In Memory of Roger “Rog” E. Greeley (September 16, 1923 – October 28, 2021)
Rev. Roger “Rog” E. Greeley died on October 28, 2021, at the age of 98.
Rog was born on September 16, 1923, in Madison, WI to Dr. Hugh P. Greeley and Floretta Elmore. In 1942, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps (USMC). He served the USMC for forty-two months (twenty-four months overseas) until 1946. Upon receiving an honorable discharge, Rog returned to the U.S and settled in Boston. In 1949, he married Katherine (Kay) Purcell, who would become his wife of 70 years.
Rog received his Bachelor (1950) and Masters’ degree (1951) in Education from Boston University, MA. He was contemplating Unitarian ministry but the neo-orthodoxy of schools in the 1950’s caused him to choose teaching. In 1951, he moved to Battle Creek, MI with his wife Kay, and worked as a Social Studies teacher at Battle Creek Central High School (1951-1958).
Rog regularly attended the Kalamazoo church in Michigan until the establishment of the Battle Creek Unitarian Fellowship. There he engaged with adult education and served as president for two years. He spoke in several pulpits and preached frequently and regularly in that vicinity. While Rev. Edwin C. Palmer of the People’s Church of Kalamazoo, MI was still living, Rog filled the pulpit with him. Rev. Palmer was very influential to Rog; after his death, Rog filled the pulpit every Sunday. He decided to leave public teaching and seek Unitarian ministerial fellowship. He felt that this decision would give him a far better opportunity to serve the liberal cause. Meanwhile, the Pulpit Committee of the People’s Church of Kalamazoo asked him to candidate for the position of minister made vacant by the death of Rev. Palmer.
Rog’s wide reading and writing in Unitarian history, his clear thought, his strong character, and his ardent concern for human well being caused the Ministerial Fellowship Committee to grant him an exception of the usual requirements concerning formal ministerial education. His complete forthrightness, care and honesty of his reasoning process, and his clear certainty of what he meant by Unitarian spirit and the meaning and challenges of the ministry were extremely striking. He was granted preliminary fellowship on June 4, 1957 and ordained on September 17, 1957.
From 1957 to 1985, Rev. Greeley served The People’s Church, Kalamazoo, MI. Under his leadership the church began to take a bold view of its opportunities and responsibilities for a progressive future. In 1959, for the first time in 102 years, an operating budget of the church was successfully raised through subscription in a 12-month period. This was a historic and eventful year for the church. Rev. Greeley did a good deal to enlist leaders and to enthuse them with the possibilities for the future church. He made church a family in a true sense, providing opportunity for people to help one another intelligently, compassionately, and with genuine welfare of the individual as the chief concern. His ministry marked a turning toward solidarity, adequate promotion, good lay leadership, and the beginning of denominational interest. There were no Universalist Churches in Western Michigan; despite comparative isolation, he was able to increase denominational awareness and contribution. Rev. Greeley’s sermons were well received by many people. He had a student group in the church that showed a great deal of interest in the meaning of Unitarianism, many of whom were his high school students when he taught at Battle Creek.
After twenty-eight years of service to one congregation, Rev. Greeley retired from his active parish duty in 1985. Upon retirement, the People’s Church of Kalamazoo honored him as their minister emeritus.
In addition to his parish ministry, Rev. Greeley sought, accepted, and exercised various positions of leadership in the denomination and in the community most effectively. He was a member of the Arlington Street Church, Boston, MA and served as a director of youth activities at Star Island (3 years) during All Star week (family week). He was vigorous and idealistic. To keep with the best tradition of the Unitarian and Universalist ministries, he toured the country for several years bringing Ingersoll’s message of freedom of thought, of living a religion based not only on faith but rather one’s own understanding of the world.
Furthermore, Rog provided his services as a lecturer to YWCA and AAUW on problems of internationalism, the election, and the U.N. He served on the local boards of Planned Parenthood, ACLU, and NAACP. In his leisure time, he enjoyed concerts, plays, movies, golf, friends, breakfast out, cruises, sports, and Chicago weekends.
Rog is survived by his three children: Bethany Greeley, Timothy (Janet) Greeley, and Will (Mary) Greeley; his six grandchildren: Elliot (Ali) Kaiman, Emily (Brandon) Haugh, Theodore (Erika) Greeley, Patrick (Amy) Greeley, Nathan (Emily) Greeley, and Matthew (Alyssa) Greeley; as well as his seven great-grandchildren: Malcolm and Otto Kaiman, Lucy and Grady Haugh, Virginia and Finton Greeley, and Adalind Greeley. He was preceded in death by his wife of seventy years, Katherine Purcell.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Marine Corps Veterans Association.