Ken Edward Sears

Rev. Kenneth (Ken) Edward Sears, 75, passed away from a chronic illness on March 30th at his home in Westfield, Indiana, surrounded by family members. He was born in Huntington, Indiana, on September 25, 1942, to Kenneth Lorenzo Sears and Bertha Elizabeth Sears (Lopp). He had three brothers, Carlton Lorenzo (Larry) Sears, Steven William Sears, and Fred Paxton Sears. He was married in Huntington, Indiana, on August 15, 1964, to Carolyn Jean Sears (Hacker). He graduated from Olivet Nazarene University in 1964.

Over the course of his life he was a music teacher (1964 - 1967), music and youth minister (1967 - 1972), worship leader, retail mall manager, hardware store owner, real estate broker, real estate appraiser, minister (2003 - 2007), and chaplain (2007 - 2015). He lived with his wife in various locations including Indianapolis/IN, Danville/IL, Connersville/IN, Rising Sun/IN, and Westfield/IN.

Ken supported many religious, civic, and community activities, including Rotary Club, Gideons International, Fayette County Fair Board, and Fayette County Commissioners. He led a local ministry effort supporting Promise Keepers, organizing two busses to the Million Man March in the 1990s. He also organized a faith-based motorcycle group in New Castle, Indiana. He was ordained in the Church of the Nazarene in 2004 and served as minister at Rising Sun Church of the Nazarene from 2003 to 2007. He ended his working career as a chaplain at St. Vincent in Indianapolis from 2007 to 2015.

He is survived by his spouse (Carolyn), his children Todd Sears (and his spouse, Linda), Angela Sears Spittal (and her spouse, Todd), and Chad Sears (and his spouse, Sarah), his grandchildren (Jacob, Madeline, Anna, Alexis, Zach, Nicholas "Nick", Ellie Kate, and Andrew), his brothers Steven and Fred, and numerous nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his brother, Larry, his son, Michael, and his grandson, Geoffrey.

His remains will be cremated through the Crown Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery (www.crownhill.org). Visitation will be from 10:00 to noon, followed by a memorial service at noon, on April 14, 2018, at Church at the Crossing, in Indianapolis, Indiana. His remains will be scattered in a private ceremony with his immediate family at a time to be determined.

The family requests that donations be made in Ken's honor, in lieu of flowers, to the American Heart Association (http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/) or the Nora Community Food Pantry - donations can be made payable to "Nora Elementary School" with a memo designation to the Food Pantry at the following address:

Amber K. Walters, Principal

Nora Elementary School

1000 East 91st Street

Indianapolis, IN 46240

Phone 317-844-5436

In his final days, Ken often gave visitors the words to "God Will Make A Way":

"Oh, God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me"