Obituaries
It is with great sadness that the family of Wayne Leroy Bouck, BDiv 1965, announces his sudden passing on Monday, February 26, 2018, at the age of 83 years. Wayne was born to Lester D. and Agnes Anna (Golombisky) Bouck at Grand Ledge, MI on August 15, 1934, where he attended public school and graduated from Grand Ledge High School in 1952. Following four years of enlisted service with the U.S. Navy during and following the Korean War, he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in Arts degree at Seattle Pacific University in 1962 and received a Masters of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary in 1965. In 1977, he earned a Masters of Arts degree as a Counseling Psychologist from Chapman College in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling. He was ordained a deacon in 1963 and an elder in 1965 with the Pacific Northwest Conference of the Free Methodist Church, pastoring one of its churches in Renton, WA for three years prior to entering the Navy Chaplaincy in June of 1968. He moved his credentials into the United Methodist Church in 1971, becoming a member of the California Pacific Conference and was accepted by transfer into the California-Nevada Conference in 1996. Following 23 years in the naval chaplaincy, during which he saw service aboard ships and at shore stations throughout the Pacific, he retired in 1991 with the rank of Commander, then pastored churches in CAL-NEV until his second retirement in 1997. He and his wife, Nide, then moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where they supported and worked as volunteers with an interdenominational English speaking community church which ministers primarily to tourists under C hristian Resort Ministries, Inc. Wayne married Bienvenide (Villariasa) Aclaro on June 25, 1977 at Wayside United Methodist Church in Vallejo, CA. Their blended family of six includes Wayne’s two children and Nide’s four children by previous marriages. Lester Wayne Bouck and Laurel Rae Bouck (Magnusson) Bobiak. Arthur Villariasa Aclaro, Melven Villariasa Aclaro, Luselle V. Aclaro (Evans) Skaj and Lleslle V. Aclaro Schroeder. Additionally, he is survived by seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Second only to his wife and family was Wayne’s love for music. An accomplished vocalist and 12-string guitarist, he was known in the Navy as the “Singing Chaplain” – a talent he utilized throughout his ministry.
Benny Lynn Hillard, MDiv 1979, age 66, of Salisbury passed away Saturday, June 16, 2018 at his residence. Lynn was born November 23, 1951 in Rowan County the son of the late Rev. Benny R. Hillard and Margaret Jo Morris Hillard. He was a 1970 graduate of West Rowan High School where he held county records in track for sprinting. Lynn graduated from Columbia International University in Columbia, SC and received his Master’s Degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. He was a Minister in the United Methodist Conference for 6 years. Mr. Hillard retired from the City of Salisbury after 30 years of service where he was the Sanitation Manager. Most recently he worked part-time for Ben Mynatt Nissan as a transport driver. Lynn was a member of Landmark Church where he served on the Board of Deacons. He was formerly a member of the Spencer Moose Lodge. Lynn enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, spending time at the beach and mountains, traveling, model trains and especially spending time with his grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Patricia “Pat” C. Hillard whom he married September 20, 1973 and died May 30, 2014; sister Harriet H. Pinkston on April 3, 2012. Those left to cherish his memory are his daughter Katie Zino and husband Galeal of Salisbury; grandchildren Ben, Bailey, Brooks and Bryce Zino of Salisbury; sisters Cathy H. Faucette (Mike), Lisa H. Houston, Robin H. Robinson (Mike) and Angela H. Thompson (Larry) all of Salisbury.
Robert Charles Illi, MA in Theological Studies 2006, of Rochester/Pulteney, New York passed away Friday, June 15, 2018 at the age of 76. Predeceased by his parents, Adele Anne and Theodore Harold Illi. Survived by wife, Virginia Hall Illi, son, Theodore Raymond (Stacey) Illi, daughter, Katherine Joan (Eric) Meyers, grandchildren, Anna Grace Kurtz, Abby Jane Meyers, Theo Louis Illi, sister, Adele McGeough, brother, Ted (Beverly) Illi, nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends. Robert was a thirty plus year retiree of Eastman Kodak Company. He received his B.S. in 1963 from The University of Buffalo, SUNY, MBA in 1968 from University of Connecticut and a MATS in 2006 from Asbury Theological Seminary. Robert was a man of God and served his communities always doing good for others. He loved studying, reading, sailing, hiking, skiing and spending time at Keuka Lake with his family.
