JACKSON, Miss. – Reformed Theological Seminary announces with deep sorrow the passing of Dr. Clay Quarterman, Visiting Lecturer in Pastoral Theology at RTS Jackson, who died unexpectedly over the weekend. Dr. Quarterman was a beloved missionary, pastor, teacher, and alumnus whose decades of faithful service advanced the gospel across the United States, Portugal, and Ukraine.
An RTS Jackson graduate, Dr. Quarterman served for 42 years as a missionary with Mission to the World, planting churches in Portugal and Ukraine and helping establish humanitarian and educational ministries. His team planted twelve Presbyterian churches in Ukraine, and he later became the founding president of the Evangelical Reformed Seminary of Ukraine, where he taught practical theology for two decades. Upon returning to Jackson, he continued investing in the next generation of pastors by teaching pastoral theology at RTS, with particular emphasis on missions and cross-cultural ministry.
“Clay Quarterman gave his life to the spread of the gospel and the training of gospel ministers around the world,” said Dr. Ligon Duncan, Chancellor and CEO of Reformed Theological Seminary. “From church planting in Europe to classroom instruction in Jackson, Clay combined theological conviction, missionary zeal, and pastoral warmth. His legacy is written in the lives of countless believers, pastors, and students who were shaped by his faithful ministry.”
Before his missionary service, Dr. Quarterman pastored churches in Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. He grew up at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, attended the opening ceremonies of RTS as a teenager, and was ordained in the Presbytery of Mississippi Valley in 1978. His lifelong commitment to Presbyterian ministry and global missions reflected a deep love for Christ’s church and confidence in the power of theological education to strengthen gospel witness worldwide.
“Clay was not only a missionary statesman but also a humble servant and joyful encourager,” said Dr. David Irving, President of RTS Jackson. “He cared deeply for students, colleagues, and the global church, and he modeled perseverance, wisdom, and hope in Christ. We grieve his loss even as we give thanks for a life so clearly devoted to the Kingdom of God.”
A former RTS Jackson classmate, Tim McKeown, recalled praying alongside Dr. Quarterman during their student years that the Lord would raise up missionaries from among the seminary’s students. “Clay and a group of students, including me, prayed regularly together that the Lord of the harvest would raise up at least ten percent of the student body as foreign missionaries. I believe God did this and even more. Clay and Darlene were among those he called. May we pray that the work done by Clay will multiply greatly.”
Dr. Quarterman’s scholarly work reflected his missionary calling. His Doctor of Ministry studies examined the cross-cultural adaptation of Evangelism Explosion in the Portuguese context, and his Ph.D. research explored Presbyterian polity and leadership transfer in cross-cultural ministry. Beyond teaching and missions, he served on numerous ministry boards in the United States and Ukraine and remained active in evangelism training and local church life.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Darlene; their four sons and daughters-in-law; and three grandchildren who live in Jackson.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, February 12, at Highlands Presbyterian Church in Ridgeland, Mississippi, with visitation from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and the service at 11:00 a.m.
Reformed Theological Seminary invites the community to pray for Dr. Quarterman’s family, asking that the Lord sustain them with the hope of the resurrection, and to give thanks for a servant whose life and ministry proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations.