Christie, Reverend Harry Benjamin

Reverend Harry Benjamin Christie, 82, formerly of Roanoke, passed away Monday, January 21, 2008.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Ruth S. Christie. Born in Radford, he was the son of the late Harry and Kathleen Christie. A naval veteran of World War II and Korea, he graduated from Roanoke College and was a leader in the establishment of Colonial Presbyterian, Roanoke, where he was later named Pastor Emeritus.

Upon graduation from Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, he began his ministry in Franklin County, in a three church field centered at the Piedmont Presbyterian Church in Callaway. He served as pastor at the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Zuni, where he helped to locate the Zuni Presbyterian Home, part of the Presbyterian Homes and Family Services system, and at the Floyd Presbyterian Church in Floyd.

He also served as moderator of Greenbrier Presbytery, Charleston, W. Va. and on the board of directors of the General Assembly Recreation Workshop of Montreat Conference Center, Montreat, N.C. Reverend Christie served for 27 years as Pastor at the Princeton Presbyterian Church, Princeton, W.Va., where he was named Pastor Emeritus. In Princeton, he led a church building program and helped establish the Tender Mercies outreach ministries.

Upon retirement he served several temporary pastorships in the Roanoke area, including Colonial Presbyterian, Green Ridge Presbyterian, Roanoke and Vilamont Presbyterian, Bedford County. He was selected as National Pastor of the Year in 1992, the initial year of the award, by the Academy of Parish Clergy as based on excellence in Parish ministry.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Presbyterian Homes and Family Services. During his ministry he led youth mission trips to Mexico and Oklahoma and helped to coordinate various Presbyterian youth camp recreation programs at the Massanetta Conference Center, Harrisonburg. He was a past president of the Princeton West Virginia Kiwanis Club and was active with the Princeton Chamber of Commerce and SCORE.

In addition to his wife, Ruth; he is survived by children, Harry Christie and wife, Vivian, of Franklin, Gary Frederick Christie and wife, Frances, of Lynchburg, Joya Schmidt and husband, Bill, of Douglasville, Ga., and Dan Christie and wife, Sarah Beth, of Mebane, N.C. He was especially proud of his grandchildren, David Foley, Jr., of Md., Charles Foley, of S.C., Jonathan Foley, of S.C., Daniel Christie, of Kan., Ericka Christie, of N.C. and Catherine Martinette, of Va. and greatgrandchildren Seth , Steven and Brittany.

A memorial service will be held at Colonial Presbyterian Church, 3550 Poplar Drive, Roanoke, on January 26, 2008 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Tender Mercies Ministries, P.O. Box 669, Princeton, West Virginia 24740.