Ernest Cragg Seddon

Ernest Cragg Seddon, PhD, ThD, DRE
April 3, 1929 – October 11, 2024

     Ernest was born in Liverpool, England, to Joseph Cragg Seddon and Sarah Ellen née Hughes. His two older siblings, Harriet May and Hamer, were born on June 1 and May 1, and Ernest was due on April 1. But true to his nature, he put off the arrival date for two days and thus avoided being an April Fool’s Day baby.
     His formative years were spent in Liverpool, and an early photograph shows him in costume as a cowboy — undoubtedly a rare species there! Early on, he became a fan of Liverpool Football Club and attended matches at Anfield Stadium.
     The family weathered WWII and the devastating Luftwaffe bombing of the city. He recalled returning home from school wondering where his parents were, an air raid forcing them to seek shelter in an underground train station – a not-infrequent occurrence. Once, while still a young teenager, he was riding his bicycle when a plane strafed the street, killing a rider ahead of him. Both of his siblings served in the armed forces, and at the onset of the war, his mother made a Christmas fruit cake, keeping it until all her children returned home safely, which they did. The cake matured and fermented for six years and was reportedly quite potent!
     After the war, he served two years in the Royal Artillery, based at Larkhill on Salisbury Plain, not far from Stonehenge, with the rank of lance corporal. Good with figures, he worked in payroll and also played the piano for the officer’s mess.
     After the war, he worked for the Maritime Insurance Company based in Liverpool’s famous Liver Building, Europe’s first skyscraper, where occasionally he would venture onto the roof some 160 feet above street level to each lunch – surely something that would not be allowed now! In his spare time, he played goalkeeper for a local amateur team – a skill that came in handy many years later when his very young son Andrew climbed a wall and jumped off, shouting, “Daddy, catch me!” Ernest had to perform a reflexive acrobatic diving save to avert disaster. He said it was the best save he ever made!
     In addition to playing the piano and organ, he sang with the Liverpool Philharmonic Choral Society from 1949 to 1955 under famous conductors such as Sir Adrian Boult and Sir Malcolm Sargent.
     While playing table tennis with the local Baptist Church, he found himself across the table from a young woman playing for the Methodists. He was so captivated that he lost the match. Afterward, she left to return home on the bus. He mounted his bicycle and followed until she got off at her stop, where he “happened” to meet her and asked if he could walk her home. He and Cynthia were married in 1951, a union lasting over 71 years until her passing in 2023.
     He was ordained as a Baptist pastor after graduating from Rawdon Baptist College in 1958. His first position was at Stocking Farm, Leicester, where his son Andrew was born in 1959. After three years, they moved to Bradford, where daughter Judith was born in 1962. A desire to minister overseas led to a choice between America and Australia. America won, and in 1964, the family moved to East Quogue, Long Island. After three years, it was back to England for a year in Stoke-on-Trent, and then a return to America on board the RMS Queen Elizabeth for a year in Tannersville, NY (not then the artsy town that it has since become), and then to Cobleskill, NY for seven years.
Judith fondly remembers, as a child, sitting at his feet under his desk and listening to his musings while he wrote his sermons. 

Summer vacations were often spent in Florida, a long drive down I-75 at 55 mph. Sanibel Island was a favorite. Earlier trips had included Cape Coral and Delray Beach. Being offered the use of a condo in Bethany Beach, DE, in winter was a different sort of beach vacation with wind and snow whipping along the sands! Every few years, there would be a trip to England to visit family.
     From 1976 to 1978, the family lived in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and then Hagerstown, MD. In the 1980s, spells in Kensington and Rockville, MD, followed, and then they moved to Moundsville, WV.
     

