Passed on Thursday, 29 December 2016
The Reverend Dr. Evans F. Sealand, Jr., Pastor of the First Congregational Church of Canton Center Church for 35 years, died on Thursday, Dec. 29, at the age of 87. The Rev. Sealand, of Simsbury, passed away peacefully at the John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington.
The Canton Center church was his first and only full-time pastorate. He was ordained there into the United Church of Christ in 1959, and served until his retirement in 1994 when he was designated as Pastor Emeritus.
During his ministry, The Rev. Seland was very active in the various settings of the denomination, serving in several capacities with the Farmington Valley Association and as delegate to General Synod. He was active with the Connecticut Conference, serving as a youth leader and on the Board of Directors, Church and Ministry Committee, Committee for Continuing Education, Committee on Aid to Ministers and as Interim Visitor for the UCC Pension Board. He served as the Archivist for Conference for 12 years after his pastoral retirement.
The Rev. Sealand served in the U.S. Army in the Ordnance Corps stationed mainly in Korea during the Korean War. After his discharge from the military, he attended the Oberlin Graduate School of Theology in Ohio and was awarded the Master of Divinity and the Master of Sacred Theology degrees. Later in life, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from the Hartford Seminary Foundation. Evans began his ministry as a student pastor in the North Monroeville Congregational Church and the LeRoy Universalist Church both in Ohio. For the Hartford Seminary he was the Chair of the Alumni Fund Committee, Vice President and Interim President of the Alumni Council and a member of the Board of Directors. For seven years Evans visited and counseled prisoners in the Connecticut Prison system.
Besides his loving wife of 63 years, Evelyn (Jackson) Sealand, he is survived by his daughters, Beverly Sealand of Wethersfield, CT and her boyfriend Wayne Bugay, Pamela Reale and her husband Andrew of South Glastonbury, CT, Deborah Casanova and her husband Frank of Saratoga, CA, and Diane Sealand of Boulder, CO; his grandchildren, Lindsey Reale and her boyfriend Allen Senechal, Emily Reale, Caelyn Casanova and Cory Casanova; his sister, Barbara Edgerton and her husband Roy; his sister-in-law, Barbara Keithline; his nephew, Scott Edgerton, his niece, Susan Edgerton and his nephew, Curtis Keithline and wife Deborah.
There are no calling hours. A memorial service will be celebrated on Saturday, January 14th, at 11 AM at the First Congregational Church, Canton Center, 184 Cherry Brook Road, Canton Center. Private committal service will be in the Canton Center Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Evans requested that you help someone in need and/or make peace with your neighbor. Memorial donations may be made to the First Congregational Church, Canton Center, 184 Cherry Brook Rd, Canton, CT 06019. The Vincent Funeral Home of Canton is caring for the arrangements.
Read the entire obituary at legacy.com.
The Canton Center church was his first and only full-time pastorate. He was ordained there into the United Church of Christ in 1959, and served until his retirement in 1994 when he was designated as Pastor Emeritus.
During his ministry, The Rev. Seland was very active in the various settings of the denomination, serving in several capacities with the Farmington Valley Association and as delegate to General Synod. He was active with the Connecticut Conference, serving as a youth leader and on the Board of Directors, Church and Ministry Committee, Committee for Continuing Education, Committee on Aid to Ministers and as Interim Visitor for the UCC Pension Board. He served as the Archivist for Conference for 12 years after his pastoral retirement.
The Rev. Sealand served in the U.S. Army in the Ordnance Corps stationed mainly in Korea during the Korean War. After his discharge from the military, he attended the Oberlin Graduate School of Theology in Ohio and was awarded the Master of Divinity and the Master of Sacred Theology degrees. Later in life, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from the Hartford Seminary Foundation. Evans began his ministry as a student pastor in the North Monroeville Congregational Church and the LeRoy Universalist Church both in Ohio. For the Hartford Seminary he was the Chair of the Alumni Fund Committee, Vice President and Interim President of the Alumni Council and a member of the Board of Directors. For seven years Evans visited and counseled prisoners in the Connecticut Prison system.
Besides his loving wife of 63 years, Evelyn (Jackson) Sealand, he is survived by his daughters, Beverly Sealand of Wethersfield, CT and her boyfriend Wayne Bugay, Pamela Reale and her husband Andrew of South Glastonbury, CT, Deborah Casanova and her husband Frank of Saratoga, CA, and Diane Sealand of Boulder, CO; his grandchildren, Lindsey Reale and her boyfriend Allen Senechal, Emily Reale, Caelyn Casanova and Cory Casanova; his sister, Barbara Edgerton and her husband Roy; his sister-in-law, Barbara Keithline; his nephew, Scott Edgerton, his niece, Susan Edgerton and his nephew, Curtis Keithline and wife Deborah.
There are no calling hours. A memorial service will be celebrated on Saturday, January 14th, at 11 AM at the First Congregational Church, Canton Center, 184 Cherry Brook Road, Canton Center. Private committal service will be in the Canton Center Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Evans requested that you help someone in need and/or make peace with your neighbor. Memorial donations may be made to the First Congregational Church, Canton Center, 184 Cherry Brook Rd, Canton, CT 06019. The Vincent Funeral Home of Canton is caring for the arrangements.
Read the entire obituary at legacy.com.