Dr. David B. Jenkins, Sr.

January 23, 1932 – March 27, 2021

Dr. David B. Jenkins, Sr., 89, of Wilmington, NC, passed away on the morning of March 27th in the care of Lower Cape Fear LifeCare at The Davis Community.

David was born in Philadelphia, PA. As a child he grew up in Lansing and Grand Rapids, MI and Huntington, WV. He graduated from Huntington High School and Marshall University with a double major in Music and Speech. He was first employed as the Director of Band and Choral Music at Fort Gay High School in WV. He later answered a call to be a minister and went to Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA, graduating with a Master of Divinity degree in 1957. He later graduated from Southeastern Seminary at Wake Forest, NC with a Doctor of Ministry degree.

David had the extreme fortune to have met the love of his life, Martha Suzanne Ross, at Marshall University. They married in 1953 and were blissfully wed for 68 years. They celebrated their anniversary on September 3rd before Suzanne passed away in November. David and Suzanne were blessed with a family of four boys that always kept them on their toes.

David was truly a man of God and this would become his passion, life’s work, and legacy. After being ordained as a Presbyterian Minister, he served as pastor at the Elizabethtown, NC, Presbyterian church for 7 years, the Rockingham, NC Presbyterian church for 7 years, and the Goldsboro, NC Presbyterian church for 14 years as the senior minister. His ministry then changed when he became the Executive Director of the Outreach Foundation. The opportunity involved travel around the world to help plant new mission churches and raise funds for their support through Presbyterian churches in the US. He was then called to be the Regional Director of the Medical Benevolence Foundation for the next 18 years, raising funds for Presbyterian mission hospitals and mission schools. Dr. Jenkins officially retired in 2003. However, never one to be idle, he was called on to serve as the interim pastor at Calabash, Sneads Ferry and at Little Chapel on the Boardwalk at Wrightsville Beach.

David and his family always enjoyed the beach, especially Holden Beach, where they had a summer home since 1958. Not surprisingly, he served as a volunteer chaplain for over 50 years. He also enjoyed playing golf and was a member at Porter’s Neck Country Club. David is in an exceedingly rare club of people that can boast of having 3 hole-in-ones!

He leaves behind, to cherish his memory his sons, David Jenkins Jr. (Wilmington, NC), Steve Jenkins (Raleigh, NC), Mark Jenkins and wife Marty (Raleigh, NC), his sisters Barbara Barbour and husband Charlie, Marty Mamunes and partner Larry Henderson. David was predeceased by his wife, Suzanne, son Jim Jenkins (Concord, NC), his brother Stuart Jenkins (Myrtle Beach, SC) and his sister Ruth Ann Underwood (Goldsboro, NC).

The family will have a private family service and will announce a celebration of life service for both David and Suzanne later due to COVID-19 restrictions. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial gift to the David and Suzanne Jenkins Scholarship Award Fund at Union Presbyterian Seminary (3401 Brook Road, Richmond, VA 23227) or your place of worship in his honor. Cards may be sent to the family at POB 10465, Wilmington, NC 28404.

The family wishes to extend their deepest appreciation to the Lightkeeper Team at Davis Community, Porters Neck, NC, for the love, care and support they provided our father, David, and his entire family during his time with them the past 2 ½ years.