Rev. A. Offord Carmichael, Jr.

Reverend A. Offord Carmichael, Jr., 75 of Graham, NC departed this earthly life on Tuesday September 10, 2024.  Funeral service at 11:00 AM Friday September 27, 2024 at St. Paul AME Church, 402 W. Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC preceded by a 10:00 AM viewing and visitation.  Entombment will follow the service at Carolina Biblical Gardens.  Public viewing from 2:00 - 8:00 PM Thursday September 26, 2024 at Haywood Funeral Home.

The Rev. A. Offord Carmichael, Jr., son of the late Mr. A. Offord Camichael, Sr. and Mrs. Rena Bell Washington Carmichael was born in Raleigh, NC on February 1, 1949.

He departed his earthly life and received God’s Ultimate Healing and his Permanent Preaching Assignment after valiantly overcoming his tremendous battle with Stage 4 Colon Cancer on Tuesday, September 10th at the UNC SECU Hospice House located in Pittsboro, NC, surrounded by family and caregivers.

Rev. Carmichael, affectionately called “Bro”, was raised in a Christian home of by his late parents, along with his sister, Ms. Frances Delores Carmichael–Jones.

He married his ‘High School Sweetheart’, Janice Lynette Trice. Theirs’s was a blessed, strong and happy union. They celebrated their 55th Wedding Anniversary on August 1st of this year. Three children were blessed to this union: Anthony William, Candace Lynette, and their youngest son, the late Bexton Offord, whom God called to be at rest from a fatal automobile accident on May 31, 2017.

Rev. Carmichael was baptized as an infant, where he was raised and nurtured in African Methodism at St. Matthew AME Church-Raleigh when it was housed on East Davie Street. In the early years of their marriage, he and his wife, Lady Janice, diligently worked in St. Matthew. He served on various Boards and Auxiliaries in the Church: Junior Steward, Trustee, Sunday School Assistant Superintendent/Teacher, usher, sang in choir, and grew up from Cub Scouting to Explorer Scouting and received numerous service awards and served as Scout Leader of Unit 198, while assisting his father and mother in the Scouting Program at St. Matthew.

His early education took place in the Raleigh Public School System. He was a graduate of the Class of 1967 at J.W. Ligon Jr. and Sr. High School. He studied at Guilford College (Commercial Art and Advertising Design), Shaw University Divinity School (Religion/Seminary), Duke University School of Divinity, Catawba Valley Community College (Spirit of Ministry and Assistant Teaching), Lenoir Rhyne University (Pastoral Counseling), Campbell University Divinity School, Southeastern University (Clinical Pastoral Education) and Alamance Community College (Certified Licensed Substitute Teacher and Licensed School Bus Driver).

God called him to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ under the Rev. David L. Morrison, Sr., his spiritual father in the ministry. He served under his leadership and the late Rev. Ralph L. Stephens until his first pastoral appointment in the Western NC Annual Conference. He entered the Western NC Conference Board of Examiners in 1974, was ordained as an Itinerate Deacon in 1976 and ordained as Itinerate Elder in 1978.

In November 2024, he and Lady Janice began celebrating his 50th year of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He loved the Itinerant Ministry of the Church of Allen. Churches served in the Western NC Annual Conference: St. Stephen (Mt. Gilead) 1.5 years, Zion Campbell/St. Joseph Circuit (Laurinburg and Aberdeen) 3 years, and Mt. Pisgah (Hickory) 16 years- while serving there he served as Chaplin at Frye Regional Memorial Hospital. He received a transfer into the NC Annual Conference where he served Allen Chapel (Jackson) 3 years, St. Phillip (Wilmington) 7.5 years- while serving there he served as Chaplin at New Hanover Regional Hospital, St. James (Kinston) 3 years, Willow Oak (Rich Square) 3 years and Harrison Chapel (Richlands) 1 year.  He was transferred back to the Western NC Annual Conference where he served at St. Stephen (Liberty) 3 years, Wayman Chapel (Graham) 3 years and Clover Garden (Burlington) 7 years until his retirement.

Due to the mandatory retirement law, on May 24, 2024, he retired from active ministry from the African Methodist Episcopal Church. While retired, he continued in ministry by preaching the gospel, counseling, encouraging and mentoring clergy and praying for all souls he encountered in daily his walk.

Because of God’s amazing grace, on June 29, 2024, he was able to dance, march, and step into his retirement celebration with his leading lady as they celebrated The Legacy – 50 years of Ministry, 55 years of Marriage and 75 years of Life!

Rev. Carmichael has held many positions in the Second Episcopal District and Annual Conferences: Chair of Clergy Caucus, Board of Examiners, Conference Trustee, Finance Committee, Ministerial Efficiency Committee, Social Action and has been a Delegate to the General Conference in each Annual Conference many times through the years of his service. He has been a true servant to the communities, churches, and people he pastored. He was a member of the Victory Lodge 745 Prince Hall Masons in Hickory, NC.  He served as a Chaplin in hospitals, and has served on various Boards and Committees in the community such as NAACP, MLK Coalitions, Ministerial Alliances and has received many outstanding awards for community service.

As he worked in the secular world, he was successful in owning his own business, a co-ownership of Cary Paint Interior/Design & Decorating Center and held an Operational Manager position with Sherwin Williams Paints, Operational Sales and Accounts Receivable with a store budget of $1.5 million in Hickory, NC. He even through his hat in the political arena to run for the Ward 4 City Council Seat while pastoring in Hickory, NC.

His motto: The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) “Do unto others as you will have them to do unto you” He believed God’s Word Proverbs 29:18 “where there is no vision, the people parish.” There are many of us who have been in the Church for a long time and who are called Christians, who are living perishing lives, because a lot of us have lost our vision. We have gotten out of God’s Order and have forgotten how to dream. Without the right relationship with God, it’s hard to have a vision. We must be able to have an intimate relationship with Christ. It’s more than going to Church on Sunday after Sunday with no bigger dream than our next meal or our paycheck. We must return to God and get our lives refocused. We must be open to His Will and His Word in order to receive Him.  We must have that NOW FAITH mentioned Hebrews 11:1!

He is best remembered for his impeccable talents in wearing dapper and stylish hats, his creative and expressive artistry, delectable and savory cooking, his radical and extravagant generosity, direct truthfulness and unwavering love for God’s People - so much so that he personally drove countless individuals across country to seek drug treatment. He further used his resources to feed thousands of individuals where he served.

He leaves to cherish his fond, loving and unforgettable memories: His loving and devoted Wife of 55 years, and HIS FOREVER FIRST LADY - Janice Lynette Trice Carmichael, Son, Anthony William of Durham, NC, Daughter, Candace Lynette of Upper Marlboro, MD, Sister, Frances Delores Carmichael-Jones of Raleigh, NC, Uncle, Ivy Washington of Philadelphia, PA, Uncle, Roy Hill Sr. of Plainfield, NJ, Brother in Love, Charles Evans, of Raleigh, NC, Son in Ministry, Rev. Dr. Abdue Lamar Knox (Rashida) of Charlotte, NC; Dear friends: Rev. David L. & Lady Phyllis Morrison of Fayetteville, NC, Rev. Larry S. and Lady Faye Hinton of Clayton, NC and Mr. Mikel and Mrs. Diane Tawwab of Raleigh, NC and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, classmates, friends, colleagues and former church parishioners.

To God be the Glory for a life well lived!

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