In 1986, their only grandchild, David, was born to Judith.
     Ernest and Cynthia followed Andrew to Billings, MT, in 1990. Having retired from the ministry and joined the Episcopal Church, Ernest became the organist at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
     Andrew recalls how when Ernest suffered a heart attack, his main concern when lying in the emergency room was who would play the organ on Sunday. Andrew, though a pianist and not an organist, agreed and nervously filled the post. Recovering after the first of his – subsequently two – quadruple bypasses, Ernest returned to playing, eventually becoming organist at St Stephen’s Episcopal Church.
     While most patients might have felt great angst prior to surgery, he felt great calmness, explaining that he had had a vision of Jesus standing at the foot of his bed, giving him the assurance that all would go well.
     He was delighted to play the organ at Andrew and Olivia’s wedding in 2001 — the same day as his and Cynthia’s 50th wedding anniversary, much to his and Cynthia’s joy and pleasure —although he said Andrew chose challenging pieces! He played the organ into his 90s until arthritis in his hands made it impossible. He knew many hymns from memory and could improvise fluently.
     Olivia has the fondest memories of playing her clarinet in duets with Pops on the piano. She was amazed by his ability to sight-read any music perfectly and was a terrific accompanist. Judith, David, and Constance, who were accompanied by him many times later in life, share these memories of his talents. David distinctly remembers being accompanied by him while he sang solos for his high school and college senior recitals. Another memory he liked to speak about was when he accompanied Judith and David in duets of Christmas Carols for different church services, including his much-loved Stille Nacht (Silent Night).
     He and Andrew enjoyed many hours on the tennis court together, although one incident stands out in Andrew’s mind when Andrew, playing at the net, missed a low shot from Ernest that hit him over the bladder and dropped him to his knees.
                Trips to Banff National Park and the Oregon coast were highlights. Also memorable were long weekends spent at the Top of the World resort — a tiny four-room motel high in the Beartooth Mountains of Wyoming, just over the border from Montana. Ernest and Cynthia would enjoy the scenery and prepare meals while Andrew and Olivia hiked with one of their German Shepherds, first Finzi and then Rex, and Olivia’s Chiweenie, Super-G. It became an anniversary tradition.
     A couple of trips had their humorous aspects. In Lyon, France, where Andrew was invited to give a talk at a medical conference, Ernest was driving in the city. He did something that made other drivers mad, and they screamed at him – undoubtedly profane. Our French wasn’t good enough to know what they were saying, but no translation was needed!
     When Cynthia had to spend the night in the hospital in Liverpool, Andrew was driving, and Ernest thought he knew the way back to the bed and breakfast where they were staying. But landmarks had changed making it hard to recognize where he was, and so at 1 a.m., they found themselves driving through Liverpool’s red-light district, with ladies of the night trying to flag them down!
     Changing theological trends in the Episcopal Church led to Ernest and Cynthia's acceptance into the Catholic Church. Later, they moved to Gainesville, Florida, and joined Holy Faith Catholic Church, appreciating the ministries of Father John Phillips initially, and now Father Jose Kulathinal.
     They were able to take several cruises in the Caribbean, Alaska, and Mexico and enjoyed them immensely. Andrew and Olivia also took them to England, Scotland, and Jersey in the Channel Islands. In Florida, trips to the beach and to springs provided welcome getaways. They loved to sit on the beach at Matanzas Inlet, watching the storms develop off the horizon, and pelicans gliding overhead, while the waves kissed their toes.     In later years, he was pleased to meet Ian Tracey, the world-renowned organist of Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral. For his 90th birthday, he received a signed photo of Liverpool FC’s manager, Jurgen Klopp. He was hoping to receive a 100th birthday congratulation from the King but instead had a welcome from a far greater monarch.
     Ernest was a good cook, and his gravies, French fries, apple pies, trifles, and exceptional rum cream pies were not to be missed - this despite being a strict “tea-totaller” (a pun he would have appreciated). He attributed his long life to a “healthy” English diet of meat and potatoes, butter, custards and pies, supplemented by Spam, bacon and sausages, corned beef hash, Dinty Moore beef stew, and Werther’s caramels, avoiding fruits and vegetables as much as possible.
     Although becoming increasingly frail, his mind remained sharp, and he worked on a variety of inspirational and theological treatises with his neat cursive writing. At his children’s urging, he also wrote down reminisces of his life.
He and Andrew would spend many happy afternoons watching Liverpool or Leicester, with the dogs racing back and forth, horsing around in front of the TV. Ernest also enjoyed a variety of British murder mysteries, and was especially fond of watching Ukrainian pianist Anna Fedorova playing Rachmaninoff concertos, although he could never decide whether he preferred #2 or #3.
Being an avid reader and doing crossword puzzles with a magnifying glass in hand also helped keep his mind alert. He enjoyed watching daily Mass from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC, as it became increasingly difficult for him to get out, especially in the hot Florida summers. He was always ready for a theological discussion or debate, and collaborated with his daughter Judith on her theological writings.
     Ernest and Cynthia were delighted by the births of their great-grandchildren, Madeleine Jaina and Theodore Cragg, born to David and his wife Constance, who had moved to Tampa.
     When reflecting on why they chose to honor Ernest by giving their newborn son his middle name, “Cragg”, they shared that they did so “with total love in their hearts,” because “Constance insisted as Ernest was one of the best men she had ever had the grace to know.”
After Cynthia’s passing in 2023, her cherished rescue Puggle, Bryn, became Ernest’s constant companion and source of comfort.
     Ernest was a perfect gentleman who always enjoyed chatting and sharing jokes with older church ladies and made many friends over the years. He loved puns and had a corny sense of humor. He and Cynthia never lost their English accents and were readily identifiable as “the little old English couple.”
     Above all else, he was dedicated to his family and did his best to show his love and support for them. He was a cheerful and fun-loving father, taking his children to Santa’s Workshop, South of the Border, Fort Myers Shell Factory, English castles, Stonehenge, and many other fascinating places. He was always eager to listen to his children’s and grandchild’s writings and delighted in family get-togethers with his adorable great-grandchildren. He was always very social and loved daily telephone contact with family and his good friend Bob Hoffman.
     Bob shared that, “Ernest was a great mentor over many years… always so patient and thoughtful in answering my theological questions. I was richly blessed to have the opportunity to know him. He always lifted up my spirits and made me feel closer to God… He was a very special friend.”
     Ernest was always a man of strong faith who trusted Christ for his salvation. His devout and friendly demeanor led unknown numbers of people to follow Christ themselves. His teaching, ministry, and gentle guidance will be missed by all who knew him.
     Ernest, who greatly missed Cynthia, passed away suddenly at home on his couch, while watching morning Mass, Bryn beside him, nestled in the deep groove they had created over many years. We are comforted by the assurance that he is now in the presence of his Savior and reunited with Cynthia.
     Not long after Cynthia passed, while we were grieving during the Saturday vigil Mass, a small wren – noticed by many in the congregation – flew around the sanctuary, over the altar, up to the organ loft, to the statue of St. Francis. We felt like this was a sign that Cynthia was in God’s loving care, and we were very relieved to help this messenger to be safely set free outdoors the next day. Imagine how stunned we were to see a small wren sleeping on the ledge above our front door the night Ernest passed, and then floored to see him with his little birdie wife cuddled up together the following night! Surely a beautiful sign that Ernest and Cynthia have reunited in the splendor of paradise.
     The family is very grateful to Father Jose for coming immediately to the hospital, both for Cynthia and Ernest, to minister to them and pray with and comfort the family.
     Ernest is survived by son Andrew (Olivia), daughter Judith (Jim), grandson David (Constance), and great-grandchildren Madeleine and Theodore.
     And as he would say at the end of every phone call, “Bye for now, love you, God Bless.”
     Until we meet again, Pops, “Bye for now, love you, God bless.”