Obituaries - Methodist Conference

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Obituaries - Presbyters who have died 2012/2013John Myer: Born in Camberwell London on 3 January 1919. He won a scholarship toBattersea Grammar School in 1930 and it was during his education there that his deeprooted pacifism developed. In 1936 he was hospitalised for 14 weeks and during thattime was given the Gospel of St Mark in modern English which he read without knowingwhat it was. As a result he became a convinced and enthusiastic Christian. He wasa founder member of the Peace Pledge Union and group leader for the Fellowship ofReconciliation. He entered the Civil Service and became an accredited local preacherin 1939. As a conscientious objector in World War 2 he worked with the Friends ReliefService, the ISVP, the Civil Defence and as a volunteer fire-fighter. He married DorothyAllen in 1941 and that same year started working for the National Children’s Home inHarpenden. Their son John was born in 1942 and at this time Dorothy was taken ill withTB. John became Methodist youth officer for East Anglia in 1948. He was accepted forministerial training in 1949 and spent a pre-college year serving in Torpoint in Cornwallthen Handsworth College Birmingham in 1951. He served in the following circuits:Bournemouth, London (Walthamstow), Redhill, Kenya District, Hull (West), Rugby andDaventry, and Bedford (South) and Ampthill. During his time in Walthamstow Dorothy diedand he later married Peggy Williams. He and Peggy had two children, Tim and Mark. Afterhis retirement to Banbury Oxfordshire John served as prison chaplain in Onley YoungOffenders Institution, at Guys Marsh Prison, Dorset and at Bullingdon Prison. He was acompassionate man, a pastor, passionate preacher and teacher. He continued takingservices on the Methodist circuit and at St Francis Ecumenical church Banbury where hewas associate minister. He took his final service on 9 December 2012. He remained aconvinced pacifist and ecumenist with a passion for justice and fair trade. He loved hisfamily deeply having eight grandchildren ranging from two years old to forty three. Johndied on 27 December 2012 in the ninety-fourth year of his age and the seventieth year ofhis ministry.William John Palmer: Born in Peel in the Isle of Man on 7 November 1915.Throughouthis life he was proud of his Manx heritage. During his teens his minister told him it wastime that he started preaching, so with no formal training he began to take services. Willwent on from his local preaching to candidate for the ministry, trained at Didsbury Collegeand ordained in 1938. In 1942 he married Nora Phillips. He served in the followingcircuits: Dursley & Stonehouse, Halifax (St. Johns), Camborne (Wall), Leeward IslandsWest Indies (St Kitts and St Eustatius), Birmingham Mission, Birmingham (Smethwick),Penzance (Central), Penzance, St Columb & Padstow, Kimberley, Penzance, Nottingham,Penzance, St. Ives (Fore Street), Ramsey. Island life in the Caribbean suited Will's gifts;these were some of his happiest days. He returned to the UK only because of concernfor his children's education. He found the chaplaincy to the Dudley Road mental hospital,Birmingham a great challenge, but thoroughly enjoyed leading the Dudley Road men'sfellowship. One friend from Brookfield Methodist church says, “Will was such a gentleand caring man. When he spoke about his faith he lit up so that it shone out of himand you could see it was very real.“ After his wife Nora died, he returned to Peel and22 Methodist Conference Agenda 2013
Obituaries - Presbyters who have died 2012/2013enjoyed ministering in Kirk Michael. Speaking about the Christian faith was a challengeand thrill for Will, and he continued to preach and speak well into his eighties. He had awide variety of interests during his life: he captained his school swimming team and alsoplayed cricket, hockey and tennis. He was an avid gardener. He followed the fortunes ofWest Bromwich Albion AFC. In retirement he built his own loom and experimented withdifferent wools, silks and colours, weaving cloths and rugs. He listened to classical musicto relax. Will was a very astute judge of character and was very true to his principles: hewas a lifelong member of the Independent Order of Rechabites. He made his final journeyinto the loving care of the God he served throughout his life on 2 May 2013, in the ninetyeighthyear of his age and the seventy-fifth year of his ministry.Walter Roy Pape: Born in Bulwell, Nottingham, on 21 June 1935, into a family with deepMethodist roots. Roy was educated at Long Eaton Grammar School and gained a BAat Queen Mary College London. Within the fellowship of Methsoc he met Jill Mettam,and they married in 1960 on the completion of Roy’s ministerial training at RichmondCollege. A year’s study for a Master’s degree at the Yale Divinity School followed. Aftera probationary appointment they shared a fruitful ministry of 14 years in the Church ofSouth India. Roy served first in the Kolar Gold Field, then on the staff of the prestigiousUnited Theological College in Bangalore. Here he blossomed as a theological teacherwho made a deep impression on his students, many of whom went on to take upsenior positions in the Church. They valued his patience and deep interest in them asindividuals each with their own gifts and needs, as well as the passion and clarity of histeaching. They were equally indebted to Jill for her generous welcome and hospitality. Thehome was enriched further when their son Chris and daughter Liz came into the familyby adoption. Roy engaged deeply with Indian religious thought, both Christian and Hindu,a process which enabled him to make a creative contribution to inter faith thinking ontheir return to Britain in 1976. He served in the following circuits: Newark, Derby (DerbyMission) and Loughborough. Every aspect of his ministry mattered whether in clear andhighly informed preaching, deep pastoral concern or the minutiae of circuit administration,he was a great friend and support to his colleagues. He served on Methodist andecumenical inter faith committees, inspiring important publications like Can we praytogether? and God of all faith. His spare time activities included a close knowledgeof Roman Britain among other topics, and he also had a keen sense of humour. Hecontinued to preach and lead study sessions as a supernumerary, but in June 2010 hesuffered serious brain damage in a fall at home, and spent his final two years first inhospital, then in a specialist care home. He died on 8 August 2012, in the seventy-eighthyear of his age and the fifty-fourth year of his ministry.Nicholas Rimmer: Born at Hesketh Bank, Lancashire, on 10 April 1928 into a Methodistfarming family, Nicholas was the youngest of seven children. After primary education,he went to Hutton Grammar School becoming a prize-winning pupil, where he gained hisHigher School Certificate a year early. Whilst studying for his Higher School CertificateMethodist Conference Agenda 2013 23
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Obituaries - Methodist Conference

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