In Memoriam
I am saddened to announce that George Allen Fowlkes passed away on his beloved Nantucket, Thursday, January 25, 2018. George Fowlkes joined the Board of Directors of the Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) in 1987 and served faithfully as President (a role now classified as Chairperson) from 1993-2000. He remained a member of the Audit Committee until 2008. It was under George’s leadership that ECF began a new commitment to advocacy, training and education in the areas of stewardship, philanthropy and planned giving including assuming responsibility for the administration of life income gifts. To this day, these initiatives remain a core expression of ECF’s mission and ministry. George also promoted and supported various pilot initiatives through the Cornerstone Project which led to ongoing programs throughout the Church today including CREDO, now administered and funded by the Church Pension Group (CPG) and ECF’s own Vestry Papers and Vestry Resource Guide.
George’s dedicated service expanded well beyond ECF to the wider church and community, including two terms as senior warden of St. James’ Church, NYC; trustee of the Diocese of New York, Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, and the South Bronx Church’s Housing Project; director of the Board of Foreign Parishes; and former president of the Nantucket Conservation Foundation. George received an honorary degree from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale and was awarded The Bishop’s Cross in the Diocese of New York by the Rt. Rev. Richard Grein in 2001. The Episcopal Church Foundation presented George Fowlkes with the Henry Knox Sherrill Medal for outstanding service to the Episcopal Church.
Photo: The late William G. Andersen, Jr. (Former ECF Executive Director) (L) and George Fowlkes (R) having a spirited strategic conversation.
May George and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace and rise in glory.
Donald V. Romanik