Dr. Ellen J. Hanckel, 69, of Saluda, passed away on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018, from a fall related to the treatment of colon cancer.

A native of Charleston, South Carolina, she was the daughter of Dr. Richard White and Ruth Farmer Hanckel.

She graduated from Tulane University and earned advanced degrees from Clemson, University of Southern California and the University of the South at Sewanee.  Her doctoral paper at Sewanee focused on one of her passions, improving race relations in the church.

During her 20 years of service as priest, she served Episcopal churches in Columbia, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Martinsville, Virginia. Her final assignment, as a national missionary, took her to South Sudan, where she taught at the seminary based in the capital Juba.

She is survived by her husband, Scott Derks of Saluda, North Carolina; son, Hal Stallworth, of Columbia, South Carolina; stepson, Marshall Derks of Washington D.C.; stepdaughters, Elizabeth Warren of Columbia and Lucia Derks of Asheville, North Carolina; brothers, Ricky Hanckel of Charleston, South Carolina, and Chris Hanckel of Hyde Park, New York; and sister, Judy Middleton of Charleston.

Memorial Services for the Rev. Hanckel will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, at the Church of the Transfiguration in Saluda.

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested. For more information, please refer to mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com/obits.

An online guest register may be signed at mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com.

McFarland Funeral Chapel, Tryon