Reverend Dr. Leroy Nixon passed away peacefully on July 23, 2011 at the age of 95. He was born in Bucks County, PA on November 28, 1915. Leroy attended Central College in Pella Iowa where he edited the Central Ray and graduated cum laude. Central College is also where Leroy met the love of his life, Miss Dorothy Van Houwelinge, who became his wife June 1, 1943. Leroy and Dorothy were married for 63 years until Dorothy's passing in 2007.
After receiving his Bachelor of Divinity degree from New Brunswick Seminary in1945, he was ordained a minister in the Reformed Church in America. He served the North Brunswick Community Church from 1945-1948 and in 1948 he began to serve at Queensboro Hill Community Church in Flushing, New York where he faithfully served until 1976. In 1949 he received his Master of Theology from Princeton Seminary and in 1960 his PH.D. in Religious Education from New York University. His thesis was John Calvin's Teachings on Human Reason.
Throughout his career and retirement, Rev. Dr. Nixon always took on extra duties to serve the community. In the mid-1960's through mid-1970's, while serving as pastor of Queensboro Hill Community Church, he also worked as a counselor and in tutoring, primarily of elementary school children, in reading and math.
Following his retirement from Queensboro Hill Community Church, Rev. Dr. Nixon was installed by the Classis of Queens as a Minister of Prayer and Counseling and served as Protestant Pastor in Residence at the Flushing House. He continued a lifetime of volunteering and charity and was a tireless advocate for many of the Taiwanese and Korean congregations of the Queens Classis.
Rev. Dr. Nixon was distinguished as a respected writer, scholar, teacher, thinker, and theologian. In his lifetime he wrote several books on pedagogy, the church and theology including "What Does the Bible Say?" and John Calvin's "Teachings on Human Reason". He was a world-renowned authority on the writings of John Calvin and Reformed thought. His gift for languages of Latin, French, Greek and Hebrew gave him the ability to study the scriptures in their original languages and also provide translations of the writings of John Calvin. Additionally he was a talented organist with a lovely voice.
Whereas his life and work as a whole enriched the body and development of the Christian Church, per request of the Consistory of Qreensboro Hill Community Church, on June 20, 1995 the Queens Classis bestowed upon Rev. Dr. Leroy Nixon the honorary title of Minister Emeritus.
For fun, Leroy enjoyed math puzzles, playing checkers, telling jokes and calling the weekly bingo games at Flushing House where he and Dorothy resided from 1992 until Dorothy's passing January 9, 2009.
Leroy will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure to know him. He is survived by his daughter, Dorothy Lee Nixon, granddaughter and grandson-in-law Lyla Smith and Bryan Reinero,grandson and granddaughter-in-law, Aaron Smith and Lisa Harmon, son-in-law Frank Smith, great- granddaughters Nicoletta & Veronica Reinero, brother Jack Nixon, sister and brother-in-law Evelyn "Lindy" and Robert Stradling, brother-in-law Lindley O. Roberts, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Dorothy,daughter, Antonia, sister and brother-in-law Marjorie and James Cryan, sister and brother-in-law, Alice and Bernard Brunsting, sister Elsie Roberts and sister-in-law, Ann Savage Nixon.
Memorial service held at Quinn-Fogarty Funeral Home in Queens at 10:00 am Saturday July 30, 2011, presided by current pastor of Queensboro Hill Community Church, Rev. William Hanousek. Burial at Pine Lawn Cemetery on Long Island to follow at 12:30 pm.
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