Frank E. Girdwood, retired clergy
Retired American Baptist pastor, Rev. Frank E. Girdwood, 82, of Lewes, passed away peacefully Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, at his home, under the care of Delaware Hospice. He was born Sept. 7, 1940, in Pittsburgh, Pa., son of the late Frank and Elizabeth Girdwood.
Frank attended elementary school in both Pittsburgh and East Deer Township, and graduated from East Deer/Frazer High School in 1958, where he lettered in football and baseball. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in philosophy at Eastern Baptist College in St. Davids, Pa., now known as Eastern University. While there, Frank took on the position of goalkeeper for the Eastern Men’s Soccer team. It was also at Eastern that he met his wife-to-be, Susan Scamman of Augusta, Maine, whom he married in 1964. Frank went on to earn a bachelor of divinity degree at Eastern Theological Seminary and eventually a master of divinity degree at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
During his 33 years of ministry, Frank and Susan served churches in Pennsylvania, including First Baptist Church of Oxford, First Baptist Church of Bellevue, and First Baptist Church of Greensburg, in addition to the First Baptist Church of Waterbury, Conn., and First Baptist Church of Bangor, Maine. He was also active in mission work, traveling on mission trips to Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, and enjoyed his work with the housing agencies Habitat for Humanity and CREDO. Frank retired from ministry in 1999 and spent 15-plus years living in Brewer, Maine, enjoying driving a school bus, canoeing, and exploring the lakes and ponds of Maine, taking up a woodworking hobby, and camping up and down the East Coast from Maine to Florida. In 2016, Frank and Susan moved to Lewes to be close to family, enjoying life in the coastal community and hosting family for vacations and holidays.
In addition to his parents, Frank was preceded in death by his infant brother, David. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Susan Girdwood; his children, Lisa Naldzin (Brian) and Stephen Girdwood (Deborah); his grandchildren, Ian Girdwood, Michaela Girdwood, Emma McLaughlin and Natasha Naldzin; his brother, Donald Girdwood; his sisters, Janet Morphy, Lois Riggle and Beth Ann Dunlap; and his many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Frank’s Life will be held at First Baptist Church of Greensburg, Pa., at a later date.
Final care has been entrusted to Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes.
Visit Frank’s Life Memorial webpage and sign his virtual guestbook at parsellfuneralhomes.com.