Alan S. Redrup

Alan Scott Redrup was born on May 22, 1949, in Greenville, SC. He moved to New Orleans when he was ten days old, spending the first two years of his life with his grandparents. Because his father was a fighter pilot in the Air Force, he lived in many different places in his early years. In the first grade he and his family moved to Japan. There was a very high hill behind the base housing they lived in which gave Alan and his brother John hours of enjoyment skiing in the winter and riding their bikes down in the summer. These were very happy years for Alan. From Japan, the family moved to San Antonio, Texas for five years. That is where Alan learned to cliff dive. While he lived there, he dove multiple times off a sixty-five-foot cliff into a pool under Edge Falls. It was there that he also developed a deep and lasting passion for scuba diving, which is an odd thing considering he was in the middle of Texas. Alan’s interest in diving was served exceptionally well when his father was transferred next to Orlando, Florida. He was certified as a scuba diver in the tenth grade within six months of the move. This led to him beginning a journey of deep cave diving throughout Florida. His deepest dive was one-hundred and sixty-five feet down inside a huge underwater cave. He spent many wonderful trips to the Florida Keys enjoying regular diving in the reefs. In 1969 Alan enlisted in the Navy where for four years he was stationed primarily in California. During his tour he traveled to Japan twice and the Philippines once. His tour of duty was during the Vietnam War and he spent some time flying in the war zone. After his discharge in 1973, he met and married the love of his life, Linda Joyce Bailey. Their first year of marriage was a wonderful and unique experience of working a tropical fish farm in Vero Beach, Florida, shipping fish to aquarium stores all over the country. Alan loved playing golf, and driving around the course with Linda riding in the cart by his side. His love for golf began in high school and he was on the golf team at a California Junior College after his time in the Navy. He proudly displayed a trophy he won at the last Bridge Golf Tournament. From the Florida tropical fish farm, they returned to California and lived on the coast in Morrow Bay. During this period of their lives, they both became Christians. Alan felt a call to ministry almost immediately. They returned to Vero Beach in 1975 where Alan his strong call to pastoral ministry was confirmed. Pastoring God’s people remained one of his greatest passions throughout his life. He loved all people and loved to care for them. He led a small home church in Florida for two years. After this time the Lord led them to move to Maryland in 1979, to be a part of what is now Sovereign Grace Churches. There he was an intern pastor for three years. Fourteen people from their home church went with them and for many years considered Alan to be their main pastor. Alan and Linda were blessed to start their family of four children in 1978, Sarah Lynn, Martin Alan (Al), Jeremy Michael and Rebecca Ruth. Alan’s children were always such an important priority for him. He would plan special surprise family days for each week. He took them camping from the age of infancy and shared his love of the outdoors, especially the mountains. He spent hours playing games with them and has continued to be involved in their lives in so many ways to the end. He loved his grandchildren greatly. Just a picture or video of them brightened up his day. Being with his children and grandchildren was one of the greatest joys of his life. He was truly a wonderful, loving husband, father and grandfather. He felt the Lord’s gift of his family completed the fulfillment of his life. Alan has always been a man of laughter, causing others to join in his infectious joy. He felt his family and his church family always increased his joy and love of laughter. In 1984, Alan was a part of a small team of people that moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia to plant Covenant Fellowship Church. Under Bill Patton’s leadership Alan was ordained and helped build the church that continues to thrive nearly 40 years later. He felt this one of the greatest privileges of his life. Alan had a true and loving pastor’s heart. He loved and cared for God’s people as if they were members of his family. Until the church reached about three hundred, Alan and Linda had the whole church to their home for lunch every week after church. This often lasted long past the ordering of pizza for dinner. How he loved including these people he loved into his home. He was still counseling a few people during the last weeks of his life. Alan was honored as a Pastor Emeritus in November of 2022. This designation recognized his decades of faithful service and his continuing value as a minister in the church he helped plant. It was a very special time for Alan and the whole family. Alan is survived by his wife, Linda; their four children: Sarah Lynn Johnston, Al Redrup, Jeremy Redrup and his fiancée Amy Reitenauer, Rebecca Ruth Marr and her husband Walker Marr. They also have six grandchildren: David Johnston, Owen Johnston, Liam Johnston, Kaylee Marr, Caris Marr and Evangeline Marr. He is also survived by his brother, John, and his wife, Leslie; nephew, Jonny Redrup; and niece, Kerry Redrup; as well as cousins, Glen Williams and Wenda Bergeron. His first granddaughter, Elise Hope Johnston, and two other grandchildren, along with his parents and many other loved ones preceded him in heaven and surely welcomed him with many tears of joy. One of the things Alan said most frequently in his last months was how grateful he was for all God had done in his life and how deeply he loved his life, all of it. His prayer was to concentrate each day on all that he had to be grateful for and continue laughing to the end. He achieved these goals, laughing with his grandsons on his final day. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, April 8 at 2:30 pm at Covenant Fellowship Church, One Fellowship Drive, Glen Mills, PA. The invitation is open to everyone, and we hope to see you there. There will be a reception immediately following. Donations in memory of Alan may be made to the Covenant Fellowship Widow’s Fund, Covenant Mercies African Orphans Ministry or flowers or plants sent to the Redrup Home at 1609 Shadybrook Road, Wilmington, DE 19803. For directions or to send an online condolence, visit www.stranofeeley.com

Alan S. Redrup

May 22, 1949 - March 30, 2023

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