Rev. Dr. Philip Bembower

BEMBOWER, THE REV. DR. PHILIP - honorably retired from East Tennessee Presbytery, passed away Tuesday, September 20 in Knoxville, Tennessee. He suffered a stroke on July 17 and never fully recovered from it. "Phil," as he was known far and wide, was a 1945 graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and, in 1963, a Doctorate of Divinity from Muskingum College, New Concord, OH. Through a career that lasted over 60 years, he served pastorates in Philadelphia, PA; Middle Point, OH; Ashland, KY; Pikeville, KY and Bowling Green, KY. He served as Director of the Upper Big Sandy Larger Parish in Eastern Kentucky, an undertaking of the Presbyterian Board of National Missions, in the early 1950's. During that time he founded four congregations and 19 Sunday Schools. He served on the faculty of Pikeville College, Pikeville, KY where he was Academic Dean and Dean of the Faculty. In 1974 he became Executive Presbyter of Muskingum Valley Presbytery, a position from which he retired to become pastor of the West Tokyo Union Church in Japan. In retirement, he served as Interim Pastor to a number of congregations across the state of Kentucky and in East Tennessee. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 55 years, Catherine "Bonny" Bembower; his parents, William and Hester Cooke Bembower, a brother, Weldon Bembower of Los Angeles; and a sister, Hester Bembower Pfeil of Santa Barbara, CA. He is survived by his only living sibling, a brother, Dean Bembower, in Atlanta, New York; a daughter, Hope Bembower Sibson and husband Steve Sibson of Joliet, IL; son, Paul Bembower and wife Margaret Bader Bembower of Farmington, MO; and daughter, Margaret Bembower Manrod of Knoxville. Philip basked in, and returned with equal enthusiasm, the love and friendship of all six grandchildren and their very special spouses and was delighted by his six great grandchildren. These beloved ones are granddaughter Abigail Bembower Lewis and husband Craig Lewis of Poplar Bluff, MO, grandson Daniel Bembower and wife Anna McRoy Bembower and child, Eli of St. Louis, MO; granddaughter Isabel Sibson of Christ Church, New Zealand, granddaughter Sally Sibson of New York City; grandson Matthew Manrod and wife Jennifer Walton Manrod and children Bobby, Frankie and Katie of Knoxville; grandson William Ehren Manrod and wife Colleen Pennoyer Manrod and children Will and Sophie also of Knoxville, TN. The Celebration of Life Memorial Service will take place Sunday, October 9 at 2:00 p.m. at New Providence Presbyterian Church in Maryville, TN. The Rev. Dr. Emily Anderson will be officiating. In lieu of flowers the family gratefully requests donations be made to: New Providence Presbyterian Church Missions Fund, 703 West Broadway, Maryville, TN 37801