John Roger Deckenback

November 22, 1946 — July 19, 2016

The Rev. Dr. John R. Deckenback died Tuesday, 19 July 2016 at the age of 69. He was spiritual leader and chief executive of the Central Atlantic Conference, United Church of Christ, and a native of Cresskill, NJ., where his grandfather was pastor of his childhood church. When John was a teenager, his family moved to Santa Barbara, California. John graduated from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, and earned Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. John was married to the Rev. Carolyn L. Roberts, pastor emerita of the United Church of Christ of Seneca Valley in Germantown, Maryland. They have two sons, Jeffry (married to Emily) and Aaron (married to Kate), three grandsons, Will, Charlie, and John, and a granddaughter, Lillian.

Before coming to the Central Atlantic Conference, Dr. Deckenback was on the staff of the United Church of Christ's Northern California Nevada Conference for 20 years. Shortly after graduating from seminary, he also served as an Associate Minister of the Orinda Community United Church of Christ in California.

In the 1980's John was one of the co-founders of the Conferences of the United Church of Christ Insurance Board, which provides property and liability insurance to UCC and Christian Church (Disciples) congregations. Twice in the 1990's, he served as the Insurance Board’s Acting Executive Director during transitional periods. He was the current chair of the Board.

Through the Church and his service on the board of International Relief and Development, John traveled extensively – particularly to conflicted areas around the world where there are substantial numbers of refugees. He was also a Trustee Emeritus of Lancaster Theological Seminary.

Hobbies included: gardening, woodworking, jogging, restoring an old house, studying railroad history. He worked on a study project begun during a sabbatical concerning early Christian missionary activity in the inland Pacific Northwest, and its impact on indigenous people in the early 19th century.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, July 25, 2016 at 11 AM at the Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ, 15 W. Church St., Frederick, MD 21701. Rev. Dr. Barbara Kershner Daniel will officiate. The interment of his cremains will be private. Contributions may be made in Dr. Deckenback's name to the Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ at the above address, to the Central Atlantic Conference or the United Church of Christ General Synod '17; both charities can be mailed to 916 S. Rolling Rd. Catonsville, MD 21228 or by visiting http://www.cacucc.org. Arrangements by the Keeney & Basford Funeral Home, Frederick.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Roger Deckenback, please visit our flower store.

Send a Card

John Roger Deckenback

November 22, 1946 — July 19, 2016

Guestbook