The Rev. Homer T. Rickabaugh, 80, died unexpectedly at his home in Statesville, N.C., on Dec. 28. During his illustrious career, he served as a pastor, educator and missionary before concluding his career with the Worldwide Ministries Division of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) developing and nurturing relationships between U.S. Presbyterians and partner churches overseas.
Rickabaugh was born in Wilmington, Del., and raised in Montoursville, Pa. He graduated from PC(USA)-related Maryville (Tenn.) College and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and was ordained by Northumberland Presbytery in 1957.
His first call was to mission service in South Korea, where he taught at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Seoul from 1957-1960 and from 1961-1979. Between those two stints, he did post-graduate study at Union Theological Seminary in Virgina, where he met and married Natalie Rose Abbott. She survives him.
Upon their return to the U.S. in 1979, Rickabaugh served as missionary-in-residence at Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. He subsequently served pastorates in Raeford and Morganton, N.C.
In 1987 Rickabaugh joined the PC(USA) national staff, where he was consultant and coordinator for more than 100 partnerships between U.S. Presbyterian and their partner churches around the world until his retirement in the late 1990s.
In retirement he stayed active in the Association of Presbyterians for Cross-Cultural Mission and in congregations in Louisville and Statesville. In 2003 he was named distinguished alumnus by Louisville Seminary.
Rickabaugh was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers ― Barry Livingston Rickabaugh and Ramon W. Rickabaugh. In addition to Natalie, he is survived by siblings Doris Rickabaugh Cinque, Carey "Rick" Rickabaugh and Janet Rickabaugh White; three children: Beth Rickabaugh Setzer, Dr. John Clyde Rickabaugh and Judy Rickabaugh Candler; and five grandchildren—Mark Ryan Rickabaugh, John Parker Rickabaugh, Sara Margaret Setzer, Rachel Caroline Setzer, and Andrew Davis Setzer.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Homer T. Rickabaugh, whom this writer was honored to call a good friend, will be held Jan. 1 at 11:00 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Statesville, N.C.