REVEREND FRANK LEWIS MCRAE

The Reverend Frank Lewis McRae, a native Memphian, died on May 19, 2014 at the age of 83. He was the son of Kenneth Edwin McRae and Bessie Traylor McRae. He graduated from Memphis Central High School, the University of Memphis with the Bachelor of Science and the Master of Arts degrees, as well as Emory University Candler School of Theology with the Master of Divinity degree. Rhodes College honored him with the Doctor of Divinity degree. He is survived by his wife, Becky Ross McRae; his children, Teresa L. Macalester and Stephen L. McRae from his previous marriage to Shirley Wilkes McRae; his brothers, Albert T. McRae and William E. McRae; and his stepchildren, Ellen Earthman Tullock, Margaret Earthman Stroebel and Douglas Earthman. The Reverend McRae was an ordained minister of the Memphis Conference of the United Methodist Church. He served Shelby County congregations at Mount Vernon, Embury, Andrews Memorial, and Collierville. He was the Memphis District Superintendent from 1967-1972. He served historic St. John’s United Methodist Church from 1976-1995, when he retired. Upon retirement, he served as the Planned Giving Director for the Metropolitan Interfaith Association and President of the Wesley Senior Ministries Foundation. In 1996, he became the Director of Community Outreach for Mid-America Apartment Communities until 2012. The Reverend McRae was an urban ministries consultant and contributor to publications related to peace and justice and the urban poor and servant ministry. He was an active participant in civil rights activities in the South. The history of his public service is recorded in the Memphis and Shelby County Room at the Benjamin Hooks Public Library under the title, “The Reverend Doctor Frank Lewis McRae Collection: A Life in Ministry and Community Service.” The history of his ministry may be found online at Rhodes College “Crossroads to Freedom.” On December 30, 1969, he was named by The Commercial Appeal as one of “Best of the Best” Citizens for the decade of the 1960’s. Visitation and the funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 22, at St. John’s United Methodist Church, 1207 Peabody Avenue in Memphis. Visitation will be from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., followed by the service at 2 p.m. Private interment services will be at Memorial Park Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Avenue in Memphis. The family requests that memorial gifts be directed to the Church Health Center, 1115 Union Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104 or St. John’s United Methodist Church, 1207 Peabody Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104. Memorial Park Funeral Home, "Behind the stone wall", 901-767-8930. Condolences may be offered at www.MemorialParkOnline.com