In Memory of Robert L. Eller-Isaacs (November 7, 1951 – July 23, 2022)

Rev. Robert “Rob” L. Eller-Isaacs died on July 23, 2022, at the age of 70.

Robert Lewis Isaacs was born on November 7, 1951, in Chicago, IL to Alexander J. Isaacs and Rosalia P. Issacs. His entire childhood was centered around the First Unitarian Society of Chicago, IL, first as a very active member of the Chicago Children’s Choir and then into Liberal Religious Youth (LRY). The church programs and camps, its church school, and the stillness of its sanctuary kept him moving and growing through his years of early adolescence. The church community helped him form and mold how he perceived the world. The choir instilled in him a lifelong love for choral music and a deep commitment to working toward multicultural harmony. His call to ministry also came in the context of Chicago’s Children Choir. He was inspired by the ministry of the Rev. Christopher Moore, founding director of the choir.

Rob attended grammar school and junior high in newly integrated Chicago schools. He spent three years at the Woodstock Country School in South Woodstock, Vermont where he majored in English literature. During his years at Woodstock and immediately thereafter he was deeply involved in the struggle to end the war in Vietnam. He served as Vermont Co-chair for S.D.S Vietnam in 1968. In Liberal Religious Youth, Rob was the president of two local groups, treasurer of the Central Midwest Federation, and Continental LRY President (1969-1970). His leadership in LRY corresponded to the years of the Black Empowerment Controversy and the Youth Agenda, when LRY began a ten-year period of autonomous youth leadership. During this period, he became clear that his future lay in professional religious leadership. He left Woodstock and received his diploma from Britannica Academy in Chicago. In the fall of 1970, he entered Thomas Starr King School for Religious Leadership and graduated with his Master of Divinity in 1975. In February of 1979, Rob married Janne Eller, and they became the Eller-Isaacs.

Rev. Eller-Isaacs was ordained by the Unitarian Society of Whittier, CA, on January 16, 1977, where he was installed as their fourth minister. During his tenure from 1976 to 1982, the Whittier church grew steadily with primary growth in terms of young families with children. He helped develop an active, effective lifespan religious education program. The average Sunday attendance grew from twelve to eighty and for the first time in ten years, the church had a nursery. Likewise, the number of pledging units went up from seven to ninety-seven and there was a growing institutional enthusiasm.

In 1982, Rev. Eller-Isaacs was called to the First Unitarian Church of Oakland, CA as the first Urban Extenuation Minister. He served as a sole minister for the Oakland church until 1985, and then as a team with his wife, Rev. Janne Eller-Isaacs (1986-2000). The Revs. Janne and Rob Eller-Isaacs designed and implemented programs in worship, pastoral care, teaching, and justice work which were replicated in many other churches. They helped restore a historic building, and more importantly, re-established a vital, effective congregation. They raised more than five million dollars and completed the first phase of a major renovation of the national landmark building. The church grew from twenty to three hundred and ten active pledging members. The budget grew from thirty-five thousand to three hundred sixty-eight thousand dollars. The congregation led its way in developing opportunities for shared ministry and formed a vibrant worship life, a strong nourishing sense of community, and an effective constellation of justice ministries.

After eighteen satisfying years at the Oakland congregation, the Eller-Isaacs moved to Unity Church-Unitarian of St. Paul, MN. There they modeled respectful collaboration and inspired the congregation to commit itself to genuinely shared ministry. Their ministry was unusually creative, and substantively marked by its thoughtful and religious character.

Rev. Eller-Isaacs enriched the church with his creativity and the breadth of his knowledge. He saw the church as a source of nourishment and inspiration for its people who then live out their values in their daily lives. He retired in 2021 and, the Unity Church-Unitarian honored the Eller-Isaacs as their minister emeritus.

Rev. Eller-Isaacs was very active within the denomination serving as a member of the Panel on Theological Education and the Ministerial Fellowship Committee. From 1979 to 1981, he served as the Pacific Southwest District Trustee. He chaired the UUA Committee on Urban Concerns and Ministry from 1987 to 1991. He was a campaign manager for the “Buehrens for UUA President” committee (1991-1993) and served as a UUMA Executive Committee Member (1983-1985 and 2007-2010), and the UUA Board of Trustees (2013-2017). After the fall of the iron curtain, Rev. Eller-Isaacs was a co-founder of Project Harvest Hope.

Rob had a deep concern for people and greeted new people with enthusiastic warmth. He could relate to both old and young. His community activism focused on three primary areas: racial justice, housing and homelessness, and local community enhancement. He was involved in countless organizations and campaigns during his long years of ministry, with special attention to many initiatives in Oakland and St. Paul.

Rob is survived by his spouse, the Rev. Janne Eller-Isaacs; children and their spouses: Jonah Eller-Isaacs; Jessie Eller-Isaacs, spouse Andy Anderson-Furgeson; Hannah and Tim Franco-Isaacs; and grandchildren: Lewis Eller-Furgeson, Mira Eller-Furgeson, and Levi Franco-Isaacs. He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law: Jane and Alan Fantel. He also leaves behind a large chosen family within the Unitarian Universalist faith community.  

Memorial services have been held in Portland and in St. Paul. These can be found online.

Memorial gifts can be made to the Unity-Church Unitarian, 733 Portland Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55104; the UUMA, 24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210-1409; the Chicago’s Children’s Choir, 78 East Washington Street, 5th Floor Chicago, IL 60602; and The First Unitarian Church of Oakland, 685 14th Street Oakland, CA 94612.

Notes of condolences can be sent to Janne Eller-Isaacs, 4770 NE Going Street, Portland, Oregon, 97218.