Dr. William Michael Comfort

“A Fighter, a Soul Winner, a Coach, and a Champion” The Reverend Dr. William Michael Comfort, age 77, fought the good fight, finished his race, and passed from this life into his reward on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at Easton Memorial Hospital after battling multiple myeloma for two years. William “Billy” Comfort was born on September 5, 1934 (Labor Day) in Brooklyn, New York to Bill Comfort and Beatrice Canazzaro Comfort. His siblings were Eleanor, Ronald “Ronny” and Constance “Connie”. His father, Bill Comfort, was a champion boxer, who trained with Rocky Marciano, and held a winning record in over 90 fights at Madison Square Garden. Billy had to learn the family trade as a fighter too, growing up on the mean streets of Brooklyn in the 1940’s. While there, he was raised as a Roman Catholic. His parents divorced and his father remarried a strong, demanding woman, Roxie Comfort, and the family moved to Asheville, North Carolina. In Asheville, Billy had an idyllic youth, growing up close to his brother Ronny, singing on the radio with the Blue Ridge Boys, shining shoes and selling newspapers. In 1951, at age 17, Billy joined the United States Air Force and was stationed at Tyndale Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida. Following in his father’s footsteps, he joined the base boxing team. While in the Air Force, Billy had a dramatic conversion to Christianity at an open air church service. After serving in the Air Force, he entered Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina and became an ordained minister. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in 1958 and entered full-time Christian ministry in San Antonio, Texas at the Christian Serviceman’s Center, working primarily with servicemen. While in college he learned Greek and became fascinated with the language, translating the Greek New Testament many times. He then moved to Norfolk, Virginia and helped open the Christian Serviceman’s Center there. On February 5, 1960 he married Emma Shirley Comfort of Elmira, New York and they welcomed a baby boy, Derrick Mark later that year. At age 28 he received the call to pastor his first church in Chesapeake, Virginia. He ministered there at Victory Baptist Church for over six years, often working 80 hours a week. While there Billy and his wife were blessed with a second child, Paul William. His next assignment came at the large Alexander Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Virginia where he served as Associate Pastor. There he grew the Sunday School enrollment by nearly 400 souls. In 1971 he received a call to pastor a new church, Kettering Baptist Church in Largo, Maryland. Starting with only 22 members, the church quickly grew to 150 members and built a brand new building. In 1974, he received a call to pastor the historic Eastport Baptist Church in Annapolis, Maryland. While there he earned his first Master of Arts Degree in Biblical Studies from Capital Bible Seminary in Lanham, Maryland and started an Extension School of Washington Bible College at the church. In 1977 Reverend Comfort left the Baptist denomination, after serving for fourteen years as a minister, and became part of the non-denominational New Covenant Churches. He started New Hope Christian Fellowship on Kent Island with four other families and later moved to the Shirey farm in Centreville. The church grew and was renamed New Covenant Church (Eastern Shore), bought a building and grounds in Queenstown, and started a K-12 Christian Academy. While there Reverend Comfort started the New Life Bible Institute, offering religious education courses for 15 churches. In 1986 Reverend Comfort became a regular columnist for the Record Observer/Bay Times and Banner Newspapers with a column entitled “The Bible Says”. He was appointed by the governor to the Queen Anne’s County Commission on Aging from 1985-1989 and served as Chairman. In 1985 he was awarded a Master of Letters Degree from Oxford Graduate School and later in 1986 he earned his Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the same institution with studies at Oxford University in England. In 1990 he was appointed to the Queenstown Planning Commission and served a three-year term. In 1999 he earned a Doctor of Naturopathy from Clayton College of Natural Health. In 2007 William Comfort received his third Doctorate degree in Sacred Letters from St. Alcuin House Seminary. In 2011 Dr. Comfort’s autobiography, A Fighter and a Champion, was published by Anointed Rose Press. The New Life Bible Institute became the New Covenant Christian College and in 1989 the Maryland Higher Education Commission certified the College as a religious degree granting institution. In 1993, after serving as a pastor for 21 years, Dr. Comfort resigned the pastorate at New Covenant Church to become the full time President of the newly named Chesapeake Bible College & Seminary. For the next 18 years Dr. Comfort worked tirelessly to build the college and offer religious education to thousands of students and scores of affiliated Schools of Ministry and Distance Learning Centers throughout the world. His wife, Dr. Shirley Comfort, will succeed him as President. Rev. Ed Connatser will become Executive Vice-President. Dr. William Comfort is survived by his wife of 51 years, E. Shirley Comfort, his son Derrick and daughter-in-law Catherine with their eight children of Hillsboro, Maryland and his son Paul and daughter-in-law Lisa with their six children of Charlotte Hall, Maryland as well as his brother Dr. Ron Comfort of Shelby, North Carolina and sister Connie Caggia of Long Island, New York. His Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 28, 2011, at New Covenant Church, 365 Jones Station Road, Arnold, Maryland. Visitation is available at 10:00 a.m. His internment will be in Maryland Veterans Cemetery, 6827 East New Market Ellwood Road, Hurlock, Maryland on Thursday, December 29 at a time yet to be determined. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. William Michael Comfort Memorial Fund at Chesapeake Bible College & Seminary at 14671 Fox Chase Circle, Ridgely, MD 21660 or through www.chesapeakebiblecollege.org to further the ministry in which he invested his life. Arrangements are by the Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, P.A., Centreville, MD.

Dr. William Michael Comfort

September 5, 1934 - December 21, 2011