Reverend John H. Peatling

REVEREND JOHN H. PEATLING - 80, of 2000 Fairlawn Parkway, Niskayuna, Rector Emeritus of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, died Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at home. Born December 15, 1926 in Kalamazoo, MI, he was the son of the late John Howard, Sr., and Esther Rose Peatling.

Active in musical groups through high school and college, he graduated with a Bachelors degree in History from Western Michigan College, now Western Michigan University. He served in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. He then attended Yale Divinity School, graduating with a Master of Sacred Theology degree in 1952.

Ordained first in the Methodist, then the Episcopal ministry, he served congregations in Detroit, Saginaw and Lansing, Michigan until moving to Connecticut in 1960 to work for the National Episcopal Church developing Christian Education material through the 1960's, also serving as weekend assistant minister for St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Riverside, CT. He received a PhD in Religious Education from New York University in 1971.

From 1971 to the early 1980's he worked for Union College's Character Research Project, first as Assistant Director, then as Director of Basic Research, also assisting with St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Schenectady. He was a founding member of International Seminar for Religious Education and Values (1977), and a long-time participant in American Religious Education Association and the Association of Professors and Researchers in Religious Education. He served St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Schenectady, as Rector, from 1984-1988. He was a life-long avid photographer and traveler.

He published numerous articles in religious education publications, and co-authored books and articles with Lucie W. Barber and David V. Tiedeman, and is a cited authority on cognitive development in many articles by others.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Jane Cobb Peatling, whom he married July 31, 1949, and his second wife, Lucie Welles Peatling, married April 2, 1972. Surviving are his daughters, Jane E. Peatling (wife of Marlin Barnes), Chambersburg, PA, Karen P. (wife of Mitchell) Crouch, Turney, MO, and Mary P. Storandt, Lexington, MA; five grandchildren, David Barnes Peatling, Patrick Aden Crouch, Amelia Jane Crouch, Brendan John McCorkle, and Lyall Cobb Storandt; and two great-grandchildren, Grafton Wade Crouch and Keelie Ann Crouch; and five step-children, Thomas Barber, Margaret (Marny) Silane, Jean Crawford, Anne Barber-Hummel, and Catherine Barber.

The Right Reverend William Love will celebrate a Eucharist of the Resurrection at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 1935 The Plaza, Schenectady, NY. Friends may call one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Umbrella of the Capital District, Inc., 509A Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12305; Catholic Charities of Schenectady County-Home Delivered Meals Program, 59 Hetcheltown Road, Scotia, NY 12302; or St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 1935 The Plaza, Schenectady, NY 12309.