Dr. Gilbert Ramsey

Dr. Gilbert L. Ramsey, a long-time Methodist minister, died at St. Francis Hospital in Columbus on Thursday, November 28, 2013. Dr. Ramsey was born on January 19, 1928. His parents were the Rev. Gilbert G. Ramsey and Mamie Ramsey.

He is survived by his wife, Frances; a sister, Mrs. John Thomason of Watkinsville, GA; a daughter, Mrs. Pam Hatch and her husband, Jay Hatch, of Washington, D.C.; a son, Dr. Lee Ramsey and his wife, Mary Leslie Ramsey, of Memphis, TN; and three grandchildren, Ashley Hatch, Shelley Ramsey and Luke Ramsey.

A funeral service for Dr. Ramsey will be at St. Luke United Methodist Church on Monday, December 2, 2013, at 11:00 A.M. Members of the Shaw Sunday School Class, the Fellowship/Jesus is Lord Class and the Miller-Wilson Class (St. Paul) will serve as honorary pall bearers.

The family will greet friends at Striffler-Hamby, Sunday from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M., also at St. Luke, Monday from 10:00 A.M. until service time. Interment will be held 4:00 P.M. Monday afternoon in Riverside Cemetery, Macon, GA.

Dr. Ramsey was licensed to preach in 1948 and joined the South Georgia Conference in 1950. The charges which he served in South Georgia are as follows: Lizella (3 churches), Cairo Circuit (4 churches), Leary Circuit (5 churches), Pooler, Adel, Pittman Park in Statesboro, Tifton First Methodist, Savannah District Superintendent, St. Luke in Columbus, Porterfield in Albany, Columbus District Superintendent, and St. Paul in Columbus. After his retirement, he continued to make Columbus his home. He has the distinction of being the only pastor of both St. Luke and St. Paul.

In addition, Dr. Ramsey served on numerous boards in the South Georgia Conference. He was the Chairman of the Board of Evangelism, the Commission on Worship and Chairman of the Board of Ordained Ministry. He was also a trustee of Andrew College and a member of the Board of Counselors of Emory-At-Oxford, Emory University and Candler School of Theology. He also held an honorary Doctor of Divinity from LaGrange College.

Dr. Ramsey enjoyed writing. In the early years of his ministry, he was a frequent contributor to the Wesleyan Christian Advocate and numerous religious publications. He was the author of four small books – among which was a brief history of St. Luke.

After his retirement, he taught the Shaw Sunday School Class and Fellowship/Jesus is Lord Class for twelve years.