Richard Andrew Bindewald

Dr. Richard Andrew Bindewald, Jr., beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, psychologist, minister, veteran, discipleship teacher, and friend, passed from this life on Friday, October 16, 2026, at the age of 77. Richard was born on August 24, 1949, in Greenville, South Carolina, to Richard Andrew Bindewald, Sr. and Jane Simpson Bindewald. The oldest of five children, he grew up alongside his younger siblings, David, Sherry, Helen, and Anne. From an early age, Richard possessed both a remarkable intellect and a deep curiosity about people, faith, and the meaning of a life well lived. He attended Duke University, graduating in 1970 with an undergraduate degree in psychology. He continued his education at Hollins College, where he earned his master’s degree, and later earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. More than his love of learning, he had a deep love of God and Christian ministry. He went on to earn a Doctor of Ministry degree from Christian Life School of Theology and was ordained through White Oak Worship Center. Before and alongside the many ways he served others professionally, Richard also served his country in the United States Army. Gifted with language and intellect, he served as a Russian linguist and was stationed in Germany. He and his family later lived and served as missionaries in Ukraine. Richard devoted much of his professional life to the practice of clinical psychology, serving individuals, couples, and families in the Commonwealth of Virginia. To those who knew him professionally, however, his work was never simply a collection of credentials or titles. He cared deeply about people. He listened. He taught. He counseled. He prayed. He sought to understand suffering and to help people find a way through it. His professional life reflected something much deeper about his character: Richard was a servant. On December 31, 1988, Richard married Susan Parcell Bindewald. Their marriage became one of the great commitments of his life. Together they built a family and shared nearly 38 years of marriage. Richard was the proud father of two children: Richard “Andrew” Bindewald, III of Allen, Texas, and Michaela Jael Bindewald of Plano, Texas. Andrew is married to Mayra Benitez Bindewald, and together they are the parents of Richard’s beloved grandson, Nathan Andrew Bindewald. Becoming “Papa” added a particularly sweet chapter to Richard’s life. Nathan carried not only the family name but represented something Richard treasured deeply: another generation to love, bless, pray for, and entrust to God. Richard is survived by his beloved wife, Susan Parcell Bindewald; his son, Richard “Andrew” Bindewald III and wife, Mayra; his daughter, Michaela Jael Bindewald; Cheri Pucket; and his grandson, Nathan Andrew Bindewald. He is also survived by all four of his younger siblings: David Bindewald and his wife, Barbara, parents of David and Erin Bindewald; Sherry Hasty Bindewald and her husband, Butch Hasty, parents of Claire Hasty; Helen Needham Bryant and her husband, Randy Bryant; and Anne Bindewald Fuller and her husband, Jerry Fuller; as well as his extended family and the many friends, colleagues, patients, and others whose lives intersected with his own. Those who loved Richard knew him as extraordinarily intelligent, but intelligence alone does not explain the man he was. He was loving and kind. He was thoughtful and curious. He was a psychologist by profession and a servant by nature. He loved God, his wife, his children and grandson, his family, his friends, and the people God placed in his path. Richard's Christian faith was not simply one interest among many. It was the framework through which he sought to understand his life, his vocation, his relationships, and ultimately his suffering. His life verse was Romans 8:28:“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” — Romans 8:28 (ESV)Those words became especially meaningful during the final years of Richard’s earthly life. His last several years were marked by significant pain and suffering. Those who loved him watched him endure things they desperately wished they could take away. Yet suffering does not have the final word in Richard’s story. Neither does illness. Neither does pain. Neither does death. For Richard belonged to Jesus Christ. The Christian hope Richard professed throughout his life is the hope his family now holds onto in his death: that the God who was faithful to him in life remained faithful to him through death, and that Richard is now beyond the reach of the suffering that marked his final years. The family therefore grieves deeply, but not without hope. We grieve because Richard was deeply loved and because his absence is real. We will miss his voice, his intellect, his humor, his counsel, his presence, his prayers, and simply knowing that Dad was there. Yet even in grief, we give thanks to God for the 77 years of life we were given with him. And we celebrate. We celebrate a son and brother. We celebrate a United States Army veteran. We celebrate a psychologist who devoted his mind and career to understanding and helping others. We celebrate a minister who loved the Word of God. We celebrate a husband who loved Susan. We celebrate a father who loved Andrew and Michaela. We celebrate a grandfather who loved Nathan. Most of all, we celebrate a man who trusted in a Savior greater than himself. If Richard could leave one final message with those reading these words, his family believes it would not primarily be about his academic degrees, professional accomplishments, military service, or even the many people he helped. He would point beyond himself. He would want you to know that God is faithful. He would want you to know that suffering does not mean that God has abandoned you. He would want you to know that grace is real. And he would want you to know Jesus Christ. If you do not know the God Richard loved and served, consider this his final invitation: come and know Him. Not because life will always be easy or because faith removes suffering—Richard's own life testified otherwise—but because God remains faithful even in suffering, His grace is sufficient even when our strength fails, and in Jesus Christ, death does not have the final word. Richard spent his life studying the human mind, caring for the human soul, serving his country, loving his family, and seeking after God. Now his striving is finished. His suffering is finished. And his family entrusts him into the hands of the faithful and loving God whom he trusted throughout his life. Well done, Dad. You were deeply loved. You will be deeply missed. And until we see you again, we thank God for the gift of your life. Memorial services will be held at NORRIS Funeral Home, Mt. Hermon Chapel, (3995 Franklin Tnpk., Danville, VA 24540) 3:00 p.m. Friday, October 23, 2026. His family will receive friends following the service. Arrangements by Flora Funeral Service and Cremation Center, Rocky Mount.