The Rt. Rev. Jack Leo Iker, SSC, DD
The Rt. Rev. Jack Leo Iker was consecrated Bishop of Fort Worth on April 24, 1993. He succeeded The Rt. Rev. Clarence C. Pope, Jr., as the Third Bishop of Fort Worth on January 1, 1995. His ordinations as deacon and as priest took place in 1974 in the Diocese of Southern Ohio.
Bishop Iker was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on August 31, 1949. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree with high honors from the University of Cincinnati in 1971 and his Master of Divinity from The General Theological Seminary in New York City in 1974. Following a two-year curacy at St. George’s Church in Dayton, Ohio, he joined the clergy staff as an assistant at The Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota, Florida, where, after two and a half years, he was elected Rector in 1978. He served in this position for 15 years until his election to the episcopate in October of 1992.
Bishop Iker held a number of leadership positions in the Diocese of Southwest Florida, including three terms as President of the Standing Committee and service as a Deputy to three General Conventions – 1985, 1988, and 1991. He was a member of the Board of Trustees at Nashotah House Seminary in Wisconsin, the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and the All Saints’ Health Foundation in Fort Worth, Texas.
During his parish ministry, he was active in a variety of community ministries on many different levels. Bishop Iker served as the founding president of Resurrection House (a center for ministry to the homeless) and was co-founder of the Caritas Ministry (an ecumenical program providing food and financial assistance to those in need). His service on many boards included the YMCA, the First Step Alcoholism Treatment Center, and the Safe Place Rape Crisis Center in Sarasota.
Married to Donna Marie Bowling in 1968, they have three daughters, five grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.
The Bishop has been awarded honorary Doctor of Divinity Degrees from Nashotah House, the University of the South, and the General Theological Seminary. He was one of the four founding bishops of the Anglican Communion Network and was a member of the Board of Directors of the American Anglican Council.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, October 10, at St. Vincent Cathedral, 1300 Forest Ridge Dr, Bedford, TX 76022 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Requiem Mass for the Bishop will be Friday, October 11, at 2:00 p.m. at the Cathedral.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Anglican Diocese of Fort Worth, 2900 Alemeda Street, Fort Worth, TX 76108.