends, built community, and supported people in need. After leaving the ministry, Jim served as Dean of Student Affairs at Boston University, a role that allowed him to blend his interest in advising students and his leadership skills. During the final two decades of Jim's work life, he transitioned to roles in public service as Chief Administrative Officer and later Commissioner of Public Works for the City of Newton. After retirement, Jim and Claire spent fifteen wonderful years enjoying sunshine and great friends on St. Croix, the island they visited on their honeymoon. Jim was naturally charismatic, and he fostered strong, positive relationships throughout his life. He greeted life with a bright smile, a commitment to justice, and a desire to help others. He was equally enthusiastic singing songs at a party, telling a story at a family meal, or engaging in civic initiatives. He enjoyed creating warm and inviting spaces to gather with family and friends, so he took great pride in maintaining his home and gardens.

Jim had a deep respect for the natural world; in lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to The Nature Conservancy, www.nature.org Funeral from the Robert J. Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home, 1803 Centre St., WEST ROXBURY on Friday, November 5, at 9:30 am. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. John Chrysostom Church, 4750 Washington Street, West Roxbury on Friday, at 10 am. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visiting Hour in the funeral home Friday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 am. Interment Forest Hills Cemetery. www.lawlerfuneralhome.com Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home 617-323-5600

Bishop James R. Hiles (STH’58)

By sthalum November 7th, 2021 in Alumni/ae Deaths

This obituary was originally published on The Boston Herald, and can be found here.

Servant of the Lord, age 93. May 1, 1928 – October 23, 2021.

His storied life is celebrated by his wife Lauretta, three sons Marcus, Matthew and David, daughter Elisabeth, and eight grandchildren, James, Natalie, Meredith, Elizabeth, Victoria, Henry, Lukas and Nicholas. Born along the railroad in the small town of Dawson, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, the Bishop was the second youngest of nine children. His early life consisted of swimming in the river, making rafts and jumping freight trains. Losing his father at the early age of three, the Bishop knew that one day his life would center around always being there for his family and children.

At the age of 17 the Bishop enlisted for two years in the U. S. Marines. As a sharp shooter, the Bishop served in World War II. After discharge, the Bishop received a football scholarship to play football for West Virginia before ultimately earning his bachelors from Washington and Jefferson. While in college, the Bishop worked for the Baltimore & Ohio railroad when he met his beautiful wife Lauretta. Together, they moved to Boston where they both attended Boston University and the Bishop earned his Masters in Divinity. He later earned a Ph.D. in Old Testament Theology from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.

The Bishop's first position in the Church was as an Assistant Minister at Trinity Episcopal Church in Copley Square, Boston. He was a Professor of Religion at Wellesley College, and Gordon Conwell Seminary. He became the Rector of St. Paul's parish in Brockton in 1975.

In 1976 the Bishop established the Evening School of Christian Studies, at St. Paul's parish, the first such school at a parish level in the Diocese. Drawing on Professors from Boston College, Boston University and Gordon-Conwell Seminary, where he had taught, the courses covered biblical studies, New Testament History and Christian thought on current moral issues. From the study and prayer arising out of the Evening School, the Bishop established St. Paul's Kitchen in 1982. Over its 14 year history, the Kitchen, served over 2.2 million meals, 6 days a week, to the hungry in Brockton. It involved volunteers from every denomination throughout the region.

In 1988, with a bequest from an Irish-American benefactor to the Church of our Saviour, Milton, the Bishop devised an innovative conference in the U.S. for dialogue between the Christian leaders of the four major denominations in Northern Ireland. Returning to the US in 1993, the unprecedented dialogue among the prelates, thought impossible in Northern Island, stirred new thinking between the prelates which, in turn, ignited changes that brought about the historic 1998 Good Friday Accords, ending the era of violence in the north of Ireland.