Henry Gurney Jinnette, MDiv 1970, 78, of Goldsboro, passed away on June 16, 2018. He was the son of the late Bonnie Lee Rose Jinnette and James Gurney Jinnette. He was married to Betty Louise Newcomb, a nurse at Wayne Memorial Hospital for many years. Henry suffered the loss of his father at the age of 10, and was determined to serve as an active and engaged parent to James and Bonnie throughout their youth, making many happy memories by teaching them to swim and to participate in church and community activities. He later became an exuberant grandfather to four grandchildren. He served in the United States Air Force from 1960-1964. In his later years he participated in the American Legion Wayne Post 11 and served as chaplain. He served as treasurer of Boy Scout Troop #2 for many years. Early exposure to church and camp meetings led him to commit his life to the ministry, beginning at John Wesley College, Greensboro, NC and later culminating in earning his Bachelor’s Degree at Friends University in Wichita, KS and Master of Divinity at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY. He pastored 7 churches in the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, and served as temporary pastor for several others. He committed much of his personal time to biblical study. He worked at many other jobs throughout his life but the ministry ignited his passion like no other calling. He was a long-time member of St. Paul United Methodist Church, Goldsboro. Henry is survived by his wife Betty Louise Jinnette, son James Jinnette (Meredi th), granddaughter Hannah of Raleigh, daughter Bonnie Jinnette Dauterman (John), grandsons John, James, and Joseph of Roseburg, Oregon, and sister, Mary Anna McCullen (Deets) of Goldsboro.
Preacher James Earl Massey, Honorary Doctor of Divinity 1972, whose pastoral cadence went out over radio waves and across dozens of seminary chapels during his seven decades in ministry, died Sunday at age 88. Massey is remembered as one of the most influential voices in the Church of God movement—a holiness denomination with about a quarter-million adherents in North America—and a gifted communicator who earned the nickname the “prince of preachers.” “The Church of God (and many others) mourn the passing of one of our greatest voices, James Earl Massey,” tweeted Jim Lyon, general director of the Anderson, Indiana-based Church of God Ministries. “He walked through this world with exceptional grace, strength, and wisdom. Jesus was his preoccupation, the church was his friend, the world was his stage.” Massey taught and modeled Christ-centered, Scripture-centered preaching throughout his career, saying that “you can never master the art of preaching. It is always something toward which you are working, so that sermonizing is always a work in progress.”
After having served as senior pastor of the Metropolitan Church of God in Detroit, a speaker on the Christian Brotherhood Hour radio show, and pastor, professor, and dean at Anderson University, the late preacher became a distinguished elder-at-large for his denomination and dean emeritus at Anderson. John S. Pistole, president of Anderson University, called Massey a “legend in the Church of God movement” who “impacted countless lives for Christ and the Kingdom.” The Detroit native wrote 18 books on preaching and spiritual disciplines, and he lectured at over 100 colleges and seminaries, including Beeson Divinity School. “Massey is the heir of a rich heritage of faith. … He was spiritually formed by Wesleyan theology, the Holiness movement, and the African American tradition,” Beeson dean Timothy George wrote. “The rich spiritual resources of these cultural and church traditions have informed, and are still reflected in, Massey’s approach to ministry and preaching. But there is a sense in which he transcends them all. The quest for authentic Christian unity is a major motif that runs deep through all of Massey’s ministry; his work has been at once both evangelical and ecumenical.” In his preaching, he regularly quoted civil rights leaders like his colleague Martin Luther King Jr. and mentor Howard Thurman and cited them as inspiring his willingness to partner across denominational lines. He emphasized the Christ-centeredness of the African American preaching tradition as showcasing God as redeemer. As a senior editor at Christianity Today, Massey wrote about the changing racial landscape of the US back in 1995:
Today a new historical moment is upon our churches to stand against attitudes that polarize and demonize. The church is armed with valid ethical claims and the means to deal positively with a diverse population that challenges those still tainted by the heresy that race and skin color is a measure of human worth. The quest for a reasoned Christian approach to our nation’s needs might be long and costly, but it will lead to our salvation as a people.
Two years ago, he celebrated the 70th anniversary of the first sermon he preached, when he suddenly heard God call him to the pulpit at age 16. “Since that time of encounter during worship, I have known the work to which my head, heart, and hands were to be devoted,” he wrote in his biography, Aspects of My Pilgrimage. Massey held a bachelor’s degree from William Tyndale College, master’s from Oberlin Graduate School of Theology, and doctorate from Asbury Theological Seminary. He was also a classical pianist and military veteran, having served as a chaplain’s assistant. About a decade ago, the denominational leader and homiletics scholar was asked what he would preach about in his final sermon. Massey chose 1 Timothy 1:12–17, which begins, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.” “That is the text I would use because Christ is first and foremost and last in my life,” he said. “I wouldn’t have been in the ministry if it hadn’t been for him.”
One of the highlights of my ministry was sharing with Dr. Massey in a preaching conference we lead together in Jackson, Mississippi. He not only proclaimed the message of a holy life, he was a living example. The interaction we shared while doing the conference challenged my life and ministry in ways I will always cherish.
Thanks Charles. Good to hear from you. I, too, was greatly inspired during Massey’s preaching at conferences at Asbury Theological Seminary in the late 60’s.
Dr. Massey was also an inspiration to me during the late 60’s. I cherish those days I had at ATS.
I heard him preach when I was an international student at Asbury. I was simply inspired.