Rev. Dr. Albert C. WINN

WINN, The Rev. Dr. Albert C., 90, died Tuesday, at the Elms at Tanglewood. A memorial service will be held at Second Presbyterian Church at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 29, following the regular Sunday worship service. Albert Winn was born in Ocala, Fla., August 16, 1921, the youngest child of James Anderson and Elizabeth Curry Winn. He was preceded in death by his wife, Grace Neely Walker Winn, after 55 years of marriage. Survivors include a daughter, Grace Winn Ellis (Stewart); sons, James Anderson Winn (Lucy Chapman), Albert Bruce Curry Winn ( Molly Ramkey) and Randolph Axson Winn (Mary Grogan); grandchildren, David and John Ellis, Ellen and Philip Winn and Walker Shapiro (Luella Davis); and two great-grandchildren, Althea Grace and Iliana Fae Shapiro. Albert C. Winn devoted his life to service through the Presbyterian church. He graduated from Davidson College and received degrees in theology from Princeton Seminary and Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond. He served as a Chaplain in the Navy during World War II. He taught Bible at Davidson College and at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as well as at numerous youth conferences. Dr. Winn was Professor of Theology at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and led seminars in Christian Spirituality. He served pastorates in the Nokesville area of northern Virginia, at Second Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Va., and at North Decatur Presbyterian Church in Georgia. He held leadership positions as president of Louisville Presbyterian Seminary, as moderator of the Synods of Alabama and Kentucky, and as moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church U.S. in 1979. He chaired the committee that produced "A Declaration of Faith," and he edited the accompanying Book of Confessions. He wrote a number of books, including the Layman's Bible Commentary on Acts, A Christian Primer, and Ain't Gonna Study War No More. He lived out his commitment to social justice and peace, working for Civil Rights, protesting against the Vietnam War and the School for the Americas, working for the families of prisoners in Richmond and the homeless in Atlanta, and participating as a Witness for Peace in Nicaragua. In the midst of his active life in the church, he found time to teach his children how to read music, play the ukulele, and pitch a tent, as well as how to sing numerous corny old songs. He entertained them during long car trips by making up the adventures of an imaginary pirate and his crew. During his retirement years in Winston-Salem, Albert Winn served as Parish Associate at Trinity Presbyterian Church, where he established the Member Care Committee, was active in the Presbyterian Interracial Dialogue and CHANGE, volunteered at El Buen Pastor, and helped establish the Covenant Network in Salem Presbytery, seeking to make the church more welcoming to Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Trans-gendered children of God. Dr. Winn donated his body to the Wake Forest University Medical School. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Mission Program of Second Presbyterian Church, 5 N. 5th St., Richmond, Va. 23219, or to another church, institution, or justice or peacemaking group he served. His family would like to express special thanks to his friend and caregiver, Frances Mason; and to the staff at The Elms at Tanglewood.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.