VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 10/18/07) - American Baptist Churches, USA regretfully announces the death of Rev. Dr. William F. Keucher. He died in Springfield, IL on October 15 at the age of 89. He was a lifelong advocate for underserved, economically challenged, international and minority populations, for the principles of social justice and religious freedom, and for the separation of church and state.
A graduate of Eastern Baptist College (now Eastern University) and Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now Palmer Theological Seminary), Keucher pastored churches in Philadelphia, PA, El Dorado, KS and Detroit, MI. He also served as the Executive Minister of the Kansas Baptist Convention (now joined with churches in Oklahoma and Arkansas as the American Baptist Churches of the Central Region) for seventeen years and went on to become the president of the Central Baptist Seminary.
Keucher was a prolific author and poet and published three books with Judson Press, the publishing arm of the denomination. He also served on the boards of International Ministries and the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board as well as on the General Board for ABCUSA where was president for the 1980-1981 Biennium.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Edith W. Keucher; his two daughters, Margaret Valerie Savage and her husband, Donald Savage, and Louise Sherilyn Cormier and her husband, Jay Fast; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dr. Keucher's memory may be made to Central Baptist Seminary, 6601 Monticello Road, Shawnee, KS 66103; or the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., Seventh floor, New York City, NY 10001 or online at www.alzfdn.org.
Andrew C. Jayne American Baptist Churches, USA Mission Resource Development http://www.abc-usa.org/