Calvin Sr., George WC
1/4/2014
MAY 10, 1940 - JANUARY 4, 2014\
Rev. George W. C. Calvin passed away on January 4, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana after suffering a lengthy illness.
He was born on May 10, 1940 in Baldwin, Louisiana to the union of Rev. Richard Woodland Calvin and Hazel
O'Neal Calvin.
George was a graduate of the elementary and secondary schools of New Orleans. He earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in
Sociology from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and a Masters of Divinity from International
Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. While a student at seminary, he was awarded the Crusade Scholarship
Scholastic Honor Award by the United Methodist Church. Dillard University in New Orleans awarded him an
Honorary Doctorate degree in recognition of relentless advocacy on behalf of the university.
Rev. Calvin's religious mentor was his father who pastored Methodist churches for many years throughout Louisiana.
Upon the completion of his theological education in 1965, George returned to Louisiana and pastored churches in
Bastrop, Lake Providence, New Orleans and Baton Rouge and served as United Methodist Campus Minister at
Grambling State University, Grambling, Louisiana and Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He served as
District Superintendent for the New Orleans and Baton Rouge districts of the United Methodist Church.
In the fall of 1969, Rev. Calvin was appointed pastor of Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church in Baton
Rouge where he served the church and community for 17 years. Under his leadership, membership of the church
increased and outreach ministries flourished, with the church sponsoring eight soccer teams, basketball teams,
women's softball, six scout groups, exercise programs and a retired citizen group. The church also sponsored a 82 unit
housing facility for low income and senior citizens.
Rev. Calvin's activism took him into the wider Baton Rouge community where he served as chair of the Board of
Directors for the East Baton Rouge Family Counseling Service, member of the Board for the Greater Baton Rouge
Federation of Churches, Camp Fire Girls and Comprehensive Health and Social Service of North Baton Rouge.
Beyond his work in the local church and community, Rev. Calvin served the United Methodist Church faithfully on
district, conference, national and international levels. He served on the conference Board of Pensions, was a United
Methodist representative for the Louisiana Interchurch Conference and was a member of the Commission on Race and
Religion. He was an outstanding teacher and was sought after to teach in United Methodist Women Schools of Mission
in Georgia, New York, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, Missouri, Louisiana and California. Globally he served as delegate
to three World Methodist Conferences - Honolulu, Hawaii; Nairobi, Kenya; and Singapore.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and sisters Johnetta Hazel Calvin Bushell, Delores Calvin Lynch and
Veronica Calvin Thomas. He is survived by his ex-wife Mae Calvin-Belton, children Charlotte Denise Calvin
(Hayes), Forth Worth, Texas; Bertina Lynette Calvin Jackson (Stephen), Greenbelt, Maryland; George W.C. Calvin II
(Lee Ann), Menlo Park, California; grandsons Weldon Richard Howard and George Merritt-Calvin; sisters and
brothers, Alice M. Dillard, Carolyn C. Hamilton, Richard W. Calvin (Evelyn), Warren J. Calvin, Florence C. Jeff, Ruth
C. Gooch (Robert), Arlene C. Calvin (Edward), Carl 0. Calvin (Charlene); Godchild Wendy Norris Williams and a
host of nieces and nephews and friends.
By Mae Calvin-Belton
