We were saddened to learn of the death of Pastor Roy Hulbert on 15 January 2020. Roy was born on 24 June 1928 in Watford, Hertfordshire. On 12 May 1954 Roy married Mary (May) Thompson. Their union brought about Gordon who was born in Stirling in 1963.
After finishing school and following his trial as a conscientious objector at the age of 18, Roy joined the staff at Stanborough Hydro in 1946 to do his national service. Among 17 different positions he held there in just over 2 years, he ended up doing boiler maintenance. In 1949 he finally made it to Newbold, graduating in 1951 and joining the North England Conference (NEC) in September as an intern. In February 1958 Roy and May left the NEC for West Africa where they served in both Nigeria and Sierra Leone before eventually returning to the British Union in August 1967.
September 1967 saw Roy and May taking up work in the Irish Mission where they remained until December 1973. January 1974 saw a return to the NEC where they served until Roy's retirement in June 1980, although they continued to serve as a pastoral couple until 1993. Roy and May settled near Kettering and for a number of years remained the backbone of the Wellingborough church until it was closed, and they became members in Kettering.
Sadly, May suffered a stroke in February 2016 and her decline was steady until she finally fell asleep on 12 June 2016. May's loss was difficult, and Roy's own health slowly deteriorated, until he too finally fell asleep. Our thoughts and prayers are with Gordon and the wider Hulbert family.
A service in memory of Roy will take place on Sunday 23 February 2020 at Kettering Adventist church. The starting time will be 12:00 midday and will be led by Pastor Andrew Rashford-Hewitt. Pastor Hulbert requested that no flowers be sent, but that donations could be made to ADRA in his memory if so desired.
We now look forward to Christ's soon return and that glorious resurrection day.