The Bishop has been an exemplar for serving both one's faith and one's family. He never missed a sporting event or school event for his children, emboldening into them a permanent sense of commitment and loyalty. His later years brought about much travel with his children, and the same sense of devotion to his grandchildren. Over much of the last decade, the Bishop could be seen at baseball games and school events for his two youngest grandchildren. He never stopped.

The Bishop bookended his life on earth with a trip to St. Moritz, Switzerland this past August with his Sons and Grandsons, and attending a Bishop's Conference in Atlanta, Georgia just three short weeks ago. He preached his last sermon thirteen days before he went to heaven, working right up until the end. But his work on earth is now done, and he is finally home. His legacy of humility, hard work, grit, perseverance, loyalty, and commitment to God, will be proudly carried on by his wife, children and grandchildren. Please join us in celebrating a truly remarkable man with an extraordinary life.

Flowers may be sent to the funeral home or donations can be sent to St. Paul's Parish in Brockton.

Visitation will be held in the Conley Funeral Home, 138 Belmont Street, (Rte. 123) Brockton, Friday October 29, 5pm – 7pm. Funeral Service at St. Paul's Parish, 701 Pleasant Street, Brockton, Saturday October 30, at 10:30am, followed by burial in Milton Cemetery, 211 Centre Street, Milton. Immediately following the burial, a reception will be held from approximately 1pm – 4pm, at the Marriott Quincy, 1000 Marriott Drive, Quincy.

Dr. E. Clayton Burgess (STH’57 ’59)

By sthalum November 7th, 2021 in Alumni/ae Deaths

Reverend Dr. Duane A. Walker (STH’57)

By sthalum November 7th, 2021 in Alumni/ae Deaths

This obituary was originally published on Dignity Memorial, and can be found here.

Born July 31, 1927, in Pacific Palisades, California, Mr. Walker, upon graduation from University High School in Los Angeles, enlisted in the U.S. Maritime Service. During this time, he made several trips abroad on freighters and passenger ships to Europe, Shanghai, Bombay, Karachi, Sri Lanka, Alexandria, Port Said, Egypt, Aden and Arabia.

Graduating from U.S.C. in 1951, he pursued theological studies at Berkeley Divinity School, Berkeley, California and graduated in 1954. He continued his graduate studies at Boston University and Harvard Divinity School, receiving his doctorate in theology in 1957.

Walker was ordained to the Christian ministry by the Presbytery of Los Angeles in 1957. From 1957 to 1962 he served as assistant pastor of the Granada Hills Presbyterian Church and assistant pastor of the Brentwood Presbyterian Church. He was called to the First Presbyterian Church of Oceanside in 1962 where he remained as Senior Pastor for 32 years, retiring in 1993.

During his pastorate in Oceanside, Dr. Walker served on a number of community committees, among them Oceanside’s first Human Relations Committee and the planning committee for Carlsbad’s downtown library. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Ecumenical Service Center, initiated Protestant/Roman Catholic dialogues with the faculty of the former seminary at the Mission San Luis Rey, and launched the “Festival of Life”, a biannual series of seminars for the community on a wide variety of issues under the leadership of credentialed resource persons. Additionally, he introduced the annual “Year in Music” series featuring quality music events, was instrumental in pioneering the church's highly regarded Preschool, and helped develop the well-received monthly morning Forum lectures, providing a platform for speakers on issues relating to the Christian faith. Walker taught Philosophy of Religion and World Religions at Mira Costa College and taught extension courses for San Francisco Theological Seminary.

His sermon on John Kennedy's assassination, "Whither America?" in 1964 earned him a Freedom Foundation Award from Valley Forge.

An active member of the Presbytery of San Diego, Walker was elected Moderator of the Presbytery in 1979, when San Diego hosted the annual meeting of the General Assembly of the national denomination. Walker was highly respected by his large congregation for his timely and thoughtful sermons, wide reading, ready wit and care of a diverse membership. The present church campus at the corner of El Camino Real and Fire Mountain Road came about under his leadership.

