Tributes

Rev. Kenneth Fansler, 83, of The Lakes at Litchfield, died at his home on January 26, 2010. Mr. Fansler was predeceased by his beloved wife of 64 years, Evelyn Alexander Fansler. Survivors include sons Robert Craig Fansler and his wife, Kathie, of Winston-Salem ,NC; James Keith Fansler and his wife, Donna, of Marshall Virginia, and daughter Susan Carol Russell and her husband, Russ also of Winston-Salem; also his brother, James Michael Fanlser of Greensboro, NC, twelve grandchildren, and three step-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his sister Helen F. McCracken, and is survived by her husband George McCracken of Barhamsville, Virginia; also friend and colleague Mary Lu Norris of Murrells Inlet, SC. Mr. Fansler was born in Winston-Salem NC, on February 26, 1926. He graduated from Hanes High School in 1943; serving in the US Navy during World War II at Air Combat Intelligence in Jacksonville, FL. He was educated at Salem College, Winston-Salem, NC; Wesley Seminary, Washington DC; and Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC. He completed graduate study at Drew University, Madison, NJ; Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Crozier Seminary, Chester, PA; Princeton University, NJ; and Perkins School of Theology, Dallas, Texas. Ken was ordained in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist Church. He served Central Church in Concord, NC; Christ Church in Greensboro, NC; Covenant Church in Springfield, PA; First Church in Corning, NY; Aldersgate Church in Wilmington DE; Belle Meade Church in Nashville, TN; and Belin Church, Murrells Inlet SC. He held annual conference committee membership in five of the six conferences to which he was appointed. His ministry began as a choir director in 1948. His love of music began when his father gave him a trumpet and six lessons so that he could play in the Moravian Band in Winston-Salem. Ken cherished the memories of playing in the early morning hours on Easter Sundays, finally joining others bands at "God's Acre" at Home Moravian Church in Old Salem. For ten years Ken enjoyed serving as Director of Youth Choirs at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. As educator and clinician, he taught courses in the Western NC Training Schools from 1954-1964 and was known for his outstanding youth work in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Delaware, specializing in camp retreats in Maryland and Delaware. He designed and taught curriculum for Christian Education, worship and music workshops in New Jersey, North Carolina and South Carolina, Alabama, Delaware, Tennessee, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Georgia and Florida. Ken created and conducted hand bell choirs, and he directed graded choir programs at various churches he served. His choirs in Pennsylvania and Delaware produced three professional recordings under his leadership. Mr. Fansler served on the Board of Directors of the Christian Educators Fellowship, a national organization of The United Methodist Church. He attended national conferences from 1968-1994, serving on conference design teams in Boston and Savannah; also was a conference leader for six years at Jurisdictional Adult Conferences at Buck Hill Falls, PA. In Forth Worth, Texas he was on the management team for the 1990 Bishops Gathering. Ken was Music Director at the 1989 National Sunday School Conference in Houston, Texas. With his wife Evelyn, Ken led many tours groups traveling to Hawaii, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, The Holy Land, England, Scotland, Bermuda, Austria and Lichtenstein. They led chartered tours to Savannah, GA, and three trips to New Orleans, LA. Mr. Fansler taught Elderhostels from 1989-2009 at sites in Nashville, TN and St. Simons Island, Georgia. Courses he designed were "Horns and Halos in Humor", "Sources of Influence" and "Hymns for All Seasons". Since 1996 he and colleague Mary Lu Norris led various courses of study in sacred and secular music; also workshops "Liturgy in Worship: and "Creative Worship". Together, they taught at Chautauqua at Lakeside,Ohio and at Epworth By The Sea at St. Simons Island. A noted author, Fansler published three books: "The Orange Surprise: in 1976. "Rainbows and Angels" in 1982, and "Angels For All Seasons" in 1993 and 1996. His articles on Christian education, music and worship have been published in many periodicals; among them "The Church School", "Alive Now", "The Christian Home", "Music Ministry", and "Lutheran Music". Locally Mr. Fansler served as Associate Conductor of The Coastal Chorale and Encore Coastal Chorale. As an ordained United Methodist minister, Fansler served The United Methodist Church at the national, jurisdictional, conference, district and local levels. A memorial service will be held at 2:30 PM Sunday, February 7, at St. Pauls Waccamaw United Methodist Church, Pawleys Island. The Celebration of Life for Rev. Fansler will begin with the playing of Moravian Chorales by a Moravian Band in St. Pauls Church garden, followed by selected music by The Coastal Chorale. Inurnment will be in Forsyth Memorial Park Cemetery, Winston-Salem. Memorials may be made to The Coastal Chorale, c/o Ron Hileman, 9562 Indigo Creek Boulevard, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576. Sign an online guestbook at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com. Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.