Rev. Rufus Sydney Abernethy, Jr., 77, of Annapolis, died Dec. 8, 2008 at Baltimore-Washington Medical Center of complications from diabetes after an extended illness of eight years.
Rev. Abernethy was born June 2, 1931 in Charlotte, N.C. to the late Rev. and Mrs. Rufus S. Abernethy, Sr. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Morgan State College and received a Master's Equivalency at Catholic University.
Rufus and his wife, Agnes Dena Thomas, were married on December 26, 1953.
Rev. Abernethy was ordained as an Elder in the United Methodist Church in 1952. His first appointment at Union Street United Methodist Church in Westminster and was followed by service as pastor of churches on the Mount Zion Charge in Lothian.
He served as pastor at John Wesley and Mount Zion United Methodist Churches, serving at Mount Zion for 30 years. His final appointment was at Fairhaven United Methodist Church in Gaithersburg.
Rev. Abernethy was a music teacher in Anne Arundel County Public Schools from 1958 through 1986. He held leadership positions at the county and state levels as the President of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County (TAAAC).
He also served as the Vice President and President of the Maryland State Teachers Association (MSTA). He was one of only three African American presidents of MSTA.
He was active in numerous community organizations, including the Oyster Harbor Community Association (President), EBO Arts, Inc (Founder), Community Action Agency, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (Eta Eta Lambda Chapter), and the First Friday Nighters, a ministers and mates social and support group. He retired from teaching in 1986 and from the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1999.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Agnes Dena Abernethy; two sons, Thomas Abernethy of Fort Belvoir, Va. and Sydney Abernethy of Renton, Wash.; one daughter Alexis Abernethy of Pasadena, Calif.; nine grandchildren, Katrina, Eric, Hollie, Thomas, Kaycie, Daunte, Alana, Rachael, and Nathaniel; and one great-grandchild, Jerod.
Burial at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Mausoleum.
Rev. Abernethy was born June 2, 1931 in Charlotte, N.C. to the late Rev. and Mrs. Rufus S. Abernethy, Sr. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Morgan State College and received a Master's Equivalency at Catholic University.
Rufus and his wife, Agnes Dena Thomas, were married on December 26, 1953.
Rev. Abernethy was ordained as an Elder in the United Methodist Church in 1952. His first appointment at Union Street United Methodist Church in Westminster and was followed by service as pastor of churches on the Mount Zion Charge in Lothian.
He served as pastor at John Wesley and Mount Zion United Methodist Churches, serving at Mount Zion for 30 years. His final appointment was at Fairhaven United Methodist Church in Gaithersburg.
Rev. Abernethy was a music teacher in Anne Arundel County Public Schools from 1958 through 1986. He held leadership positions at the county and state levels as the President of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County (TAAAC).
He also served as the Vice President and President of the Maryland State Teachers Association (MSTA). He was one of only three African American presidents of MSTA.
He was active in numerous community organizations, including the Oyster Harbor Community Association (President), EBO Arts, Inc (Founder), Community Action Agency, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (Eta Eta Lambda Chapter), and the First Friday Nighters, a ministers and mates social and support group. He retired from teaching in 1986 and from the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1999.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Agnes Dena Abernethy; two sons, Thomas Abernethy of Fort Belvoir, Va. and Sydney Abernethy of Renton, Wash.; one daughter Alexis Abernethy of Pasadena, Calif.; nine grandchildren, Katrina, Eric, Hollie, Thomas, Kaycie, Daunte, Alana, Rachael, and Nathaniel; and one great-grandchild, Jerod.
Burial at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Mausoleum.
Rev. Rufus Sydney Abernethy, Jr., 77, of Annapolis, died Dec. 8, 2008 at Baltimore-Washington Medical Center of complications from diabetes after an extended illness of eight years.
Rev. Abernethy was born June 2, 1931 in Charlotte, N.C. to the late Rev. and Mrs. Rufus S. Abernethy, Sr. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Morgan State College and received a Master's Equivalency at Catholic University.
Rufus and his wife, Agnes Dena Thomas, were married on December 26, 1953.
Rev. Abernethy was ordained as an Elder in the United Methodist Church in 1952. His first appointment at Union Street United Methodist Church in Westminster and was followed by service as pastor of churches on the Mount Zion Charge in Lothian.
He served as pastor at John Wesley and Mount Zion United Methodist Churches, serving at Mount Zion for 30 years. His final appointment was at Fairhaven United Methodist Church in Gaithersburg.
Rev. Abernethy was a music teacher in Anne Arundel County Public Schools from 1958 through 1986. He held leadership positions at the county and state levels as the President of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County (TAAAC).
He also served as the Vice President and President of the Maryland State Teachers Association (MSTA). He was one of only three African American presidents of MSTA.
He was active in numerous community organizations, including the Oyster Harbor Community Association (President), EBO Arts, Inc (Founder), Community Action Agency, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (Eta Eta Lambda Chapter), and the First Friday Nighters, a ministers and mates social and support group. He retired from teaching in 1986 and from the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1999.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Agnes Dena Abernethy; two sons, Thomas Abernethy of Fort Belvoir, Va. and Sydney Abernethy of Renton, Wash.; one daughter Alexis Abernethy of Pasadena, Calif.; nine grandchildren, Katrina, Eric, Hollie, Thomas, Kaycie, Daunte, Alana, Rachael, and Nathaniel; and one great-grandchild, Jerod.
Burial at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Mausoleum.
Rev. Abernethy was born June 2, 1931 in Charlotte, N.C. to the late Rev. and Mrs. Rufus S. Abernethy, Sr. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Morgan State College and received a Master's Equivalency at Catholic University.
Rufus and his wife, Agnes Dena Thomas, were married on December 26, 1953.
Rev. Abernethy was ordained as an Elder in the United Methodist Church in 1952. His first appointment at Union Street United Methodist Church in Westminster and was followed by service as pastor of churches on the Mount Zion Charge in Lothian.
He served as pastor at John Wesley and Mount Zion United Methodist Churches, serving at Mount Zion for 30 years. His final appointment was at Fairhaven United Methodist Church in Gaithersburg.
Rev. Abernethy was a music teacher in Anne Arundel County Public Schools from 1958 through 1986. He held leadership positions at the county and state levels as the President of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County (TAAAC).
He also served as the Vice President and President of the Maryland State Teachers Association (MSTA). He was one of only three African American presidents of MSTA.
He was active in numerous community organizations, including the Oyster Harbor Community Association (President), EBO Arts, Inc (Founder), Community Action Agency, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (Eta Eta Lambda Chapter), and the First Friday Nighters, a ministers and mates social and support group. He retired from teaching in 1986 and from the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1999.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Agnes Dena Abernethy; two sons, Thomas Abernethy of Fort Belvoir, Va. and Sydney Abernethy of Renton, Wash.; one daughter Alexis Abernethy of Pasadena, Calif.; nine grandchildren, Katrina, Eric, Hollie, Thomas, Kaycie, Daunte, Alana, Rachael, and Nathaniel; and one great-grandchild, Jerod.
Burial at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Mausoleum.
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