St. Thomas Episcopal Church
1150 East Montague Avenue
North Charleston, SC 29405
DEACON ED HANCOCK
After thoughtful prayer, I asked Ed if he would consider serving as a Deacon at St. Thomas. He and Fran talked about this new ministry and he said yes. Deacon Ed will serve at the altar with me twice a month, unless he is out of town. He will also be working with our Outreach Committee.
Below is some biographical information about Ed and Fran. Please get to know them in the coming weeks. I know St. Thomas will be blessed by their presence and ministry.
Deacon Ed and Fran Hancock recently moved to North Charleston after living in Summerton and Florence, SC since their retirement in 1992. Ed has been active in working with the homeless and addictive for 15 years, serving on the board of directors and as Interim Director of the New Life Ministries in Florence (Area Rescue Mission for men and the House of Hope for women and children.) This volunteer work provided many instances of working directly with the homeless such as setting up twice a week Bible studies, one on one encounters, guidance in seeking employment and in recruiting community and church involvement.
During the past eight years, Ed has taken an active role in weekly guidance and counseling sessions with women facing drug and alcohol addictions at the Grace Hebron Home for Women in Santee, SC. This home is a ten week program, in a Christian setting, that has a 60% success rate in getting these women off of their addictions and to where they can lead productive lives once again. It was during this time that he began the two year diocesan program to be a permanent deacon.
Ed and Fran have been active in churches at All Saints, Florence, St. Matthias, Summerton (Senior and Junior Warden), Church of the Epiphany, Eutawville, and Trinity Church in Pinopolis. Fran has been active in the ECW and Daughters of the King.
Ed was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Sarasota, Florida. He is a Korean war veteran and a graduate from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. As a chemical engineer, he and Fran have lived in Lakeland, Fl, Houston, Tx, Chattanooga, Tn., Los Angeles, Ca, Saigon, Vietnam, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Ft. Myers, Fl. where Ed served the last 14 years as a plant manager in pharmaceutical plants.
Fran is a native of Charleston and is a registered nurse, graduating from MUSC. They have two children, Melanie of Charleston and Ed Jr. of Florence. They have five grandchildren.