Obituary for James Recob

James B. Recob died on November 30, 2019.  He was born in Columbus, Ohio on January 7, 1927, the son of Francis and Eva Recob. He lived in his childhood home with his parents and brother, David, until he graduated from West High School in January, 1945. He was president of his graduating high school class. Because World War II was still raging, he enlisted in the Navy in January, 1945 and served for 18 months.

Following WWII he attended Otterbein College graduating with the class of 1950, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. He was a charter member of Torch and Key, an honorary society at Otterbein.

He studied for the Christian Ministry at Bonebrake Theological Seminary (now United Theological Seminary) where he graduated in 1953 with a Master of Divinity degree. He was ordained an elder in the Ohio Southeast Conference of the Evangelical United Brethren Church in 1953. Following Church Union in 1968, his church affiliation and ministerial credentials were with the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church. In 1971 he received the Doctor of Theology degree from the Boston University School of Theology.

He was pastor for seventeen years, a college chaplain for four years and after twenty six years teaching on the faculty of Otterbein University he retired in 1992, as Emeritus Professor of Religion and New Testament Greek.

He was affiliated with Church of the Master, United Methodist from 1959 until his death. For thirty six of those years he was teacher of the Crusaders Sunday School Class.

In 2003 he and his wife, Betty moved from Westerville to the Otterbein Lebanon Retirement Community where he was editor of Echos, a monthly resident's newsletter.  At Otterbein he sang in the men's chorus, rang bells in the Tintinabulator' Bell Choir, and was a member of Scribblers, a congenial and talented group of writers.

In 2013 Jim and Betty moved to Friendship Village in Columbus where he lived until his death. At FVC he occasionally spoke in Sunday evening Vespers and sometimes played the piano for worship.

He is a past member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, and the Ohio Academy of Religion.

Preceded in death by his son, John, he is survived by his wife of 72 years, Betty, his daughter Jane (Michael) Charles and grandchildren Nicholas (Sarah) and Laura Charles. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Church of the Master, United Methodist, Westerville, Ohio, or to the Department of Religion at Otterbein University.

A memorial service will be held at Church of the Master on Wednesday, December 18 at 11:00 AM.