Of particular satisfaction to Dr. Walker were the number of active and retired clergypersons involved in the life of the congregation which, at one time, numbered as many as eighteen ministers. For these colleagues, Walker originated a monthly gathering dubbed “The Minyan” (Hebrew for “quorum”) for the purpose of book reviews and presentation of papers on topics of interest and camaraderie.

An avid tennis player and reader of biography and history, Walker will be remembered for his love of travel, including leading tours of Israel, Europe, the British Isles, the Greek Islands, the Passion Play at Oberammergau in Bavaria on two occasions, and St. Petersburg. His congregation provided him with the opportunity for study at Oxford University in 1974 and 1985. Additional travel included China, Mongolia, two weeks by train across Siberia to Moscow, a safari in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, including Victoria Falls, and the Amazon River and Peruvian Rain Forest. Upon retirement from the Oceanside church in 1993 he was appointed pastor emeritus. Walker will also be remembered for his love of gardening, his weekly competitive tennis matches, and his daily nature walks, accompanied by his ever faithful dog by his side, “Winnie”.

He is survived by his lovely wife Barbara of Carlsbad, California, daughter Daphne and son David of Hinesburg, Vermont, sister Virginia Otis of Champions Gate, Florida, and his wife’s family: daughters Kym Maust of Carlsbad, Anastasia Kurilich of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Jill Billhofer and spouse Michael of Clovis, California, grandsons Cole Billhofer of Culver City, California and Garret Billhofer of San Luis Obispo, California. He was preceded in death by sister Desiree Cooper of Granada Hills, California.

A memorial service will be held at Christ Presbyterian Church, 7807 Centella Street, Carlsbad, to be determined at a later date.

Reverend Dr. Love Henry Whelchel, Jr. (STH’62)

By sthalum November 7th, 2021 in Alumni/ae Deaths

This obituary was originally published on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and can be found here.

Graveside services for Dr. Love Henry Whelchel, Jr. are 12:00 PM Saturday, October 23, 2021 at Trinity CME Church, 22571 GA HWY 16, Sparta, GA.

The first sunrise for Dr. Love Henry Whelchel, Jr. occurred on the June 5, 1937 in Warren County, GA. He was born to the late Rev. Love Henry Whelchel, Sr. and Lennie Catherine Whelchel. He was raised in Macon, GA and he was educated at the Holsey-Cobb Institute in Cordele, GA. Dr. Whelchel proved to be an excellent student and he earned a B.A. degree from Paine College, a S.T.B. degree from Boston University, a M.A. from New York University, and a Ph.D. from Duke University. He received the honorary Doctor of Divinity from Phillips School of Theology at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia and he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Boston University School of Theology in 2014.

For 28 years he was an itinerant pastor effectively meeting the needs of many parishioners and the community. He served as pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Haverhill, MA, Pleasant Street Baptist Church in Westerly, RI, Metropolitan C.M.E. Church in Birmingham, AL, Russell Memorial C.M.E. Church in Durham, NC, Phillips Temple C.M.E. Church in Dayton, OH and Phillips Temple C.M.E. Church in Los Angeles, CA.

Throughout his career, Dr. Whelchel championed the cause of uplifting the downtrodden, and worked to overturn the degrading practices of racial segregation. During the 1960s in Birmingham, Alabama, he was an Assistant Professor at Miles College; he served as one of the Vice-Presidents of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (an affiliate of Dr. Martin Luther King's SCLC). As a community activist he was involved in the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, and the 1965 Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March, and in the spring of 1968, he initiated an economic boycott against job discrimination in Ensley, Alabama. Dr. Whelchel is one the founders and the first president of the Ensley-Pratt City NAACP.

