Delford Neal Calvert, 1900-1991

Delford Neal Calvert was born April 21, 1900, in the small town of Strasburg, Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley. He was educated in the public schools at Strasburg and later attended Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, and Union Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. In addition he took four years of conference course of study through Emory University, Candler School of Theology and was received into the conference in 1923.

Del's first appointment was riding the circuit and serving six churches in Frankford, West Virginia. Using his horse and buggy, he rode 27 miles one Sunday and preached three times and the next Sunday, he rode 15 miles and preached three times. This was the start of Del Calvert's ministry -- a young man preaching the good news of the Gospel with a song in his heart. His active ministry was to last a total of 50 years (1918-1968) during which time he served 39 churches (19 appointments) with all but four appointments being in the Virginia conference. Following his official retirement in 1968 he served an additional four churches as a supply minister.

After Frankford, he served the following churches over a 50-year span: Fort Valley, Walkerton, Berkeley, West Virginia; Linden, Riverton, Sudbrook, Maryland; Fairfield, Frostburg, Maryland; Shawsville; Occoquan; Capeville; Woodstock; Waynesboro, (Basic); Portsmouth, (Parkview); Richmond, (Calvary); Portsmouth, (Elm Avenue); Norfolk, (Norview); and Falls Church, (Culmore).

Del Calvert attended 70 consecutive Virginia Annual Conferences and was the banquet speaker for 10 of the 18 Virginia districts during his ministry in the United Methodist Church. He had served on the Northern Virginia Board of Missions for more than 20 years.

His first wife, the former Angeline Thompson died in 1972. Survivors include his wife, the former Doris Bangle of Alexandria, three daughters by his first marriage, Colleen Miller of Doylestown, Pennsylvania; Jean Darby of Dyke; and Dorothy Ivey of Norfolk; 11  grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Del's favorite hymns were "Amazing Grace," "How Great Thou Art," and "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory." Del's life and ministry have been a blessing to so many people through the years and his life proclaims more beautifully than words that his eyes had truly seen the glory -- yes, the glory of the coming of the Lord.

-Robert H. Miller