Rev. Thomas E. Liggins

Thomas Elmer Liggins was born on November 10, 1935 in Wolfdale, Pennsylvania to the late Edward S. and Eura Maxine Patterson Liggins. His Sunday evening birth may have been a prophetic indication of his life’s dedication to Christian ministry. He spent his childhood as an active member of St. Paul AME Church in Washington, PA. He received his call to ministry at the young age of 15 at Payne Chapel AME Church in nearby Canonsburg. On January 28, 1951, Rev. Liggins was licensed to preach under the leadership of Rev. Solomon M. Cooper. Three years later, he was ordained an Itinerate Deacon in the African Methodist Episcopal Church by Bishop A. J. Allen. Rev. Liggins earned a dual undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University and Syracuse University in New York. He attained a Master of Divinity Degree from Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio. His post-graduate studies continued at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut. While attending OSU, Rev. Liggins joined Bethel AME Church in Columbus, Ohio – under the leadership of Rev. Robert H. Reid, Jr. In full circle, his youngest son Timothy, currently serves that congregation as pastor. In 1955, Bishop A. J. Allen appointed Rev. Liggins to his first pastoral assignment at St. Paul AME in Westerville, OH. Over the next 34 years, he faithfully led congregations at St. John AME in Worthington, Ohio; Allen Chapel AME in Marysville, Ohio; Zion AME in Delaware, Ohio; Quinn Memorial in Steubenville, Ohio and St. Paul AME in Columbus, Ohio. Under his leadership, those congregations blossomed in church growth, community impact and capital development. Rev. Liggins oversaw several expansion projects, integrated his congregations, repaired church facilities and initiated community programs including a prison ministry with Scioto Village Reformatory for Girls. Rev. Liggins’ ministry took a transformational leap in 1989 when Bishop Richard Allen Hildebrand appointed him as Presiding Elder of the Columbus District of the Ohio Conference. Then in 1995, Bishop Henry Allen Belin, Jr. appointed him as Presiding Elder of the Dayton District of the South Ohio Conference. In 1999, Rev. Liggins took on the tremendous responsibility of serving both the Columbus and Springfield/Xenia Districts. He led both dutifully until 2002. During his tenure as Presiding Elder, Rev. Liggins mentored and guided many licentiates as they embarked upon their ministerial journeys. In 2003, Rev. Liggins stepped down from his role as Presiding Elder due to health concerns. Yet, he refused to allow those challenges to thwart his service to Christ. He was appointed Administrative Assistant to Bishop Robert Vaughn Webster, a position he held until his retirement in 2008. In addition to his roles as pastor and Presiding Elder, Rev. Liggins always stayed “on the go”. He traveled the Third Episcopal District as lecturer for the series of Annual Conferences. He also served as an adjunct professor of AME Doctrine and Polity at Payne Theological Seminary, and as a member of its Interim Administrative Team during the seminary’s search for a new president. He adeptly served as accountant and treasurer for the Third Episcopal District for 28 years, from 1980 to 2008. Rev. Liggins not only served the Kingdom of God through ministry, but also through civic leadership. He was treasurer and vice-president of the Ohio Council of Churches; Protestant Chaplin at the Marysville Reformatory for Women; President of the Steubenville Branch of the NAACP, and chaplain for the State of Ohio NAACP. He even produced and hosted a weekly talk show in Steubenville titled The Problem Is. For over 30 years, Rev. Liggins served as administrator for the Helen Evans Apartments in Marysville, Ohio. On October 19, 2019, the complex named its library in his honor. His attendance at that ceremony would be his last public outing. Rev. Liggins proudly served as a deputy sheriff in both Jefferson and Franklin Counties. During that same era, he owned and operated Liggins and Associates Security and Private Investigation Company in Columbus, Ohio. Over the course of his life in ministry and dedicated service, Rev. Liggins was awarded several honorary degrees: An honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Union Baptist College and Theological Seminary in 1974, an honorary Doctor of Divinity from B. F. Lee Theological Seminary of Edward Waters College in 1976, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the College of West Africa in Monrovia, Liberia in 1984. Rev. Liggins was a die-hard Steelers and Buckeyes fan and passionately cheered on both teams with great affinity. Rev. Liggins leaves to cherish his memory: his loving and devoted wife of 26 years, LaDonna Moore Liggins; five accomplished and talented children: Thomas Edward (Fran) Liggins of Savannah, GA, Theresa Elaine Liggins, Terri Eileen Liggins, Toni Eljean (Wallace) Woods and Timothy Eugene Liggins, all of Columbus, Ohio. He is also survived by his former wife and mother of his children, Mary Liggins-Goodrich. He will forever be loved and remembered by 12 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren; two brothers: Edward (Leavenworth, KS) and Damon (Clarksville, TN); one sister, Juanita (Charlotte, NC); one special sister-in-law Mary Kay Moore; a “bonus” daughter, Valencia Wicker; several close cousins and a host of extended family members.