Vestry
Washington (Wash) Dender, Senior Warden
Wash is originally from Etowah, Tennessee, and after retiring from a career as Global head of Human Resources and Strategy for Invesco, has now happily made Savannah home. Prior to serving at Invesco, he held positions in the Strategy, Marketing and Human Resources departments for over 20 years with SunTrust Bank, Inc. He holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from The Harvard Business School as well an undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Tennessee. Raised in the United Methodist Church, Wash joined the Episcopal church following college and has been an active member of various congregations for almost forty years. He currently serves on the board of Emmaus House and participated on the recent search committee for the Director of Music at Christ Church.
Paul H. Threlkeld, Junior Warden
Paul grew up in Vidalia at the Church of the Annunciation. Paul earned both his bachelor’s and law degree from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Ansley, met while in law school in Athens. Paul has practiced law for 21 years and is a partner with the Savannah firm Oliver Maner LLP where his practice focuses on representing people, business, local and state governments in all types of disputes. He is also the outside general counsel to the Georgia Ports Authority. Paul also teaches a seminar class at the University of Georgia School of Law on representing state authorities. Paul and Ansley have three children: Hughes, a sophomore and golf team member at the University of North Georgia; Ella Bankes, a senior at St. Vincent’s Academy; and Hamp, a freshman at Benedictine. Paul serves as a lay reader and tour guide at Christ Church.
Catherine Gussler, Assistant Treasurer
Catherine was baptized, confirmed, and married in Christ Church. Catherine received her B.S. and M.Ed from Vanderbilt University. She has served on the vestry and is a former Treasurer of the parish. She serves on the flower guild and has served as a lector and Sunday School teacher. She and her husband Joe have two grown children, Walker and Caroline. Catherine has previously worked in education, development and as a C.P.A.
Lindsey A. Eberle, Clerk of the Vestry
Lindsey was raised in the Lutheran Church on Camano Island, Washington. After graduating from California Lutheran University, Lindsey moved to Huntsville, Alabama where she met her husband, Cole. After two cross-country moves, Cole and Lindsey settled in Pooler in 2015 where they soon found Christ Church. Inspired by the Episcopalian celebration of God’s beauty and love, they have found a church home to raise their two children, Owen (9) and Lauren (8). You will often spot Owen and Lauren serving as ushers and acolytes, and Lauren also sings as a Christ Church chorister.
Stephen R. Rilee, Treasurer
Stephen moved to Savannah from Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2018. Drawn to the liturgy and message of God’s grace, he and his wife, Claire, joined the Episcopal Church in 2011. They have three sons, Robb, Grant, and John. The Rilees enjoy Christ Church’s children’s programs. Stephen works for a family business, attended the University of Georgia, and has an MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill. He was previously on the vestry of Christ Church Charlottesville.
Patton Dugas
Patton was born outside Dayton, Ohio, and moved around Air Force bases until his family settled in the Macon, Georgia, area. Patton earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Georgia Southern. He is the Savannah Market President for Truist. He and Mary have two children, Liv and Mollie. They moved to Savannah in 2007 to be near Mary’s family and begin raising their own.
William (Will) C. Gruver
Will is a native of Savannah and has spent most of his life here. He holds a BBA in Real Estate from The University of Georgia as well as a Master of Accountancy from Georgia Southern. He grew up as a member of St. Michael and All Angels on Washington Avenue, although he spent many Sundays in the Christ Church balcony and was very active with the EYC going on ski trips as well as mission trips to such great places as West Virginia.
Rosemary W. Mackey
Rosemary has been a life-long Episcopalian as the daughter of a Church of England priest. Born in London, and trained as a nurse, she specialized in pediatric oncology at Sloan-Kettering Institute in New York. There she attended St. Thomas Church on 5th Avenue where she met and married Donald Mackey. The opportunities that Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center afforded her resulted in a career in cancer research, clinical care, and administration. After being widowed when her children were young, in 1984, she married her current husband, Irv Krakoff, who was then serving as the Chair of Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. When Irv retired, they created a healthcare consulting company developing cancer center programs for major medical centers in the US, Scotland, and Mexico City. Wherever they were living, Rosemary belonged to an Anglican church and served on several vestries. In addition to Catharine and Claire Mackey, their extended family includes Irv’s children, Peter, Chip and Nellie and 11 grandchildren. Rosemary has a BA in economics and business administration from Fordham University in New York and an MBA from the University of Houston Business School.
