Rev. Dr. Richard Bing Bingham

The Reverend Dr. Richard Donald Bingham passed away at age 86 in Tampa, Florida, on January 31st, from injuries sustained in an accident two days prior. Born in Gary, West Virginia in 1936, Richard grew up in a coal mining family as the youngest of nine siblings. He was an Eagle Scout, a member of the marching band, and enjoyed singing. Richard was offered a full scholarship to Marshall University to study music after winning a television contest with a classmate. However, friends and family thought he should be an engineer. At the encouragement of a local steel company manager, he visited Virginia Military Institute and knew it was the place for him. He started VMI in 1955 and graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1959. In 1960, Richard was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United State Air Force, eventually serving at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; Fort Yukon, Alaska; and as an Air Force Reserve Officer at Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia. He was discharged from the Air Force as a Captain in 1967.
Richard felt a call to the ministry and entered Candler Theological Seminary at Emory University after leaving the military. While a student, he also served Mt. Zion United Methodist church as their associate pastor. There he was responsible for starting a traveling youth choir as well many other programs in the church. He made many relationships with members of the church, some of which that lasted throughout his lifetime. After graduating from seminary, Richard served as a United Methodist minister in the Florida Conference for over 35 years, with stops in New Smyrna Beach, St. Petersburg, Lehigh Acres, Clearwater, Tampa, Naples and Vero Beach. In 1991, he obtained a Doctorate in Ministry from Drew University while serving at First United Methodist Church in downtown Tampa.
As a minister, Richard was dedicated to homeless ministry. He founded the Deriso Center, served as a National Trustee of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and supported the early days of Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa as a close friend of Morris Hintzman. With an ecumenical approach to religion, Richard was close friends with Jesuit leader Father Michael Kennelly and Rabbi Kenneth Berger (Rodeph Sholom Synagogue), and served as President of the Downtown Council of Churches (Tampa). He received the Gentile of the Year award from Rodeph Shalom congregation. In the 1980s, he served on the Mayor's Study Commission for revitalizing downtown Tampa and the Mayor's Advisory Committee on the Franklin Street Mall.
When Richard retired from the ministry he returned to the hills of West Virginia and lived in Bluefield where he enjoyed decorating his house, working on a garden, and building a gazebo in his backyard. He eventually made his way back to Tampa several years later to be closer to family after a health issue. The cold winters in Bluefield and warm weather in Florida also helped to encourage his move. During his life Richard recorded a gospel album, coordinated group tours to Europe, enjoyed crafting, reading, tracing the Bingham family genealogy, and traveled frequently in retirement. He especially loved cruising. His daughter and sons have fond childhood memories of traveling in the family motorhome, setting up the large Christmas village with him every year under the tree, playing a game called wash the dishes/dry the dishes, and conducting the occasional pet funeral (just like dad would do at church). More recently, Heather enjoyed taking him to the theater for plays, musical performances, and National Geographic talks. Chris remembers out of town visits from him, the cards he would send, and cruising adventures together. Shawn will always remember the joy and relaxation his dad had when they were visiting Flat Rock, North Carolina together.
Richard is preceded in death by his mother, Mary Bowling Bingham; father, Hubert Alfred Bingham; sister, Elizabeth Collins Cook; brothers James, Alfred, Luther, Eugene, Thomas, David, and Louis Bingham; nephew Donnie Collins; niece Deloris Fields; great-great nephew Kevin McCoy; great nephew Riley Olson; and his son Geoffrey Bingham. He is survived by his brother Bill Bingham; his son Christopher Bingham; daughter, Heather Bingham Smithson (Christopher); son, Shawn Bingham (Angela); grandchildren, Eva and Alex Bingham, Emma, Aubrey, and Charlee Smithson; as well as a gracious plenty of cousins, nephews, nieces, great nephews/nieces, and great-great nephews/nieces.
The family welcomes friends for a visitation on Friday, February 10th at noon at Brewer and Sons Funeral Home in Tampa, as well as a memorial service at 10am on Saturday, February 11th at Hyde Park United Methodist Church, with a reception immediately following. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to the Florida United Methodist Children's Home and Metropolitan Ministries.