Senate Resolution No. 725

BY: Senator REICHLIN-MELNICK

MOURNING the death of The Reverend Richard Deats,
internationally known peacemaker, religious leader
and devoted member of his community

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to bring full
recognition and just tribute to those men and women of religious
commitment who accept the responsibility of moral leadership and render
the wisdom of human understanding; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is moved to mourn the death of The
Reverend Richard Deats of Nyack, New York, who died on Wednesday, April
7, 2021, at the age of 89; and

WHEREAS, Born on February 8, 1932, in Big Spring, Texas, Reverend
Richard Deats attended McMurry College in Abilene, Texas, in the early
1950s, where he became active in the Methodist Student Movement; and

WHEREAS, Inspired by Muriel Lester of Fellowship of Reconciliation
(FOR), Reverend Richard Deats became involved in FOR-USA, an interfaith
peace fellowship leading the charge on the most pressing human and civil
rights issues; and

WHEREAS, After World War II, Reverend Richard Deats volunteered to
work at a refugee camp in Germany, and during the Vietnam War, he
organized the Committee of Americans for Peace in Indochina and led
regular peace vigils outside the United States Embassy in Manila; in
1967, Southern Methodist University Press published his book about his
time in the Asian Theater, Nationalism and Christianity in the
Philippines; and

WHEREAS, In 1972, Reverend Richard Deats accepted a position at
FOR's national office in Upper Nyack, where he would live and work for
the rest of his life; throughout his tenure, he traveled the world
promoting peace, nonviolence and reconciliation by writing articles,
giving speeches, and leading innumerable training sessions on active
nonviolence as a methodology for grassroots movements and social change;
and

WHEREAS, Throughout this time, Reverend Richard Deats worked
alongside notable civil rights leaders such as Reverend Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King, Reverend Jim Lawson, Mahatma
Gandhi's heirs, Thich Nhat Hanh, various Buddhist leaders, and Reverend
Daniel Berrigan, as well as South Africa Archbishop Desmond Tutu; and

WHEREAS, On November 2, 1983, Reverend Richard Deats further
contributed to the cause of America's freedom, and his commitment to
human dignity was visibly mirrored in the spiritual, economic and
political dimensions of the civil rights movement when he proudly joined
Coretta Scott King at the White House when President Reagan signed into
law the national holiday honoring her late husband, Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.; and

WHEREAS, While living in the Philippines during the early 1980s,
Reverend Richard Deats helped organize and present hundreds of workshops
on nonviolence attended by tens of thousands of people; he also led 13
peace delegations to the Soviet Union to ease tensions and build
relations at the height of the Cold War; and

WHEREAS, In the 1990s, Reverend Richard Deats became editor of FOR's
magazine, Fellowship, and published a series of books; he wrote
biographies of Gandhi and Hildegard Goss-Mayr, the Austrian peace
movement leader, as well as his collection, Stories of Courage, Hope,
and Compassion and his book of jokes, How to Keep Laughing - Even Though
You've Considered All the Facts; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Richard Deats is survived by his wife, Jan; two
sons, Mark and Stephen; two daughters, Katherine and Lisa; 15
grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren, all of whom will long
treasure his memory; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Richard Deats' life was truly devoted to the
preservation and enhancement of human dignity; this indomitable
gentleman's finest legacy of greater social justice for all was truly
reflected in his devotion to serve and respect others, and in his
steadfast love for all humanity; and

WHEREAS, An apostle of peace, Reverend Richard Deats fought
unrelentingly for the civil rights of all Americans and people around
the globe, and taught us that through non-violence, courage displaces
fear, love transforms hate, acceptance dissipates prejudice and mutual
regard cancels enmity; and

WHEREAS, In appreciation of his life of commitment, dedication and
substantial contribution, it is the intent of this Legislative Body to
inscribe upon its records this tribute to the memory of Reverend Richard
Deats that future generations may know and appreciate his admirable
character, his many benevolent deeds, and the respect and esteem in
which he was held; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of The Reverend Richard Deats, internationally known
peacemaker, religious leader and devoted member of his community; and be
it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of The Reverend Richard Deats.