October 26 Today in OPC History

On October 26, 1913, the Rev. LeRoy Oliver was born in Philadelphia. A graduate of Wheaton College in 1939, and Westminster Seminary in 1943, Roy was ordained and installed as the pastor of Grace OPC, Middletown, DE on March 26, 1943. He would pastor Faith and New Hope OPC in Harrisville, PA from 1947–1951 and Grace OPC in Fair Lawn, NJ from 1952–1956. In 1956, he accepted a call to serve as Associate General Secretary of Home Missions and Church Extension, and in 1961 he was appointed General Secretary.

He also served on the Committee on Ecumenicity and Interchurch Relations for thirty years and on the Committee on a Hymnal that produced the Trinity Hymnal in 1961.

Roy continued a close association with Westminster Seminary during this time serving on its Board of Trustees from 1955–1975. In 1974, he transitioned to full-time work with Westminster Seminary serving as its Director of Development. He then became Dean of Students in 1981 and Director of Alumni Relations from 1985 until his retirement in 1989.

Westminster Seminary honored Roy with an honorary doctor of divinity degree in 1999 for his extensive kingdom service.

In 1938, Roy married Elizabeth (Betty) Cherry, and they enjoyed sixty-two years together before Roy's going to be with the Lord in glory on December 1, 2000.