C. David Lundquist, a devoted United Methodist layman who headed the denomination's former program coordinating and research agency, died May 2 at age 89 in Kalamazoo, Mich.
David Lundquist
Courtesy Photo
Dave Lundquist was known throughout United Methodism as a man with unending optimism about the church. His agrency, which was eliminated in 2004 and succeeded by the Connectional Table, was the last administrative vestige of the Evangelical United Brethren Church that merged with the Methodist Church in 1968 to become the United Methodist Church.
Dave and his first wife, Georgia, who died in 2013, were known for their hospitality. While imposing in stature with his six-foot-four height, Dave rarely met someone with whom he couldn't form a cordial bond. He surprised them years later by remembering them and their mission in the church.
According to an obituary in the Kalamazoo Gazette, David was born February 20, 1935 in Plainwell Michigan, the only child of Leonard (Lefty) Lundquist and Esther (Hinga) Lundquist. After high school in Plainwell, he graduated from the University of Michigan in 1957 with a bachelor's degree in political science. While at Michigan, David served for three years as a student manager of the football team becoming a lifelong supporter, holding season tickets for Michigan football games for 64 years.
Following college graduation, David attended the UMC-related Duke University School of Law and graduated with his law degree in 1960. In 1997 David was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Adrian College.
His obituary stated that David was "blessed with the love of two wonderful women in his life." He married his childhood sweetheart, Georgia Townsend, in 1957. They were married for 55 years until her death in 2013. "Quite unexpectedly three years later love came again to David," his obituary continued. "A year and a half after the death of Sue Paul's husband, Doug, David and Sue realized that the long friendship they and their late spouses had known since the early 1960s had become much more than friendship. David and Sue were married in December 2016."
After a career in law, in 1986 David became general secretary of the General Council on Ministries of The United Methodist Church. This United Methodist agency was responsible for the coordination, evaluation and research for the programs and ministries of the worldwide denomination. David's work as General Secretary involved extensive travel in the United States and internationally, including Zimbabwe, Australia, China, the Philippines, Brazil, England, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, and other countries. His position brought him into regular participation in the activities of the World Methodist Council, an ecumenical organization representing the world's 80 million Methodist, Wesleyan and Uniting churches.
David was instrumental in the election of the first woman bishop of the United Methodist Church, Marjorie Matthews. He worked tirelessly to remove the UMC's barriers against gay clergy and same-sex weddings. His death on May 2 coincided with the final vote of the 2020/2024 General Conference to remove the last of the discrimination against which he fought throughout his tenure as a church agency executive.
David is survived by his wife, Susan (Morse) Paul; five adult offspring, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
A celebration of David Lundquist's life will be held at 2 p.m. June 22, 2024, at First United Methodist Church, 212 S. Park St., Kalamazoo. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to First United Methodist Church, in c/o the funeral home, Joldersma & Klein Funeral Home - Kalamazoo, 917 South Burdick, Kalamazoo, MI 49001
Information from the Kalamazoo Gazette (May 8 to May 12, 2024) was used in this article.