Richard Drew Fearing Sr. was born Dec. 9, 1927 to Andrew Coatsworth Fearing III and Helen (Reef) Fearing in Poughkeepsie, New York. His older brother Andrew was born 20 years earlier. The family moved to Columbus, Ohio, when Richard was a toddler. In 1945, Richard graduated from Mount Vernon Academy on a stretcher. He seriously injured a leg months earlier in an auto accident.
In 1950, Richard graduated from Washington Missionary College, now Washington Adventist University, in Tacoma Park, Maryland. He earned degrees in theology and history. Richard was one of the first to attend “Minister’s Monday” at the new Andrews University Theological Seminary and, from there, received his master’s degree with a major in systematic theology and a minor in applied theology. During his sophomore year of college, he met his wife, Claoma Suhrie, a senior at Shenandoah Valley Academy, and the two married in September 1951. During the 1960s, Richard spent several summers at New York University working on a doctorate in religious education but did not finish after deciding his ministry was more important.
Richard served the Adventist Church for 40 years as a pastor and administrator. Almost half of those years were spent in the North Pacific Union. He started his ministry in East Pennsylvania Conference where he pastored the Reading, Fleetwood and Williamsport churches. He then moved to Hinsdale, Illinois, where he served as pastor for six years. He was called to serve as the pastor of the Walla Walla College Church in 1963 and enjoyed his interaction with students there until 1969. He served as president of Mountain View Conference for five years before being called to be president of Upper Columbia Conference in 1974. During the 1980 General Conference Session in Dallas, he was asked to be president of NPUC. He served as president until 1986. His last three years of ministry were spent pastoring Frederick Church in Maryland. He retired in 1990 and he and Claoma returned to their Boring, Oregon, home.
Richard remained active in church life after his retirement by visiting elderly members in their homes, teaching Sabbath School class when asked and preaching in local churches. His last preaching engagement was in Ferndale, Washington, when he was in his late 80s. Richard was well known for remembering names. His children have friends and acquaintances tell them how their father always remembered their name, sometimes after meeting them just one time.
Richard Fearing died on Monday, July 18, 2022, at age 94 at his daughter June’s home in Mount Vernon, Washington. Richard was preceded in death by his wife Claoma in 2000 and his second wife Jeanne McMahon in 2006. He married Helen Lickey in 2007. He is survived by his wife, Helen, Portland, Oregon; son, Richard, Gresham, Oregon; daughter, Joy Krause, Loma Linda, California; son, George, Spokane, Washington; daughter, June Saxby, Mount Vernon, Washington; daughter, Jane Fish, Ellensburg, Washington; 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held on Sept. 3, 2022, at North Cascade Church in Burlington, Washington.
