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Camp Wanake
A Tribute to Mel Moody
I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet Mel
Moody at Wanake's 50th anniversary. I was working
as assistant director that summer and I was able to tag along on a tour
of the camp, listening to Mel's stories of the old days. Jim asked
me to man the golf cart and be available to drive Mel around when he
needed to go someplace. I was overjoyed to do so and I relish
the stories I heard and the opportunity to get to know the man who,
in no small way, effected every camper and staff who ever set foot on
Wanake including myself. Mel, you will be missed, but your legacy
will live on...
How How,
Dave Kennat
The following text is the complete original obituary for Mel Moody
with extra comments by past staff afterwards.
Melvin A. Moody was born January 28, 1914 in Phalanx, Ohio to Erwin
and Alberta Moody. With his brothers, Floyd and Carl and sister, Elva,
he grew up in his father's general store in Phalanx where everything
was sold from groceries to hardware to women's dresses. Mel had many
positive memories of a childhood in that part of rural Ohio. He often
spoke of the flour mill located next door and powered by a water wheel
on Eagle Creek.
When he was in the 7th grade, the family moved to Westerville Ohio to
be near Otterbein College. He graduated from high school in 1932 and
went right to college where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in
1936. While at Otterbein, he met Sally Roby, his wife to be. They were
married in 1937 and spent the next two years at Bonebrake Seminary in
Dayton, Ohio.
Mel earned his Masters of Divinity Degree, joined the East Ohio Conference
of the United Brethren Church and was immediately asked to found a mission
church in Fairview Park near Cleveland. The new church started with
eleven members in three families. It was during this time
that two daughters were born, Marilyn and Ruthie. He remained pastor
of the Fairview church for seven years before being named Director of
Christian Education of the East Ohio Conference, a position he held
from 1946 to 1960.
During his tenure with the conference, he began a long professional
journey that would lead him to become the first Director of Camping
and Outdoor Education for the United Methodist Church. Moving to Beach
City, he started developing Camp Wanake, a camp that would become nationally
recognized as a model for church camping. Soon, Mel, Sally and the two
daughters moved from Beach City to a lovely
two-story white home on the camp grounds. A pioneer in church camping,
Mel authored two books on the subject and numerous articles. His training
book on church camping is still in widespread use today.
Mel was with the national board for ten years and during that time chaired
the Outdoor Ministry Committee of the National Council of Churches as
well as the Council of Religiously Affiliated Camps of the American
Camping Association. He retired from the Board of Disciples in 1981
and shortly thereafter moved from Nashville to Ft. Myers, Florida where
he and Sally bought a home in Buccaneer Estates and joined Grace United
Methodist Church. Mel quickly developed a close relationship with the
pastor and became an Assistant Minister in charge of getting new members.
Otterbein College recognized Mel's many achievements as a national leader
with the award of a Doctor of Divinity Degree in 1958 and a Distinguished
Service Award in 1975. The last move for Mel and Sally was to Shell
Pont Village. Sally died on August 22, 1992. Later in the same year,
Mel suffered a stroke, putting an end to his favorite retirement activity
- playing a mean game of tennis. Determined not to be idle, he took
up watercolor painting, completing over fifty pictures.
Mel's rendition of the old Phalanx mill adorned the cover of his 2002
Christmas card. Inside he wrote, ". . . I reflect anew that the
best gift Christmas can give us is the love that God shared with us
by sending his son into the world. I'd like to send that love to you
this Christmas . . . . My body is growing weaker each year, but my life
is rich with memories and with the joy and appreciation for friends
and family like you. My life goes on in the lives of my children, grand
children and great grandchildren . . . I am thankful of having you in
my life and for the love that binds our hearts together . . ."
David and Sharron Schar (Director 1968-76)wrote:
Mel was a pioneer in religiously affiliated Camp and Retreat Ministries.
He was among the leaders who initiated the national gatherings of United
Methodist Camp/Retreat Leaders that have been so powerful and helpful
to us all. He did a great deal to bring quality, innovation and recognition
to a ministry that changes so many lives. We are the beneficiaries of
the hard work and dedication of Mel and other early leaders who have
helped make camp and retreat ministry so strong within the United Methodist
Church. We owe Mel a great debt of gratitude for his life's work among
us as Spiritual mentor and example of Christ's way of love. Mel, May
you revel in the joy of God's embrace as you begin a new kind of journey
together with the Spirit Thank you for your life and your leadership.
Let us take some moments this week to lift up Mel and his family in
prayer and give thankgiving to God.
Chad Rhoades (staff 1994) wrote:
It was really sad to here about Mel Moody. I look at it this way,
if he didn't do what he did for Camp Wanake, we wouldn't be talking
right now, wouldn't have all the great memories to talk about and we
wouldn't have a place like Camp Wanake to go to and feel like we were
back at home. I hope he realized that he did a lot for us and the kids
that had the opportunity to experience Wanake. He will be truly missed.
How How Mel.
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