Jack Archer, 92, of Mount Vernon, Ohio, passed away on 18 December 2024. He was a retired district superintendent who led the North Central Ohio District from 1987 to 2000. He also served as a minister in Ohio and West Virginia. 

Jack was born 5 March 1932 in Brazil, Indiana. He was the second of three sons. At age 9, his family life transformed when his mother was ill and not expected to survive. A Nazarene pastor came to pray with their family. By her bedside, Jack's father made a promise that if God healed his wife, he would live for and serve God for the rest of his life. 

His mother soon recovered, and his father kept his promise, becoming a devoted Christian and serving God through the Nazarene church for the rest of his life. Jack would often say his father was his hero.

After high school, Jack attended Trevecca Nazarene College (now University) in Nashville, Tennessee. He sang in the Evangelaires men's quartet, traveling across the southeastern United States. In that quartet was another young man who was to become a lifelong friend, Bill Bridges. Two other major events occurred at Trevecca: 1) Jack felt the call of God to become a pastor, kneeling by his dormitory cot one night to accept the call, and 2) he met the love of his life, Rachel Rushing, whom he married in December of 1952.

Shortly after marriage, Jack and Rachel moved to Parsons, West Virginia, to start a new Nazarene church. They lived in a hunting shack, and the church held services in a barn. A year later, their oldest daughter, Jacki, was born. In the ensuing years, Jack pastored in Elkins, West Virginia; Huntington, West Virginia (where their younger daughter Terri was born); Springfield, Ohio; and Mount Vernon, Ohio. He was honored to pastor Mount Vernon First Church of the Nazarene for 18 years. 

He was then elected superintendent of the North Central Ohio District, where he served 13 years until retirement. During his ministry years, he also served as the youth ministry president for the West Virginia District and was a member of the North Central Ohio District Board, the General Board, and Mount Vernon Nazarene University Board of Trustees as vice president. Jack completed his bachelor's degree at Marshall University (WV) and later received an honorary doctorate from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. In his spare time, he loved to vacation, read, and play golf.

Archer was completely dedicated to his calling. He loved his parishioners, his churches, and the communities in which he served. He was on call 24/7 for any need that arose. The gospel he preached and the love he and Rachel showed to the respective communities resulted in a significant increase in size in every church he pastored. 

The North Central Ohio District thrived under his leadership, where he viewed his role as "pastor to the pastors." Over the course of his years of service, he ministered to and touched the lives of thousands of people, striving to be "a man after God's own heart." 

Jack was preceded in death by his wife, Rachel Archer, who passed away in 2022. He is survived by his daughters, Jacki Rutherford and Terry Tackett; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, 1 February 2025, at 11 a.m. at Mt. Vernon First Church of the Nazarene, 807 Coshocton Avenue, Mt. Vernon, Ohio. All are welcome.