Henry James "Hank" Keating

Keating, Henry "Hank" James

August 8, 1931 - July 8, 2023

Family surrounded Henry James Keating Saturday night as he died peacefully at home.

Henry "Hank" Keating was born August 8, 1931, in Flushing, NY, to Henry John Keating and Helen Drumm Keating of Little Neck, NY. He was baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church. By the age of 10, Hank supported himself by working on farms in Kinderhook and Chatham, NY. At Chatham High School, he was Student Body President, Class Salutatorian, played football and basketball, and led the Teen-Youth organization of the Town of Chatham.

Through the Yale Club of NY City Scholarship and the Sandy Muir Memorial Scholarship, Hank was able to attend Yale University and graduated with a BA in Philosophy and Masters of Divinity and Masters of Sacred Theology. While at Yale, Hank rowed 8-Oar Crew, chaired Yale volunteers in New Haven Settlement Houses, and was a member of the Aurelian Honor Society and Berzelius society. Later, he also received a Masters in Religion from Princeton University. A Deacon of the University Congregational Church at Yale, he had a conversion experience while in college in October 1954 and later was ordained a Presbyterian University Pastor. He served as Assistant Chaplain at both Yale and Princeton Universities for four years. In 1955, he married his Yale Divinity classmate Gwladys Evans, and they raised three children together and served as partners in ministry for nearly 70 years.

For five years in the 1960s, he was a professor of Religion at Converse College and then felt called to serve as a Pastoral Minister at First Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg, SC. He followed this calling to Winston Salem to serve as Pastoral Minister at First Presbyterian Church for 21 years until he retired to pursue missions. In 1995, he was called to be an overseas missionary. He served around the world for 26 years with Keating Christian Ministries. He also served as a hospital chaplain for 34 years and on the boards of directors of the Mental Health Association, the Experiment in Self-Reliance, the Forsyth Prison Ministry, the Prodigals Rehabilitation Association, the Winston Salem Street School, and the Forsyth Ministers Association. Since 2016, he devoted his life to intercessory prayer, Bible study, and mentoring.

The years with Keating Christian Ministries were especially joyful to Hank: teaching and evangelizing around the world, partnering with local pastors and churches in many places such as Bulgaria, Vietnam, Jamaica, and Colombia to care for orphans and the disenfranchised, and sharing the miracles of the Holy Spirit with the larger church. The last years were, he said, the best years of his life. Henry was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend to all. We do grieve but not without hope. We have the hope of happy reunions in heaven.

In addition to his wife, Gwladys Evans Keating, Hank is survived by his daughter Mary Keating Reed (John), son David Keating (Shannon) and daughter Helen Keating Hey (Daniel), as well as nine grandchildren: Hannah Reed Wilkinson (Josh), Nelson Reed, Abigail Keating Garver (Alexander), Anne Darby Keating, Henry Keating, Elizabeth Keating, Nicholas Keating, Margaret Hey, Samuel Hey (Eva) and one great grandchild: Theo Wilkinson. He is also survived by his sisters Priscilla Oles and Elaine Vogel.

The Celebration of Life and Resurrection will be held on Saturday, July 15, at 11 a.m. at Reynolda Church, Village Campus in Winston Salem with visitation to follow.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Hank's memory to Reynolda Presbyterian Church Missions Fund. Condolences may be made online at www.salemfh.com.

Salem Funeral & Cremation Service

2951 Reynolda Rd., Winston-Salem, NC 27106