Rev. Carston A. Shanklin

Rev. Carston A. Shanklin was born March 21, 1952 to the parents of Alphonso and Cora Leavell Shanklin in Todd County, Kentucky.  He was the sixth child of seven siblings.

Rev. Shanklin graduated from Todd County Central High School in Elkton, Kentucky, where he was an All-Star Basketball player.  He also attended the University of Kentucky and majored in Communications.  His religious trainings included the Louisville Presbyterian Seminary and the Carolina School of Theology.  He was licensed to preach in 1977.

Rev. Shanklin came to Cleveland in April of 2007 as Pastor of Parkwood Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.  Rev. Shanklin had a loving relationship with the ICUA Ushers Association of Cleveland and received several awards.  He also established the Male Chorus in 2013. Rev. Shanklin’s previous assignments were in the state of Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska and Indiana.  He also served as Presiding Elder of the Evansville/Hopkinsville District of the Kentucky Region of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.   He also served faithfully as a delegate of 6 General Conference; Pastor Shanklin also served as Conference Treasurer; Joint Board of Finance; Evangelist; Committee on Ministry; Social Concerns and Conference Trustee.

Rev. Shanklin’s business career extended over 30 years as a Financial and Insurance Consultant in the personal and business markets for the firms of First Investors and MetLife Financial Services. 

Rev. Shanklin has served on many boards including the NAACP; the Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation of Michigan, Kentucky and Nebraska.  He also served as a Member of the Michigan Black Caucus; National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors; Life Underwriters Training Council; the Rotary Club; the Omaha Community Development Council; the Kiwanis Club and numerous Clergy associations and various charitable organizations. 

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Betty L. Shanklin; his parents Alphonso and Cora Shanklin; three brothers James Wallace, Hubert Lee and Cory Shanklin; two sisters Althonia Kirby and Veverly Eldridge.

He leaves to cherish his memory a son Carston D. Shanklin of New Albany, Indiana; two brothers Rev. Alex Shanklin (Beverly) of Louisville, Kentucky and Ford Shanklin (Claudine) of Russellville, Kentucky; one brother in law Rev. William Kirby of Clarksville, Tennessee; a sister in law Shirley Shanklin of Louisville, Kentucky; six aunts; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and The Parkwood C.M.E. Church Family.

Visitation with the Shanklin family will be on Sunday from 3:00 until 6:00 in the Rose Chapel of the Todd County Funeral Home.  Graveside service will be on Monday at 1:00 at the Evergreen Memory Gardens, 5364 Lexington Road, Lexington, Kentucky.

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