Dr. Whelchel had a second successful career in academia. He served for seventeen years (1988 – 2005) as the Chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Clark Atlanta University (CAU). After leaving CAU, he became Professor of Church History at the Interdenominational Theological Center from which he retired as Professor Emeritus in 2016. As a professor, he championed correcting the historical record and revealing the reality of the African origins of human civilization and the African origins of Christianity.

Dr. Whelchel also received many honors and awards during his lifetime. They include being honored by the students of the Interdenominational Theological Center as the Faculty of the Year, being named a Foot Soldier of the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement, and he received the Gardner C. Taylor Preaching Archives Award from the Morehouse School of Religion at the Interdenominational Theological Center.

Dr. Whelchel is survived by his loving wife, best friend and life partner of 58 years, Dr. Larma Jean Ford-Whelchel, their four children, April, Kenyatta, Noel and Love III (Quanda) and Dr. Whelchel's pride and joy, grandson, Love Henry Whelchel, IV. The final sunset in this life for Love Henry Whelchel, Jr. occurred on October 18, 2021.

Dr. Whelchel received STH's 2014 distinguished alum award.

Reverend Robert J. McCune (STH’53)

By sthalum November 7th, 2021 in Alumni/ae Deaths

This obituary was originally published on Ness-Sibley Funeral Home, and can be found here.

The Reverend Dr. Robert J. McCune departed peacefully on September 27, 2021 at the Longview senior living community in Ithaca, New York.

The son of the late James and Isabel (James) McCune Jr., Robert was born on July 5, 1929 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended Allegheny College, PA class of 1950, Boston University School of Theology class of 1953, and Drew University, NJ class of 1982 with a Doctorate of Ministry. He met his wife, Alice McCune, at Epworth Woods, a church camp for disadvantaged children where they were both counselors. Married in 1951, Bob and Alice celebrated their 69th anniversary in June of 2020.

Robert served communities in Upstate New York as a United Methodist Minister in many capacities. He served local churches in Cortland, Elmira, and Ithaca, served as a District Superintendent in both Central and Northern New York, and served in the Bishop’s office in Central New York. Bob was known by his colleagues, friends, and parishioners for his strong leadership skills, innovative ideas, and unending support of Christian values within the church and community. He lived out his faith through actions of anti-racism, inclusiveness of all people within the United Methodist Church, pursuit of social justice, and unconditional love. He welcomed the displaced and downtrodden into his home, spent his retirement years with Alice traveling the country doing mission projects with the UMC Nomads, was a strong advocate of collaboration among all faiths for the betterment of humanity and, in all ways, lived his life through service to others.

Bob was a committed and loving husband and father creating a strong family life that enabled his children to witness first hand how to be faithful, compassionate, productive and loving servants to society. As he aged, he was known and admired for his continued pursuit of spiritual and personal growth and an ever expanding world view and openness to new ideas.

Robert is survived by his children and their spouses Nancy and Jeffrey Lovell of Ithaca, James and Beverly McCune of Austin, Texas, David and Sally McCune of Ithaca, and Cindy and William Garver of Fort Wayne, Indiana; and his sister Nancy (Roger) Pierce of Clermont, FL. He has 12 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his loving wife Alice McCune in 2020. A Memorial service will be held at St. Paul's United Methodist Church on Saturday, October 16, 2021 at 10:30 am. His ashes will be interred at Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center in Moravia, New York.

Bob’s children gratefully acknowledge and thank Gohar Avagyan, Debra Keyser, and Tacoma Perkins, who served Bob as exceptional and selfless caregivers throughout his last year at Longview.

The family asks that those who would like to make a contribution in Robert’s memory kindly consider a donation to Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center.

Reverend Sylvanus P. Jackson (STH’93)

By sthalum November 7th, 2021 in Alumni/ae Deaths

This obituary was originally published on Marvil-McFadden & Marvil Funeral Homes.

Rev. Dr. Sylvanus Pyne Jackson, of Darby, passed peacefully surrounded by his family, Saturday, February 22, 2020 at the Vitas Hospice at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital.