Rev. Rudolph M. Bangert

The Rev. Rudolph M Bangert, 94, Rector Emeritus of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, North Little Rock, passed away Sunday, August 15th. Born on June 16, 1910 in Memphis, Father Bangert was the son of the late Charles Frederick and Irene Belle Yeager Bangert.
His older brother, Charles Ramon, passed away in his youth.

While growing up in Columbus, Mississippi, the Lutheran family attended the local Methodist church, as there was no Lutheran church in the area. Rudy eventually entered the Methodist ministry in 1937 and served in various Methodist churches from 1937 to 1945. On November 20, 1937, Rudy married his beloved wife and partner Mary Glenn Englebert. Mary Glenn passed away in 2001 after 63 years of marriage. During the last years of their lives, Father "B" could often be heard to say, "It's Just a Trial Marriage!"

He earned his B. A. from Millsaps College in 1940 and his Masters of Divinity from Emory in 1944. Bangert served pastorates in Georgia, Nebraska and Indiana. An avid historian, Bangert was always drawn to the Anglican history of the Episcopal Church.
While in Indiana, and under the guidance of the Rt. Rev. Richard Kirkhoffer, Bishop of Indianapolis, Father Bangert made the decision to enter the Episcopal ministry. After interim study at Bexley Hall Episcopal Seminary, Rev. Bangert was ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church, February 2,1946, and assigned as Vicar of Trinity Church, Connersville, Indiana. While at Trinity, Bangert received commendation in the "Southern Episcopal Magazine" for leading the National Church in percentage of confirmations, Church and Sunday School growth. It was on September 3, 1946, that he was ordained to the priesthood.

In 1953, he accepted a call to become Rector of Emmanuel Church in Cory, Pennsylvania. At this time, Mary Glenn began to work professionally in the Church as Director of Christian Education for the Diocese of Erie. Her expertise in the area of Religious Education found her talents being called upon from around the country.

True southerners, both in birth and heart, the "Bangert Team" received a call to move back home. The call came in 1954 from St.
Mark's Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, where Father Bangert became Associate Rector and Headmaster of St. Mark's School.
Mary Glenn was Director of Christian Education, and served as a consultant in Religious Education for the Diocese of Louisiana.
During nearly eight years in Shreveport, the Bangerts were actively involved with a three million dollar building program for a new church edifice.

September 1, 1961, found the Bangerts in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Father Bangert and Mary Glenn had answered another call and begun a new mission. . .to build St Luke's Episcopal Church. Under his leadership, the Church flourished and experienced a tremendous record of growth. .. From a congregation of 86 to over 475 communicants. . .with confirmations numbering 547. . .from services in the Parish Hall, Sunday School classes on a dirt floor and kindergarten in a converted concrete block dog kennel to a beautiful edifice and physical plant The legacy of Father "B" is far more than a building program, however.
His compassionate pastoral ministry extended far beyond the bounds of the church walls, church denomination or any other earthly designation. He (and Mary Glenn) truly lived and shared each moment of happiness, illness, distress, sorrow and joy with each of St Luke's family and any other persons who asked for help. Father Bangert served as Rector St Luke's until 1975.

Before entering the ministry Rudy had a varied career. He was trained as a photographer and while working in New York City had the opportunity to photograph such notables as F. D. Roosevelt, AI Smith, members of the Dupont family, and the inventor of toothpaste, Colgate. From 1931 to 1937 he worked for Standard Oil in Mississippi establishing an outstanding record in business growth. When asked what prompted him to leave a thriving business career to enter the ministry, he said that so many people seemed to come to him for counseling he felt God had a different call on his life.

While a student at Millsaps, Rudy opened a gym for the youth in a poor part of town, which emerged into the Boys Club of Jackson, Mississippi. Later, when he and Mary Glenn were serving churches in the Atlanta Area, he began a ministry with street boys in the basement of the local YMCA.

Father Rudy will be fondly remembered as "The Minister of McCain Mall" where, for many years, he would sit and talk with passersby while Mary Glenn would pursue her daily walking regimen with her fellow members of the "'n Step" club. He knew no stranger, and his healing demeanor became evident in many, many lives he touched. He had a special gift of love and understanding for children of all ages. He also had a gift for remembering faces, especially of those who he had known as children and later adults. Asked how he did this, Rudy said, '" just move the faces up about two feet"

Also known as "Beebah", Rev. Bangert is survived by his children, Marian Gayle and Timothy D. Woods of Corpus Christi, Texas;
John C. Bangert and John T. Jones of Little Rock; grandchildren, Angela M. Bangert of Corpus Christi, Texas; Jennifer A. and Clinton Heard of League City, Texas; Michael T. and Tami Woods of San Antonio, Texas; Laura K. and Christopher McQuinn of Round Rock, Texas, and Ashley S. Bangert of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and two great grandchildren, Caitlyn and Jacob.

Father Bangert was the oldest surviving Episcopal Minister in Arkansas and even until his death continued to touch the lives of those who also cared for him

A Vigil Service will be held at 7 P.M. on Friday, August 20 at St.
Luke's Episcopal Church in North Little Rock. A Requiem Mass and Memorial Celebration will be conducted at 5 P.M. on Saturday, August 21 at St. Luke's. The Rt. Rev. Larry E. Maze, Bishop of Arkansas, will be the celebrant.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Luke's Episcopal Church of North Little Rock, Alzheimer's Arkansas or Arkansas Hospice.

Arrangements are by North Little Rock Funeral Home. On-line obituary: www.northlittierockfuneral-home.com.