Rev. Dr. Robert L. Veon Obituary (1935 - 2015)

ETNA - Rev. Dr. Robert L. Veon, M.Div., D.D., D.Min., 80, died September 8, 2015 after an extended illness. Born March 12, 1935 in New Castle, PA, he was the son of George and Mina (Johnston) Veon. Dr. Veon attended Westminster College, (BA '57; Honorary Doctor of Divinity '75) Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, (M.Div. '61; D. Min. '96) and completed post-graduate studies at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He was a Visiting Fellow at Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey where he participated in Princeton Seminary's Teaching Church mentoring many theological students in field education. He was a Visiting Scholar at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He was actively pursuing an MS in Psychology at Husson University in Bangor until the spring of 2015 when his health required that he discontinue those studies. Dr. Veon, an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), served congregations in New Castle, PA as a student, then as senior pastor in Clarksville, AR, Grove City, PA, Erie, PA, Haddonfield, NJ, Dayton, OH, and, New Canaan, CT. He moved to Maine where he was currently the pastor of the UCC congregations at Union Evangelical Church in Greenville and Rockwood Community Chapel in the Maine Moosehead Lake region. He supplied the pulpit at Jackman for about 1 year. Dr. Veon served as athletic director at Greenville High School in 1996 and 1997. He loved teaching and interacting with students. He taught Ethics, Critical Thinking, Human Behavior in Contemporary Film, and World Religions at Beal College in Bangor and at Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield. His special areas of interest included Biblical studies and the Gospel of John, Positive Psychology and Gerontology/Aging. Dr. Veon loved preaching and studied homiletics his entire adult life. A man of creativity, enthusiasm, a joy for living and teaching others about the faith, Dr. Veon generated thousands of inspirational poems intended to celebrate life in weekly columns in the newsletters of the congregations he served. He was the author of Living on the Growing Edge, '86 and Seeing With The Heart, '14. He served on numerous boards during his career most recently the Eastern Area Agency on Aging. He was honored by the United States Marine Corps as their "Outstanding Spokesman of the Faith" at Camp Quantico, Virginia in 1981. He loved to travel with Susan, reading, collecting books, gardening, his golden retrievers Alice and Sally, and spending time at his home "Kairos Cove" on Greenwood Pond near Elliotsville. Dr. Veon is survived by his wife of 28 1/2 years, Susan Jean Michel-Veon of Etna, who was his loving partner, soul mate, and caregiver; his children, Candace Veon-Nyiri and husband Louis of Gettysburg, PA, Robert T. Veon and wife Deborah of Texarkana, AR, Scott C. Veon and wife Kimberly of Cranberry Twp., PA; grandchildren, Greer, John, Joshua and Jessica Veon and Alexander Nyiri; many nieces, nephews and extended family, the Michels of Glen Rock, New Jersey. He was predeceased by his parents, sister Marilynn Veon Smith and brother-in-law Robert Smith. A service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held at 11 A. M. Wednesday, October 7th, at the Union Evangelical Church in Greenville. Memorial gifts may be made to Union Evangelical Youth Ministries, the Rockwood Log Chapel Youth Ministries, c/o Union Evangelical Church, P. O. Box 368, Greenville, ME 04441. Funeral arrangements are by Crosby & Neal, 117 Main Street, Newport.