Pastor Clinkscale retires from Elizabeth Baptist

The church leader, who was ordained in 1967, served for 37 years.

The church leader, who was ordained in 1967, served for 37 years.

YOUNGSTOWN — Pastor Henry Clinkscale Jr., who has served Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church, 1210 Himrod Ave., for 37 years, retired March 14. A retirement celebration will be Sunday at Mahoning County Country Club.

Pastor Clinkscale, a son of the late Henry and Mattie Anderson Clinkscale, was raised in Youngstown. He attended Hayes Junior High and South High night school and took continuing education courses at Youngstown State University. He also attended Malone College in Canton, the Moody Bible College and graduated from Central Bible College in Cleveland.

He was a member and also served as an ordained deacon of New Bethel Baptist Church and called into the ministry in 1965. He was licensed to preach by the New Bethel Baptist under the Rev. Lonnie A. Simon. He served as assistant pastor of Antioch Baptist Church under the leadership of the Rev. Alfred Ward.

Pastor Clinkscale was ordained in 1967 and was called to pastor Beulah Baptist Church. He was called to pastor Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church in September 1969.

Pastor Clinkscale is a member of Harvest Lodge No. 26, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a past president of the Baptist Pastors’s Council, past treasurer of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance and a trustee of District 27, S.O.A.R.

He and the former Odessa Harris were married Oct. 10, 1941. Their family includes daughter and son-in-law, Darnell L. and James Williams of Cleveland, Miss.; daughters Rose Ann Clinkscale, Sandra J. Harden and Judith E. Paul, all of Youngstown; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He also has brothers, Albert and Jeff Clinkscale, and sisters, Alberta Toney, Hattie Woods and Mattie Tate, all of Youngstown.