AUGUST 11 – James Stuart Bloker, 62, of Farmville, passed away Wednesday, August 3, 2011. He was the pastor of New Hope Lutheran Church in Chesterfield. Born on May 13, 1949, he was the son of Richard T. and Edythe Gysan Bloker and was married to Mabelle Lynn of Farmville.

Pastor Bloker graduated from Huguenot High School and the University of Richmond. After a short career in banking he followed a calling to ministry and completed a Master of Divinity at Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, IN, in 1983.

His first call was as a missionary to the Outer Banks of North Carolina where he served as the first pastor of Grace Lutheran Church by the Sea in Nags Head till March of 1998. He was then called as a missionary to Accra, Ghana, to establish a seminary and train Ghanaians to be pastors.

After returning from Ghana, Pastor Bloker served congregations in Lynchburg and Richmond, and Eldersburg, Maryland. He was then called to live in Prague, Czech Republic, where he helped in the building of outreach efforts with international church leaders in Europe and Asia. He was a passionate pastor with a deep love for God's word.

He is survived by his wife, Mabelle; children, Benjamin Bloker and wife, Melody of Layton, Utah, and Timothy Bloker of Lynchburg. He is preceded in death by a son, Joseph Bloker.

He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather of five children.

A funeral service was held on Monday, August 8 at New Hope Lutheran Church in Chesterfield. Interment was held Tuesday, August 9 at Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Farmville.

Memorial contributions can be made to Gideons International or Answers in Genesis.

Puckett Funeral Home, Farmville, was in charge of arrangements. www.puckettfh.com