Woodside Road Pastor Dies at 54

Redwood City -- January 17, 2007

Candace Cessna, the pastor at Woodside Road UMC in Redwood City since July 1, died late in the afternoon of January 16, 2007, at Kaiser Hospital in Redwood City of complications from pneumonia.

A memorial service will be held at Lake Merritt UMC in Oakland, where she interned, on Sunday, January 28, at 4 p.m. District Superintendent Jane Schlager and the Rev. Mary Elyn Bahlert will preside. Rev. Schlager will preach at Woodside Road this Sunday.

Rev. Cessna is survived by a daughter, Amy Benton, and a son, Chad Norris, who were at her side at the time of death. and also by a brother Steve and mother Opal. Rev. Cessna was 54 years old -- born Oct. 26, 1952 in Pennsylvania. She went into the hospital early this month and was doing better until last Friday, when oxygen deprivation caused her kidneys and other organs to fail. She was taken off life support.

Rev. Cessna was a certified educational psychologist with a Ph.D as well as an M.Div. She recently wrote, "I have a strong call to proclaim the Word as a preacher and teacher. The time I spend each week studying and writing my sermons is holy time for me."

She said she liked walking barefoot on the beach, and tried to do it often: "It is quite easy for me to focus on doing activities. It is much more difficult for me to simply be...When I walk on wet sand and feel the sun on my back and delight in the salty breeze, I am with God and I am at peace. Responsibilities and pressing deadlines and cares float off to sea! I leave that sacred ground with renewed energy and a spirit of joy!"

Rev. Cessna was the pastor at Philo UMC and Anderson Valley UMC in Boonville in the three years prior to last July 1.

Memorial donations can be sent to the American Lung Association, 1900 Powell Street #800, Emeryville CA 94608.

Rev. Cessna was the third pastor on the Golden Gate District to die while active in one of the Golden Gate District churches since Schlager has been district superintendent. Carol Youngbird-Holt of Round Valley UMC and 'Ana Tiueti of Hamilton UMC in San Francisco both died in 2003.