Reverend Dr. Kevin Arthur Wardlaw, PhD

Reverend Dr. Kevin Arthur Wardlaw, PhD, beloved husband, father, brother, pastor, chaplain, teacher, and friend, entered eternal rest on December 5, 2025, after a courageous and faith-filled journey with ALS. He faced his illness with the same grace, honesty, and spiritual depth that shaped his life and ministry, trusting fully in the God who had shepherded him from childhood and now welcomed him home.

Kevin was born on April 29, 1958, in Queens, New York, one of five children born to William R. Wardlaw and Marie Gellineau Wardlaw. He was a twin—an identity that shaped him profoundly—and he cherished a lifelong bond with his brother Ken. Raised in a loving and lively family, Kevin learned early the values of compassion, curiosity, humor, and perseverance. Those values remained with him throughout his life and became the bedrock of his life and ministry.

Kevin’s calling to ministry unfolded gradually but unmistakably. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and later completed a Master of Arts in Theology from Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. His hunger for deeper understanding led him to Claremont School of Theology, where he earned both a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Philosophy in Practical Theology. His doctoral work explored the profound spiritual experiences that unfold at the end of life—research that would shape his pastoral identity for decades to come.

He was ordained an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where he served congregations with humility, scholarship, and joy. Yet it was in the ministry of chaplaincy—particularly hospice chaplaincy—where Kevin discovered the heart of his vocation. For seventeen years, he served as a hospice chaplain in Tampa Bay, becoming a trusted presence at thousands of bedsides. With gentleness, humor, and deep reverence for the “personhood” of those in his care, Kevin shepherded more than 100,000 persons as they journeyed from this life into the next. He often said that his ministry was not about answers but about presence: listening, honoring, blessing, and creating space for God to speak in the silence.

Kevin was also a gifted teacher, playwright, and storyteller. He taught courses in ethics, theology, and pastoral care; wrote plays exploring faith and human frailty; and mentored countless students, colleagues, and chaplains. His ministry extended beyond words—into music, laughter, shared meals, quiet prayers, and the sacred work of simply sitting beside someone who was afraid, lonely, or ready to let go.

His final year brought unexpected suffering through the progression of ALS, yet Kevin continued to radiate faith, gratitude, humor, and hope. He met each loss with remarkable courage, surrounded by the love and devotion of his wife, Nevada, who cared for him faithfully and tenderly. Their marriage was a witness to steadfast love, partnership, and grace.

Kevin is preceded in death by his parents, William and Marie Wardlaw, and by his sister Sabira (Patricia). He leaves to cherish his memory his devoted wife Nevada; his daughters Jennifer and Jocelyn, and their mother Kim; his granddaughter Georgia Rose; his twin brother Ken and his wife Debbie; his brother William and his wife Dr. Rosemarie Newman, MD; his brother Charles and his wife Sonia Jaipaul; eight nephews—Kweku, Kwame, Trevor, Harrison, Kenny, Ariel, Shakir, and Akin; eight nieces—Tracie, Afua, Abena, Muslima, Adzua, Katie, Rana, and Aurora; and a host of grand-nieces, grand-nephews, cousins, extended family, colleagues, and the many lives he touched through his compassionate ministry.

Reverend Dr. Kevin Arthur Wardlaw lived a life of faithfulness, scholarship, humor, and deep compassion. He walked gently with the dying, uplifted the weary, comforted the grieving, and reminded all he met of the steadfast love of God. Though he has laid down his earthly burdens, the light he carried remains—within his family, his church, his colleagues, and the countless souls he shepherded with grace.

“Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

A visitation will be held on Saturday, December 13^th from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, followed by a service at 11:00 am.  Both will take place at the Historic Bethel AME Church, 912 3^rd Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33705.