Harding University mourns sudden death of Bible professor Ken Neller, 58

Ken Neller

Harding University in Searcy, Ark., is mourning the sudden death of Bible professor Ken Neller, 58.
In a note to colleagues, Monte Cox, dean of the College of Bible and Ministry, reported Thursday night:

We are grieving tonight the sudden passing of our friend and colleague, Ken Neller. Ken collapsed this afternoon while playing racquetball. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. Ken would’ve been 59 next month.
We mourn with his wife, Barbara, and their two sons, Colin and Seth. 
Ken was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, Bible teacher, preacher, and elder. 
We will pass along details about arrangements as those plans are made. In the meantime, I know the Harding family will be united in praying for Barbara and their family.

An update from Cox on the memorial service:

Services for Ken Neller will be held on Sunday, January 13 beginning with visitation from 1:30-3:00 PM at Downtown Church of Christ/Family Life Center and will be followed immediately by a memorial service in the same venue. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery with Powell Funeral Home of Searcy in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Dr. Kenneth V. Neller Scholarship For Ministry Fund via the Harding University Advancement Office, 915 East Market, HU Box 12238, Searcy, AR 72149-2238.

• Feedback
  Ken was a friend who will be dearly missed. He has impacted the kingdom in more ways than most people know. He has taught me is responsible for turning me into the worship leader I am today. Please join me and others as we lift up Barbara and the rest of the family. I know he is up in heaven our final home.

  Terry Davis

  January, 11 2013

  I am very sorry to hear of brother Ken. We met with him in Athens last year about this time as he was doing “summer abroad” at HUG. Our heart goes to his family.

  Bledi

  January, 11 2013

  […] Ken Neller of Harding University had died. Unfortunately, I awoke this morning to find that news confirmed: We are grieving tonight the sudden passing of our friend and colleague, Ken Neller. Ken collapsed […]

  Remembering Ken Neller | The Itinerant Mind

  January, 11 2013

  He has been a great teacher to the Busoga Bible School. He will be missed dearly.

  Grace Nyanga

  January, 11 2013

  I was sad to hear of this last night. I heard him preach at our church many times. I didn’t know him all that well, but he was a good man and a good teacher.

  Bridget

  January, 11 2013

  Dr. Neller was a great teacher and a man of faith. I took his New Testament Theology course in 2011 and future MMin students are going to truly miss-out learning from him. My heart and prayers are with his family!

  Stephen Wolf

  January, 11 2013

  Ken and I were classmates at Harding Graduate School of Theology in the late 70’s. Ken was a wonderful scholar. He usually set the curve in most of the classes I had with him. I am so sad to hear of his passing and pray God’s blessings on his family.

  Steve Puckett

  January, 11 2013

  Ken will be greatly missed by his family, his church family at the Downtown Church of Christ, and his Harding family. It was my privilege to minister with Ken for most of the 1990’s at the Downtown Church of Christ. What a great guy with an amazing smile that was “Ken.” Our loss is heaven’s gain. To Barbara, Colin, Seth, and family, our hearts and love go out to you in your loss. May God comfort you as He alone can do.

  Mark Pugh

  January, 11 2013

  Ken is an exceptional friend to many of us. I’m a fortunate man to have known this man and his wife, Barbara. Much love to the family.

  Terry Rush

  January, 11 2013

  Years ago, before he went to Harding, Ken and I had several long conversations about his work at Lexington, Ky. He spoke so passionately about his ministry. For that reason, I was very excited when he went to Harding to teach. Not only did Ken have a keen mind and sharp intellect, he had the heart of a minister.
  I recall going to lunch with Ken when I was last on the Harding campus. As we made our way to lunch, students either approached him or he spoke to them. I was impressed with his warmth toward each one.
  So many people have been blessed through his preaching. Of course, there are many, many others who he taught at Harding whose lives have been blessed in some way because of him.

  Jim Martin

  January, 11 2013

  I never new this man but from what I have read, I missed out and heaven will be a great place to be. Can you here him say AMEN!!!

  Tim Gean M21 Church of Christ

  January, 11 2013

  Ken organized a worhsip service at the Downtown Church in the early 1990’s that helped me hang in there. I am grateful for his vision, his service, and his innovation. He has situated himself firmly in my faith formation history.

  Chris Gonzalez

  January, 11 2013

  I’ll never forget Ken and Barbara sitting in the NICU waiting room with me and my wife. We had lost a 7 day old son and were waiting to see if the twin sister would survive. She did. The Nellers made that time more bearable. I only knew Ken as a sometime pulpit minister at the time, but I grew to love him as a colleague and a friend since then. My love goes out to Barbara, an excellent teacher as well, and their family.

  terry engel

  January, 11 2013

  Dr. Neller was a very heartfelt man, he really cared about his students. He was on fire for the Lord, and his fire was contagious. He helped me to improve as a minister and preacher, and I will always remember him and he will be missed dearly.

