This morning at the roll call in Heaven, Pastor Bradley W. Quick responded, ‘Present!’ ”

Pastor Quick was well-known for using a quote like this at many of the funeral services he preached, reminding the congregation of First Baptist Church, Elyria, Ohio, that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. The quote was used of Quick, culminating a life of pastoral service that was cut short, in human terms, by cancer.

Bradley W. Quick, pastor of First Baptist Church, Elyria, Ohio, and past chairman of the GARBC Council of Eighteen, died Aug. 19. He was 63.

He was born on April 18, 1947, in Detroit, Mich. At the age of 11, Pastor Quick accepted Christ’s gift of eternal life and joined Van Dyke Baptist Church, Warren, Mich. He married his high school sweetheart, Debra Gail Vires, on June 20, 1970.

Pastor Quick graduated from Fitzgerald High School in Warren, Mich., first in a class of 500 students. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Michigan with a bachelor of business administration (1969) and was considering a career as a CPA when he was called into the ministry.

He earned his MDiv from Grace Theological Seminary (1972), graduating summa cum laude and winning the annual Systematic Theology Award. When he graduated cum laude from Baptist Bible Seminary (1996), he was the first to earn a DMin degree in the new program.

He was previously pastor of Wawasee Heights Baptist Church, Syracuse, Ind., where he was ordained in 1972. He also pastored Union Baptist Church, Union, Ind., and First Baptist Church, Blanchester, Ohio. On April 1, 1984, Pastor Quick and his family arrived at First Baptist of Elyria. During his 26-year ministry, church members appreciated Pastor Quick’s faithful preaching ministry and love for each person of his congregation. Quick served on several boards including Baptist Mid-Missions, Faith Baptist Bible College advisory board, and the Council of Eighteen of the GARBC. He chaired the Council in the year prior to his death.

He was a fixture at GARBC conferences, judging the Talents For Christ brass category for 30 years. After serving as host pastor in 2009, he was looking forward to the 2010 Conference, but medical treatments left him too ill to travel.

He loved traveling with his wife, playing with his grandchildren, playing his trumpet, listening to southern gospel music, golfing with “the Kevins,” walking with his daughter, eating all things chocolate, and watching University of Michigan football.

Bradley leaves his loving wife of 40 years, Debra Gail Quick; his children, Kim and Kevin Kerr and their children, Macy and Ellie; Kevin and Barbi Quick and their children, Bradley, Peter, and Olivia; his father, Wilbur; and his brothers Brian and Terry. He was preceded in death by his mother, Nona; his brother James; and four unborn grandchildren. A memorial service was held Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Dr. Gary Anderson, president of Baptist Mid-Missions, led the service. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to First Baptist Church, Elyria, Ohio.