Paul D. Reddick
Paul is a native Georgian, born in Screven County. He holds an MBA in Finance from Georgia State University. In 1985 he was recruited by BBN Corporation, a Cambridge Massachusetts technology company. In 1993 Paul and the management team arranged a buyout by Loral Corporation, a $9 b New York company. Paul was involved in merger and acquisition work for Loral. In 1996 he took a job as CFO of Lawrence Pumps Inc., a company designing and manufacturing specialty pumps for difficult industrial applications. Paul engineered a financial turnaround of the company, and purchased the business, building it to $50m in revenues and 150 employees. He sold the business in 2014 and returned to Georgia, where he lives on Skidaway Island. Paul spent a number of years exploring different religions in search of answers. In 2019 he found his spiritual home at Christ Church, where he has served as an usher, a Lay Eucharist Minister, and a member of the Finance Committee. Paul is married to the former Sherri Siegel of Wantagh New York. The couple have two children, Erin Kirby of Chapaqua NY and Ian of Savannah. They have two grandchildren, James Paul Kirby ("Jamie") and Madeline Claire Kirby ("Mattie").
Sarah B. Smith
Sarah grew up in Atlanta, GA and is the daughter of a Jewish father and Christian mother. She spent her early years only celebrating the two faith’s major holidays (read: Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, Easter, and Christmas). She was baptized at age 9 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Later, her father was also baptized, and they were confirmed together. He joined the vestry and she found a second home in the church youth group. Sarah and her husband Solomon moved to Savannah in 2010 to be close to Georgia Southern where Solomon is a history professor. Sarah is the Director of University Engagement at SCAD. Sarah and Solomon have two daughters, Abigail and Nora, who love Christ Church as much as their mother. Sarah loves art, travel, food and meeting interesting people.
Polly C. Webster
Polly is a cradle Episcopalian who was born and grew up in Philadelphia, attending St. Martin in The Fields and St. Thomas Church Whitemarsh. Polly and her husband Henry moved to Savannah in 2003 and now live downtown. She is active in the Flower Guild and as an usher. Polly worked for Aon Risk Services in both account service and finance for 40+ years, retiring in 2022. She and Henry have two daughters and four grandchildren.
Susan H. Wetmore
Susan was born in Florida; however, the family quickly relocated to Texas, where she was raised. Baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church, she is a cradle-to-grave Episcopalian. She received her BA from the University of Texas at Austin. She moved to Savannah in 2013 with Gulfstream Aerospace and quickly found a home at Christ Church. She met Charlie in Savannah, with one of their first dates being a Sunday morning service. They married at Christ Church on October 1, 2016. Susan serves as a lead usher and a lay reader. She is in management with the completion and delivery group at Gulfstream, with a career in aviation focused on sales and project management. She is on the board of the Historic Bluffton Foundation, and she and Charlie are involved in many aspects of the Bluffton community. By marriage, Susan has two grandchildren, Emily and Greyson, who happily relocated to Charleston recently. Susan’s mother, Pat Harrison, made a permanent move to the area in 2020 and transferred her membership from their home church in Texas to Christ Church.
Elizabeth (Liz) Lientz Macfadyen
Liz grew up in Savannah, Georgia attending both First Presbyterian and Isle of Hope Methodist Churches. Liz attended Vanderbilt University, studying Human and Organizational Development/Business with a Minor in French. Simon and Liz met while Liz was working in Washington DC and were married in Savannah in 2004. While living in London for 15 years, Liz and Simon had their 3 daughters, Mollie, Maggie, and Tillie. During these years, she worked for three successful MedTech startups as an early start employee. The family returned to Liz’s beloved Savannah and Christ Church during Covid. Liz is active on the St. Josephs/Candler Foundations Board, the board of US Friends of Able Child Africa, and as an officer for SCDS Arts Alliance.
Richard (Rich) C. Nelson
Rich Nelson was raised and educated in Massachusetts. After law school, he prosecuted homicide cases as an Assistant District Attorney in New York City and then as an Assistant Attorney General in New Hampshire. Later, in private practice, he represented professionals such as attorneys, engineers and accountants in malpractice cases and contract disputes. For 24 years, he served as his firm’s Managing Partner. Rich, and his wife Meg, moved to Savannah when they retired. They have three adult children.