  Lawrence W. Rodgers

  January, 11 2013

  Ken came to teach a class in Houston in the early 90s and was a great course on Corinthian letters, but what I remember most is Ken’s beautiful spirit of love and goodness. Last night I received a call from Uganda from James Okumu who told me the terrible news of Ken’s death. Ken was a friend, mentor, and Bible teacher to our Ugandan brothers and sisters as well. God bless Barbara, Colin, and Seth, and the rest of the family and Downtown Church.

  Greg Taylor

  January, 11 2013

  Truly a man of God who loved the Lord and his family. I remember being at Harding when he first he to teach. A man who spent time with his students not just in the classroom setting. Prayers go out to his family may they know that God is always with them.

  Raymond Richardson

  January, 11 2013

  Thank You doesn’t even come close to how I’ve been encouraged by Ken. Though I only knew him as first semester student at Harding, he has hd one of most powerful impact on my Christian walk, as well as my desire to serve God full time. He was always there to for the students wheater it be to give them an at a boy or to motivate them to improve. From starting each class off with a prayer, to the helpful comments on papers, he showed he cared for his students, once even shedding a tear during prayer. His door to his office as well as his house was open for visitors. Every aspect of his life was Christ centered. My prayers to the family and frineds, you will be missed Ken, but I know heaven has gained a magnificenct soul.

  Vern Dale

  January, 11 2013

  Ken was solid, through and through. Though we’ve been good friends and colleagues for 35 years, no semester was better than last spring when he was the visiting professor here at HUG. He was loved by all and it was easy to detect the reality of God’s presence in his life. May God bless Barbara as she struggles with her loss — but realizes so well that it is heaven’s gain.

  Mike James

  January, 12 2013

  It is a sad day for all of us, but rejoicing in heaven for Ken. My prayer is that Barbara and her sons will find peace in the coming days through the outpour of love and care from the community and from friends all over the world.

  Betty Albright

  January, 13 2013

  I have known Ken since we were both young at Mayfair Church of Christ in Huntsville, AL. He always excelled at everything he did. Quality and excellence, scholarship and brilliance, evangelistic and pastoral, a gentleman and a spiritual man. My profound sympathy to Barbara and the rest of the family.

  Joel Stephen Williams

  January, 13 2013

  My wife, Rachel, and I were so sad to hear about the passing of Dr. Neller. As a student of his at Harding, he helped shape me as a minister and his lessons will continue to affect the people we work with here in northern Mozambique. I wrote about some of our favorite memories of him in a post on our blog – www.howellsinmoz.blogspot.com. Thanks Dr. Neller for blessing us and so many others!

  Alan Howell

  January, 14 2013

  I was sorry to hear that Ken passed away so suddenly and so young. I remember Ken and Barbara from Southside church of Christ in Lexington, KY. Ken had the perfect wife and children. He was the example of what an earthly father should be. He was humble, kind, friendly to everyone, a caring husband who loved his wife dearly, very knowledgeable of scripture, never put me to sleep with his sermons, a man after God’s heart, and the BEST Minister that Southside ever had.
  Ken is in Heaven with Jesus and our heavenly Father now. He will be there to greet us when we enter heaven.
  I pray for Barbara and their two sons that they will be comforted knowing that their loved one is in heaven in awe of the majesty and beauty praising God and listening to the angels singing.

  Deborah Wooton Schneider

  January, 14 2013

  I’m very sorry to hear about the passing of Ken. He was a Minister I really enjoyed at Southside Church of Christ in Lexington, Kentucky. I’m sure he is in heaven right by God’s side and the angels are singing. I pray for Barbara and her sons that they are comforted for their loss.

  Cathy Moores

  January, 15 2013

  Please accept my sympathy and may God give the family the heart to bear the loss.
  We know whatever God allows to happen to His children is the best for us this is why He wants us to thank Him for everything. so let us thank Him for what has happen to Ken and may his soul rest in peace.

  Emem George

  January, 15 2013

  Dear Barbara,
  My love to, and prayers for your family continue. I first met Ken as we shared in gospel campaigns in SD, MT,WI , & the Von Braun campaign in Huntsville in the 70s. A great servant & a beloved brother. Grace & Peace be yours in Jesus the Resurrection & the Life.

  Ted Kell

  January, 25 2013