wfn.org | Disciples remember a full life devoted to addressing human need

["Disciples Off. of Communication"<wshuffit@oc.disciples.org>]

Date: September 17, 1999
Disciples News Service and National Council of Churches Office of 
Communication
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Clifford L. Willis
E-mail: CWillis@oc.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org

99a-59

	INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) – The former administrative director of the Week of 
Compassion ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and a 
highly regarded expert on Indonesia and Southern Asia died here Sept. 15 
after a four-month struggle with cancer. The Rev. Larry D. Tankersley, 64, 
directed the Disciples disaster relief and human development ministry from 
1986 to 1991. 

	"Larry's death is a great loss to the whole church in that he has served 
in the parish, in the regional and general manifestations of the Christian 
Church (Disciples of Christ), and in the church ecumenical," said 
Disciples General Minister and President Richard L. Hamm.

	Ordained in 1957, Tankersley was pastor of five Disciples congregations 
and a hospital chaplain between 1962 and 1985. 

	In 1994, Tankersley was called to be director of the Southern Asia Office 
of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC).  In that 
position he related to ecumenical organizations and administered Church 
World Service (CWS) programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, 
Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal and Indonesia. 

	"I think of him as I watch the stories about East Timor and Indonesia and 
how committed he was to the people," said NCC General Secretary Joan B. 
Campbell.  Tankersley had long pressed the case of the East Timorese 
people and was responsible for taking many delegations of church leaders 
to East Timor to educate them about the situation, most recently in 1998.  

	"Under the Rev. Tankersley, the NCC/CWS Southern Asia program grew into 
the largest theater of operation of Church World Service and Witness," 
said the Rev. Rodney Page, CWSW executive director and NCC deputy general 
secretary. "Under his leadership, thousands in Southern Asia were fed, the 
homeless housed, the refugee welcomed, the sick cared for and all whose 
way is hard assisted."  

	"He's a Disciple," said Campbell, also an ordained Disciples minister. 
"He grew up understanding unity and carried that out in the international 
realm. He was a good, strong colleague, and we'll miss him." 

	Ministry took Tankersley and his wife, Betty to Djakarta, Indonesia from 
1967 to 1972. They served as fraternal workers for the Division of 
Overseas Ministries with the Indonesian Council of Churches. They returned 
to Indonesia in 1992, when Tankersley served as a development consultant 
to the Communion of Churches of Indonesia and as a country representative 
for CWS. Betty served as communications consultant to the General 
Secretary of the Communion of Churches of  Indonesia. 

	Tankersley also served in a variety of roles in the life of the 
Southwest, Pacific Southwest and Florida regions of the Christian Church 
(Disciples of Christ).  He was an active local ecumenist as well, serving 
as president of the Interfaith Ministerial Association, Fullerton, Calif., 
in 1983.

 	Tankersley left the National Council in August, taking disability leave 
in anticipation of retirement in 2000. The Tankersleys returned to 
Indianapolis where Betty Tankersley works as program associate for the 
Southern Asia Office of the Common Global Ministries of the Christian 
Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. 

	Born July 21,1935, in Auburn, Neb., the Rev. Tankersley graduated high 
school in Leavenworth, Kan., then graduated from Phillips University, 
Enid, Okla., with a B.A. in philosophy and Bible in 1957. He earned his 
Bachelor of Divinity degree from Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian 
University, Fort Worth, Texas, in 1962. 

	He completed additional studies at San Anselmo Presbyterian Theological 
Seminary, San Anselmo, Calif.; in Southeast Asia studies at Cornell 
University, and of the Indonesian language at Sataya Wacana University in 
Salatiga, Indonesia. 

	He was ordained a minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 
at the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Leavenworth, Kansas, in 
1957. As a student he served four Disciples congregations in Kansas, 
Missouri and Texas. 

	After graduating from Brite he served pastorates in Community Christian 
Church, Richardson, Texas; First Christian Church, Corpus Christi, Texas; 
Kingwood Christian Church in Houston, Texas; and First Christian Church, 
Fullerton, Calif. In 1972, he served Miami Dade Christian Church, Miami, 
Fla.  

	Tankersley is survived by Betty Turpin Tankersley, his wife of 45 years; 
three children, Larry Stephen of Oklahoma City, Okla.; Mark Charles of 
Penngrove, Calif.; and  Angela Marie Smith, Indianapolis, Ind.; and four 
grandchildren.  

	 "Our deepest sympathy is extended to Betty who continues her work on 
behalf of the Common Global Ministries board. Larry was committed to a 
Christian vision of the world where peace and justice reign. Thanks be to 
God," said GMP Hamm. 

	The couple were charter members of Geist Christian Church, Indianapolis, 
Ind.  A memorial service will be held at Geist Christian, 8550 Mud Creek 
Rd. at 4:00 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 23.  One hour of visitation at the 
church will precede the service.  

	Memorial gifts may be made to the Week of Compassion, P.O. Box 1986, 
Indianapolis, IN, 46206. 

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