O. John Eldred

Rev. O. John Eldred, 78, of Exeter Township, passed away on November 8th at ManorCare of Laureldale.

Born in Oneonta, NY, he was the son of the late Mortimer J. and Gertrude (Brown) Eldred.

He was the husband of Rev. Barbara Gela Eldred, Pastor of First Baptist Church of Reading.

He graduated with a B.S. from Alfred University. John received a Master of Divinity from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary of Philadelphia, and a Master of Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary.

He was a Pastor for the various churches: Hickory Street Baptist Church of Scranton from 1954- 1957, First Baptist Church of Levittown from 1957-1967, First Baptist Church of Paterson, NJ from 1967 – 1973.

John was an Area Minister for the American Baptist Churches of Ohio from 1973 – 1983. He also worked as a World Mission Support Field Counselor for the American Baptist Churches, USA, out of Charlotte, N.C., serving the Region of the South from 1983- 1986.

He was the Interim Pastor of three churches for the American Baptist Churches of the Central Region, Kansas City, Kansas, from 1987- 1991.

John was a Visiting Professor of Pastoral Theology and Biblical Stewardship at Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Kansas from 1992 – 2001. He also authored a book, Women Pastors: If God Calls, Why Not the Church?

While serving in Levittown, he was the local church Prayer Chairman for a Billy Graham Crusade in Philadelphia. John participated in a march in Selma, Alabama, with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960's.

While in New Jersey, he was instrumental in establishing the first Mall Ministry in NJ, in Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, NJ. While in the South, he advocated in the 80's in banks for divestment of funds from South Africa. The American Baptist Churches of the Central Region gave him the Jubilee Award for peacemaking.

John was a World War II veteran.

He is survived by two sons, David J. Eldred of San Francisco, and Douglas J. Eldred of Bend, OR, and two daughters, Deborah J. Eldred, Gainesville, Fl and Dale J. (Eldred) Milam, wife of Todd Milam, of Hillsboro, OR.

John is predeceased by his infant daughter, Donna J. Eldred, and his sister, Charlotte (Eldred) Coil.

Funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church, 210 S. 5th Street, Reading, Pa 19602 on Monday at 10:00 a.m. Friends may call on Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading. Contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church, at the above address. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading, is in charge of the arrangements. www.kuhnfuneralhome.com