Clergy Family

George Needham

Rev. George L. Needham of Norman, 90, died July 1, 2010. His four-decade ministry career began in 1950.

George was born April 24, 1920, in Middletown, Ohio, and grew up in Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. In 1941, he married Ethel Miller, who preceded him in death in 1974.

He married Ann Smith Moomau in 1975.

He held a degree in music education from Otterbein College and a Master of Theology from Perkins. He was ordained as an elder in 1952 and retired from full-time ministry in 1989.

Rev. Needham served at Grant, Stratford, Newkirk, Shawnee-Wesley, Marlow, Madill, Tulsa-St. Mark’s, Vinita, Tonkawa, Purcell-Trinity, Stillwater-First, Lawton-Centenary, OKC-Mayfair Heights, and Checotah.

Then George and Ann moved to Cliffside Park, N.J., and Ann served in New York City with the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries. While there, George sang with the Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie Hall.

In 2002, the Needhams moved to Norman and affiliated with McFarlin UMC and the church’s Searchers class.

Survivors include Ann, his wife; children, Sylvia Kelly of Hendrix, Coralee Duncan of Chouteau, Laurel Eaton of Edmond, Steve Moomau of Coppell, Texas, and Susie Wallace of Oklahoma City; 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Memorial service was July 7 at McFarlin UMC, directed by Havenbrook Funeral Home, Norman.

• Wendell "Windy" Johnston died July 2, 2010. He was the husband of Linda Johnston, receptionist at the United Methodist Ministry Center in Oklahoma City.
• John Scott Pixley died July 1, 2010. He was the son of Kathleen Pixley of Grove and the late Rev. Bob Pixley.
• William J. Welch Sr. died July 8, 2010. He was the father of Rev. Bill Welch, pastor at West Tulsa UMC.