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Obituaries Professional Religious Leaders 2019–2020

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Obituaries Professional Religious Leaders 2019–2020 OBITUARIES Professional Religious Leaders 2019–2020 VIRTUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY JUNE 2020 © Unitarian Universalist Association 2020 Contents ANDREW C. BACKUS ...........................................................................................................................................................................1 GEORGE BRIGGS ...................................................................................................................................................................................2 BARBARA D. BURKE .............................................................................................................................................................................3 CAROLYN W. COLBERT .......................................................................................................................................................................4 DOROTHY M. EMERSON ....................................................................................................................................................................5 HEATHER LYNN HANSON .................................................................................................................................................................6 HUGO J. HOLLERORTH .......................................................................................................................................................................7 DAVID A. JOHNSON .............................................................................................................................................................................9 RICHARD W. KELLEY .........................................................................................................................................................................10 WILLIAM N. KENNEDY .....................................................................................................................................................................11 MARY L. KNIGHT ................................................................................................................................................................................12 DENNIS G. KUBY .................................................................................................................................................................................13 ERINN JEANNE CAITLIN MELBY ...................................................................................................................................................14 PRISCILLA MURDOCK ......................................................................................................................................................................15 OREN ARTHUR PETERSON .............................................................................................................................................................16 STEPHEN E. PHINNEY .......................................................................................................................................................................17 GENE A. REEVES ..................................................................................................................................................................................18 ROBERT L. SCHAIBLY .........................................................................................................................................................................19 EDWARD SEARL ...................................................................................................................................................................................20 GLENDA C. WALKER ..........................................................................................................................................................................21 JUDITH A. WALKER-RIGGS ..............................................................................................................................................................22 CHRISTINE M. WETZEL ....................................................................................................................................................................24 JAMES ALLEN WICKMAN ...............................................................................................................................................................25 © Unitarian Universalist Association 2020 ANDREW C. BACKUS (1944-2020) he Ministries and Faith Development Andy also provided his services to Tstaff offer our condolences to the numerous community organizations. family and colleagues of the Rev. Dr. He served the Community Relations Andrew “Andy” C. Backus who died on Committee of Job Corps, Oneonta, NY January 22, 2020, at the age of 75. (1983-1986) and the Clergy Advisory Board of the Planned Parenthood of Andy was born on June 12, 1944 in Delaware and Otsego Counties (1983- Washington, D.C to Gordon T. Backus 1985). Andy functioned as Board of and Elizabeth W. Backus. He graduated Trustees for several organizations from Johns Hopkins University, MD with including OURS, a local human services a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry in 1966, agency (1983-1988); OFO, a human and PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1972. Andy then took services agency (1989-1994); Project 85, a human services a job at Moorestown Friends School as a Chemistry and agency (1990); and Planned Parenthood of Northeastern Science teacher following which he worked for the Rohm NY (1995-1998). He was co-convener for the Schenectady and Haas Co., PA. Later in 1983, Andy received his Master County Clergy Association and Community Facilitator of of Divinity from the Harvard Divinity School, MA. Study Circles, an anti-racism program (2000). From 1983 to 2000, he was a speaker at numerous community-wide Rev. Backus was ordained on June 5, 1983 by the First Parish public events. Moreover, Andy had created his website: Unitarian Universalist, Tyngsboro, MA where he carried out “Celebrating Family and Community Gatherings: music his first ministry from 1982 to 1983. He was then called to and song-for all traditions, with inclusive language, free of serve the UU Society of Oneonta Inc., NY (1983-1994) and charge” (this website will be up through 2020). the UU Society of Schenectady, NY (1994-2000). Thereafter, Rev. Backus served as an interim minister at the Unitarian In his spare time, Andy enjoyed piano, photography, Church of Vancouver, BC (2000-2002) and the First UU carpentry, boating, tennis, roller skating, and cooking. Church of San Diego, CA (2002-2003). In 2004, he retired from the ministry. Andy is survived by his wife of 53 years, Christine L. Backus; his sister Leslie Claire Backus, and his brother-in-law Greg In addition to his parish ministry, Rev. Backus served Cassidy; his nieces Alisha and Hema Sarang-Sieminski and various denominational boards and committees. He was their children, Thendral, Kavyn and Suriyan. President of the Washington, DC area Liberal Religious Youth (LRY, 1960-1961); of the Middle Atlantic Region In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bellingham of LRY (1961-1962); and of the Harvard UU Ministerial Unitarian Fellowship. Students. He presented a program on collegial worship at the Iroquois Chapter of the UUMA; and a workshop on A memorial service was held at 2 pm on Saturday, February “liturgy” at the General Assembly in 1981, and on “UU 15, 2020, at the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, 1207 Liturgy” at the Eastern NY Cluster Conference in 1986. Ellsworth St, Bellingham, WA 98225. Rev. Backus functioned as Secretary-Treasurer for the Iroquois Chapter (1986-1992), and Secretary-Treasurer Notes of condolences may be sent to Chris Backus at 2746 for the continental UUMA (1992-1994). Furthermore, he Broadway St, Bellingham, WA 98225. was a member of the UUMA Computer Communications Committee, and delegate to numerous district meetings and General Assemblies (1976-2000). – 1 – © Unitarian Universalist Association 2020 GEORGE BRIGGS (1930-2019) he Ministries and Faith Development He functioned as President for the Tstaff offer our condolences to the Southwest UU Minister Association; as family and colleagues of the Rev. George a Program Director for the Southwest Briggs, who died on November 21, 2019, UU Summer Institute (1978); and as at the age of 89. Ministerial Settlement Representative for the Southwest District UUA (1981-1982). George was born on August 21, 1930 in He served on the Southwest UU District Highland Park, IL to George Briggs and Evelyn Rist Briggs. Board; and was Minister of the Week, at the “The Mountain” He graduated from San Jose State College, CA in 1952 with (1984). a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, following which he earned his Master of Theology from the Iliff School of Theology, CO Rev. Briggs provided his services as an Auxiliary Chaplain in 1955. From 1955 to 1961, George served as a minister to for the University of Alabama Hospitals (1982-1990) and as several small Methodist churches in Oregon and Idaho. He President for the Beaumont Ministers Association, TX. He then worked at the Alameda Co., Welfare Dept., Oakland, was volunteer interviewer for the Crisis Control Ministry, CA as a Social Worker (1961-1964), and as a Social Work Winston-Salem, NC (1991-1992, & 1995) and for the Supervisor (1964-1968). From 1964 to 1968, he served the Interfaith Council for Social Service, Chapel Hill, NC (1993- Universalist Church of Oakland, CA, part-time, assisting 1994).
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