Old First Presbyterian Church, San Francisco

The Rev. John R. Bodo, 85, of Mountain View, Calif., died June 30 surrounded by his family and friends. During the 1950s he was the pastor at Nassau Presbyterian Church.

Born in Budapest, Hungary, he emigrated to the U.S. in 1940 with his parents, fleeing the Nazis. He completed his theological studies, started at the University of Geneva, receiving his bachelor of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 1942. He was ordained a Presbyterian pastor that year, and later earned a Ph.D. in church history from Princeton Theological Seminary. In 1950 he married Jeanne Pfeiffer, with whom he had two daughters. The couple divorced in 1963. In 1974 he married Mary Lou Lindstrom.

Fluent in English, French, German, and Hungarian, he served as staff interpreter at the Founding Assembly of World Council of Churches in 1948. He became a lifelong supporter of ecumenism.

As pastor of the First Presbyterian Church (now Nassau Presbyterian Church) during the 1950s, he championed the integration of the church community.

In the 1960s he served as chairman of the Department of Practical Theology at San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, and as chaplain and professor of religion at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. In 1969 he became the pastor of Old First Presbyterian Church in San Francisco. Upon his retirement he became minister at large and served as interim pastor to ten different congregations. In 2002, he left retirement once again to serve as pastor of the Westhope Church in Saratoga, Calif., where he remained active until his death.

Dr. Bodo was known as a visionary leader of his congregations, dedicated to sound theology and to social justice. He loved preaching, teaching, and writing, and published nine books. A classically trained cellist, he enjoyed playing in small performances. While pastor of Old First Presbyterian, he founded the Old First Center for the Arts to "affirm and enhance the Church's relationship between art and Christian faith." The concerts are still going strong after 35 years.

He is survived by his wife, Mary; two daughters, Erika Bodo and Jessica Wise; and three grandchildren.

A memorial service was held July 6 at Old First Presbyterian Church of San Francisco.

Memorial contributions may be made to the San Francisco Network Ministries, 559 Ellis Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94109.