Tribute to a First Lady

By Kerry and Brenda Steedley

At the National Association of Free Will Baptists in Cincinnati, Ohio, this past July, the life and ministry of army chaplain Gerald Mangham was remembered and celebrated. He served as the first Free Will Baptist military chaplain, and for several years, as the only Free Will Baptist chaplain. Dr. David Crowe, CEO of North American Ministries, led these moments of remembrance just before Chaplain (COL) Terry Austin, U.S. Army Retired, preached the evening service.

Dr. Crowe additionally honored Bertie Mangham, the wife of Chaplain Mangham, and a Free Will Baptist missionary to the military community in her own right. Daughters Marci Emery and Traci Starnes and grandson Cassidy Emery and his wife Brittany were present for this special recognition.

North Carolina girl Bertie (Clark) and Gerald Mangham, an Oklahoma native, met at Welch College as students. Both graduated in 1959. They were married 47 years before Gerald passed away in 2005. Together, they served soldiers, family members, and Department of Defense civilian employees for 30 years, from 1967 to 1997, when Gerald retired from active duty as a colonel. Their pastoral ministry began at Bethlehem FWB Church in Ashland City, Tennessee, and continued with numerous military assignments stateside and overseas, including Vietnam, Korea, and Germany.

In the process of retiring and reflecting on God’s grace and goodness, Chaplain Mangham wanted to recognize and honor his partner in marriage and ministry. He shared the following appreciation for his wife: “The chaplaincy is truly a team ministry, and one can never say enough about a dedicated wife through whom God provides inspiration. My wife Bertie has been that and much more. Our life verses have been Philippians 4:19 and Psalm 37:4. We have found God’s blessings to be overflowing, even in war, separations, and the trials of a ministry that is sometimes little understood. Our ministry has been an extension of North American Ministries and Free Will Baptists as a whole. We trust we have been a good team for you.”

The Mangham’s pioneer ministry continued after Gerald retired from the army when he served as the first civilian chaplain at Ronald Reagan International Airport in Washington, D.C. Again, Bertie served by his side, even as she continued her career as a federal government civilian employee. Her current ministry is family-focused as a mother and grandmother for three children and four grandchildren.

As a young chaplain’s wife, Bertie was uncertain of her duties. She says: “I decided to do what I knew was right and what needed to be done. I especially wanted to listen carefully to that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit for guidance.” She obviously did well, served as a stellar example, and leaves a wonderful legacy for current and future military chaplain wives.

The Free Will Baptist denomination is grateful to the Mangham family for their faithful service and sacrifice. Dr. Crowe, himself a veteran, reminded Bertie she had the toughest job in the army—an army wife. North American Ministries considers Bertie Mangham to be the “First Lady of Free Will Baptist Chaplain Ministry.”

About the Writer: Kerry and Brenda Steedley serve in chaplain support ministry for North American Ministries. Learn more about the chaplaincy: www.fwbnam.com