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Rev. Richard A. Carse, 77, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, pastor, teacher, and friend, was called home by his Lord on May 21, 2025. He was the Pastor Emeritus of Grace Church New Braunfels and Good Shepherd Church of Metairie, LA. The greatest joy of his life was when Charlotte Arlene Brubaker Carse said yes, followed by the births of their children and grandchildren. Rich was born in Cleveland, Ohio on Sept. 14, 1947, to Richard Milton Carse and Lucille Dorothy Bass Carse. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Charles Michael Carse, and his nephew, Nathan Brock Carse. He is survived by his wife Arlene; his son Jason Michael Carse (Stacey); his daughter Julie Carse Cronkhite (Jason); and grandchildren Evan Carse, Kendall Cronkhite, Mason Carse, and Connor Cronkhite. He is also survived by brothers-in-law Thomas Brubaker and Theodore Brubaker (Molly), sister-in-law Janis Carse, and cousin Arlene Brown, as well as cousins, nieces, nephews, lifelong friends, and generations of parishioners and students. Most influenced by his pastors and teachers, Rich graduated from Cleveland’s John Marshall High School in 1965 and earned his B.A. in History with a teaching certificate from Defiance College in 1969. He went on to receive dual master’s degrees in Theology and Religious Education from the Methodist Theological School in Ohio. Rich was a lifetime member of Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society. While in college, he helped found the Ohio Omicron Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. He was ordained on Sunday, June 11, 1972, at West Park UCC. Rich and Arlene, college sweethearts, became a devoted ministry team. Rich partnered with the local Catholic Church during his post-seminary internship to launch a joint Protestant-Catholic Vacation Bible School, the first of its kind, reaching hundreds of children for two weeks each summer. He also founded a Mother’s Day Out program that endures more than five decades later. Rich’s first church as lead pastor was Emmanuel UCC in Akron, Ohio. Over eight years, they helped revitalize the struggling church and community. Feeling the Lord’s call to something new, Rich and Arlene moved with their family to Metairie, Louisiana, where Rich pastored Good Shepherd UCC and taught at John Curtis Christian School. Rich believed that if he asked others to serve, he should lead by example. While in Louisiana, he served as an on-call emergency room pastor and was honored to lead worship services for the New Orleans Saints. Rich was originally called to New Braunfels over 33 years ago to serve as Associate Conference Minister and to lead Slumber Falls Camp and Retreat Center. Later, he joined First Protestant Church, where he served as Co-Pastor for nine years. Seeking God’s direction for the next season of his ministry, Rich embraced the opportunity to help guide the new congregation of Grace Memorial Church, and help build one more church. Today, Grace Church New Braunfels is 25 years strong. Rich continued his lifelong commitment to service by volunteering: as chaplain for the Comal County Sheriff’s Office, Comal County Master Gardener, board president for Hope Hospice, president of the Noon Lions Club, and co-chaplain of the 100 Club. He and Arlene also gave their time to the garden club at Garden Ridge Elementary in Comal ISD. When his daughter Julie opened Danville Middle School as principal, one of Rich’s final joys was to serve as a substitute teacher. A lifelong learner, Rich worked his way through high school, college, and seminary doing everything from dishwashing and foundry work to library and emergency room jobs. He and Arlene were blessed to travel widely, but Rich’s favorite moments were close to home: watching grandkids, celebrating with loved ones, gardening, hiking wooded trails, or getting lost in library shelves. His favorite places were garden centers, bookstores, and hardware stores. Harbor Freight, he often said, was Hobby Lobby for men. Rich endured hardship early in life, losing his father at age 14. Just months later, he was struck by a car. Now, he is fully healed, walking the gardens of heaven with his Lord and Savior, and reunited with those who went before him, waiting for the rest of us. A celebration of life service will be held at Freedom Fellowship Church in New Braunfels on Friday, June 20, at 2:00 PM. Memorial gifts may be made to Grace Church, Hope Hospice, or Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville, organizations close to Rich’s heart.

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Rev. Richard A. Carse

September 14, 1947 - May 21, 2025