Jacob P. Ramsey, better known by his many friends and associates as "Jake," had Just spoken to one of the civic clubs in Knoxville concerning The Lonsdale-Beaumont Area Tutoring Program. He stopped by home to pick up his father, E. M. Ramsey, and took him back to Chattanooga. While there he visited his sister, Mrs. Charles Ryder and started back to Knoxville. Just outside of Kingston, the fatal accident happened. The shock has taken many weeks to wear off, and as yet the reality has not been accepted by all.

The untimely death brought to an end the ministry of a very gifted and dedicated servant of the Lord. Jake could make beautiful music from any musical instrument. He could inspire beauty from many souls. In the midst of a "generation-gap" he was a counselor with young people.

Jake was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, December 17, 1926. He joined the navy just out of High School. Following his tour of duty in World War II, he returned to the University of Chattanooga and worked as a disc jockey. He became active in the Saint Andrews Church, and began to go out to smaller churches to witness for his Lord. Jake's call came and he began to prepare himself for the ministry. His first assignment was to help at Signal Mountain Methodist Church; then at Conference he was assigned to the Niota Charge.

In the meantime "he had taken a wife,'? Evangeline Thomas, June 1, 1948. Vangie and Jake became a team for The Lord. Phyllis, Scott, Alan and Tony were born to grace the parsonages of this lovely couple.

Jake was ordained deacon in 1956 and an Elder in 1959. His ministry included eight churches in twenty years. He was elected Conference Statistician for the quadrennial 1956- 1960. His years spent in ministry in the Chattanooga area included many other outreaches: staff member of Television Stations, WDEFTV, WRBCTV, and WTVCTV; Chaplain at Moccasin Bend Psychiatric Hospital; Chairman of the Poverty Program in East Lake, Chattanooga; Charter Board member, The Experiment in International Living (an exchange student program); Member of the Inter-City Task Force in both Chattanooga and Knoxville; The Youth Federation in Knoxville, under which the Tutor Program was planned and put into practice.

The Tavern Ministry, so called by Bishop Allen, was a ministry to the night people in Knoxville. These often forgotten people, who serve and entertain a great number of people each evening and night, found a friend and minister behind the smile and rabat vest.

Along with the many ministries and activities, Jake found time to work toward his master's degree in philosophy at the University of Tennessee. Among the visible ministries of Jake are Signal Crest Methodist Church, and Parsonage; The Merger of Trinity Church with the Woodmore Church; and the building of the lovely new parsonage at East Lake.

These are the visible ministries of a man of God. Yet one cannot imagine the number of persons who have been touched by the life and ministry of Jake. The Ramsey Home became a haven of peace for many young people. The doors were always open to a stranger in need. Donna, June, LaVerne, Chuck, Norio (from Tokyo, Japan), Eddie (from Milan, Italy), and Monique (from Paris, France), all are a part of the Ramsey family.

I think that Norio Inaba, Tokyo, Japan, best summarizes what I am trying to say in a ecard written following his stay in the Ramsey home: "Dear Jake, I was sorry I could not say anything witty when we said goodbye. I thought you had been living a life which I wish to live. One of those who cares for the totality of human beings, and those who want to deal with the whole, not the partial truth."

Submitted By: Neville A. Hammer, Jr. – Holston Conference Journal – 1971 – Pages: 353 - 354