Richard Benedict

RICHARD REAGAN BENEDICT

Pell City, Ala.

Richard Reagan Benedict, 79, of Pell City, Ala., went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, May 26, 2015.

Born in Electra, Texas, to Raymond and Ione Benedict, Reagan grew up in the western U.S., served in the U.S. Army in Korea, and attended Northwestern Bible College in Minnesota and Dallas Theological Seminary in Texas. He then devoted his life's work to church planting and pastoring in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Chicago, Ill.; Manahawkin, N.J., and Birmingham, Ala.

Reagan was a diligent student of the Bible and a passionate apologist for the clarity and simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He frequently asked people if they knew the three things God cannot do as outlined in John 3:16.

1. God cannot love us any more than He does – He loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son.

2. God cannot make our response any easier than He already has – to believe.

3. God cannot give us a greater gift than the one He has already given us – the gift of eternal life.

John 6:47: "Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life."

Reagan is survived by his wife, Donna, and their two daughters, Kara (Blaine) Bishop and Sara (Dennis) Stuart; seven grandchildren, John, Nathan (Alex), Luke and Anna Bishop, and Kathleen, Tierney and Emma Stuart; and many friends across the country.

A memorial celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, June 6, at 2 p.m. at Shades Mountain Baptist Church Conference Center, 2017 Columbiana Rd., Birmingham, AL 35216.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Reagan's name to the Grace Evangelical Society (Acts Commentary Project), 4851 S I-35E, Suite 203, Corinth, TX 76210 or Shades Mountain Baptist Church (Hand-in-Hand Special Needs Ministry), 2017 Columbiana Rd., Birmingham, AL 35216.

Condolences may be offered online at www.kilgroefh.com. Kilgroe Funeral Home, Pell City, will direct the service.