MONMOUTH – The Rev. Carl H. Geores died at his home in Monmouth after a wonderful life journey. Minister of the Christian Gospel, husband, father, advocate for the small church and pastor and friend to all.

He was born Oct 22, 1922, to Irena (Turnbull) and Carl H. Geores and spent his childhood in Kennelworth, N.J., and Mariaville, N.Y. He graduated from Draper High School, worked at General Electric Co. in Schenectady, N.Y., and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1942, serving during World War II.

After serving 43 months, he was discharged as staff sergeant and entered Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., in 1946. He married Melva Fowler on Dec. 28, 1946, graduated from Union College in 1949, and entered Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, N.J.

Upon graduation from seminary, he was ordained as an evangelist at the Mariaville Presbyterian Church in Presbytery of Albany. In 1952, he answered the call to serve under the Board of National Mission, Department of Sunday School Missions in rural central Maine.

The ministry was to scattered population and communities without churches. Leeds had petitioned for a minister. He, Melva and three small children arrived in 1952. He became the organizing pastor of Leeds Community Church (53), Wales Union (Presbyterian) Church (54) and Hartford Community Church (55). When the Mission at the Eastward was organized in 1954, he became the assistant director.

In 1970, he became the coordinator of the MATE. He was one of the founders of and participants in the Rural Community Action Ministry – an ecumenical, nonprofit social service agency dedicated to meeting the needs of the poor. RCAM created a housing ministry that served the area.

He had been an active Presbyter, worked in ecumenical circles, was president of the Maine Council of Churches for three years. He served as moderator of the Synod of the Northeast PCUSA in 1986 to 1987; he was on the General Assembly Rural Ministry Advising Committee. He received the Distinguished Alumnae/us Award from Princeton Theological Seminary and served as Alumnae Trustee for three years. He received the Jefferson Award for public service in Maine in 1988.

After 36 years in the Mission at the Eastward, he retired and was invited to become a visiting scholar at Princeton Seminary in 1989. He became a consultant to the Department of Christianity and Society and Field Education. He was also a consultant to small churches in the Presbytery of Northern New York, the Presbytery of Utica, N.Y., and Prestery of Kendall, Idaho.

He is survived by his wife, Melva of Monmouth; three daughters, Martha Geores of Tokoma Park, Md., Ruth Geores of Turner and Deborah Geores of Orange, Calif.; three sons, Paul Geores and his wife, Jacquline, of Mariaville, N.Y., Peter Geores of Portland and Timothy Geores and his wife, Susan, of Albuquerque, N.M.; 10 grandchildren, Matthew Page of Albuquerque, N.M., Chrystean Page of Tucson, Ariz., Rachel Rosenthal of Orange, Calif., Jennifer Mazur and her husband, Tom, and Eric Geores, all of Easton, Pa., Amber Geores, and Sarah Geores, of Portland, Kathryn Geores of Albuquerque, N.M., Amy Rose Geores of Albuquerque, N.M., and Gena Holton of Saratoga, N.Y.; a great-grandson, Asher Mazur; and a niece, Marlena Amalfitano of Greene, N.Y.

He was predeceased by a sister, Julia Feuz.