The following is a weekly listing of Nazarene ministers and leaders who recently went home to be with the Lord. Notices were received 3-7 December 2018.

Velma (Blake) Cotton, 93, of Lufkin, Texas, passed away 26 November. She was the widow of retired minister and evangelist R. Earl Cotton, who served in Oklahoma and Texas. R. Earl Cotton passed away in 2005.

John Douglas, 64, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, passed away 3 December. He was the lead pastor at River Valley Community Church in Vienna, West Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Sue Douglas.

Robert Ellis, 98, of Celina, Ohio, passed away 30 November. He was a retired minister, serving in Alabama, Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie Ellis, in 2015.

Patricia Fitts, 78, of Odessa, Florida, passed away 21 November. She was the widow of retired minister Leonard Fitts, who served in Florida. Leonard Fitts passed away in 2008.

Ray Fletcher, 92, of Lawton, Oklahoma, passed away 28 November. He was a retired minister and evangelist, serving in Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Fletcher, in 2017.

John Hansen, 80, of Grand Saline, Texas, passed away 2 December. He was a retired minister and evangelist, serving in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. He is survived by his wife, L. Jean Hansen.

Martha (Thomas) Riley, 86, of Riverside, California, passed away 28 November. She was a former missionary, serving in eSwatini. She is survived by her husband, former missionary Paul Riley, who served in eSwatini. 

Raymond Stewart, 83, of Polk City, Florida, passed away 8 November. He was a retired minister, serving in West Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Patsy Stewart.

Frances Therou, 105, of Courtenay, British Columbia, passed away 21 November. She was the widow of retired minister John Therou, who served in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. John Therou passed away in 1996.

Thelma Werbin, 88, of Portland, Oregon, passed away 22 November. She was the widow of retired minister C. Fredrick Werbin, who served in Washington and Oregon. C. Fredrick Werbin passed away in 2008.

For previous editions of In Memoriam, see the "Passings" section by clicking here. 

Note: Please join us in prayer for the families who have lost loved ones. Click on names for full stories, funeral information, local online obituaries, and/or guest books (if available). To submit an entry of a minister or church leader, send to news@nazarene.org.

--Compiled by NCN News