Reverend Victor Raymond Hand

Reverend Victor Raymond Hand

Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and the Lord's disciple, the Reverend Victor Raymond Hand, passed away June 02, 2020 at Banner Healthcare Thunderbird in Glendale, Arizona.

Victor was born April 12, 1929 in Belvedere, Illinois to parents Raymond K. and Charlotte H. Hand. Victor and parents arrived in Phoenix, Arizona in 1945. He graduated from Phoenix Union High School and attended Arizona State University achieving a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 1951. He and wife, JoAn, moved to Dallas, Texas where he attended and graduated in 1955 with a Master's Degree in Theology from Perkins Seminary School at Southern Methodist University.

Reverend Victor R. Hand completed forty years pastoring in United Methodist Churches with pastoral appointments in Montana, Arizona and Southern California. Reverend Hand served a myriad of churches, congregations and communities throughout his theological service. He was dedicated to providing ministry for a variety of cultural/ethnic congregations including Asian, Korean, Latino and African-American church communities. Cornerstone of Vic's ministry was his commitment and direct involvement in the surrounding communities of the churches served. He was proactively involved in a variety of counseling, social support groups, ecumenical, school boards and adult continuing education. Churches he guided were committed to community outreach administering to the integration of the social fabric and local culture. Rev. Hand retired from active appointment in 1995.

He continued his ministry in retirement creating PAR Ministries (Pacific Asian Region Ministries) to develop interaction with American Christians and Pacific-Asian churches. He also established ADAPT (Arizona Desert Animal Plant Team) providing interactive environmental education programs to elementary schools in the greater Phoenix and Tucson areas. He served as a citizen volunteer to Saguaro National Park. Victor enjoyed coin and stamp collecting, camping, our National Parks/monuments, walking, backpacking/hiking and bicycle riding. He had a genuine love of the outdoors and experiencing nature including directing annual Methodist youth backpacking/base camp trips to the Sierra Nevada mountains. He served as a citizen volunteer to Saguaro National Park.

Victor is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, JoAn Hand; son Ronald (Teri) Hand, daughters Cynthia (Mark) Klinger and Victoria Harrington; as well as grandchildren Keri (Kyle) Michalski, Barry (Amy) Lundquest, Zachariah Hand, Jacob (Elli) Klinger, Richard Klinger, Nicholas (Julie) Klinger and Charlotte Harrington. Private family burial will be held in early July 2020. Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will take place when feasible in the fall of 2020 at First United Methodist Church, 5510 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ. 85012.

"I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Matthew 28:20