The Rev. George Amos Chiddie, 90, of Asheville, N.C., went to be with the Lord September 12, 2018.
He was born in Forsyth County to the late Dewey Fleat and Flossie Myers Chiddie. His family attended Advent Moravian, where as a teenager he felt called to ministry. He graduated from Moravian College and Theological Seminary in 1953, was ordained a deacon April 12, 1953 at Advent Moravian Church by Bishop J. Kenneth Pfohl, and consecrated a presbyter in 1959 at Providence Moravian Church by Bishop Edmund Schwartze.
In the fall of 1952, he met Jean Oehman at Moravian Youth Camp in Brevard, N.C. They were married on April 18, 1953. Together they served pastorates in North Carolina, at Providence, King-Mizpah, Leaksville, Bethesda and New Philadelphia (Associate).
George was active in the camp and conference ministry of the Southern Province at Camp Hanes, and later at Laurel Ridge, serving as a dean for junior camps. In 1976, the Chiddies began service in the Eastern West Indies Province at the Christiansted and New Herrnhut congregations. He is remembered there for founding brass choirs, including the Trombone Choir at New Herrnhut, which continues today; and for mentoring four men as they became ordained pastors.
In 1988, they returned to North Carolina and George was pastor at Pine Chapel, Winston-Salem until retiring in 1997. In retirement, George taught computer science at Forsyth Community College, and was interim pastor for a number of congregations, notably St. Phillips, Bethabara and Friedland.
In 2008, George and Jean moved to the Asheville area to be close to their children. He is survived by his wife of sixty-five years, Jean Oehman Chiddie; three daughters; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; and a sister. A memorial service was conducted Saturday, September 22, 2018 at the Brooks-Howell Home, Asheville N.C, with George’s son-in-law, the Rev. Dr. David Winkle, officiating, and the Rev. Sherwin Alleyne.
