31 Mar Obit: Irene Thomas

Irene J. (Petrie) Thomas, 89, passed away on March 14, 2017. She was the wife of former Michigan pastor Earl Thomas. The funeral was held March 18 in Fishers, Ind.

28 Feb Death of Pastor Michael Soltis’s Father

Michael Soltis, pastor of Bridge Fellowship, a United Brethren church in Bowling Green, Ohio, is mourning the death of his father. Edward Soltis passed away February 28, 2017, in Erie, Pa. The full obituary is here.

The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. on March 3 in Greenville, Pa.

Cards can be sent to Pastor Soltis at: 317 N Tarr St., Baltimore, OH 45872.

24 Feb Obit: Rose Lehner

Rose May Lehner passed away February 21, 2017, in Caro, Mich. She was 98 years old. Rose and her husband, Rev. Paul Lehner, served 36 years in ministry. From 1947-1954, they were missionaries at the Laurel Mission in Big Laurel, Kent. They then pastored United Brethren churches in Michigan Conference until Paul retired in 1983. Paul passed away in 1991.

In her retirement years, Rose continued her commitment to service by delivering meals for the Human Development Commission and volunteering for the Commission on Aging. She wrote two books and enjoyed painting China to be sold at craft shows around the state. Rose remained active at the Colwood Church as a Sunday school teacher and funeral meal cook, and was a member of the Women’s Missionary Association. She will be remembered for her kind and generous heart in a lifetime spent caring for others.

Viewing Date: 3-7pm Sunday, February 26, 2017.
Viewing Location: Ransford Collon Funeral Home, 205 W Sherman St, Caro, MI 48723
Funeral Date: 11am Monday, February 27, 2017. Viewing one hour beforehand.
Funeral Location: Colwood UB church, 1840 Colwood Rd, Caro, MI 48723

23 Jan Obit: Ruth Evelyn Baker, UB Missionary and First Lady of HU

Left: Evelyn Baker with her children (l-r) Joyce, Ron, and Annette.

Ruth Evelyn Baker passed away on Friday, January 20, 2017, in Huntington, Ind. She was 98 years old. Evelyn and her husband of 57 years, DeWitt, served 26 years as missionaries in Sierra Leone, 1949-1965. Evelyn then became the First Lady of Huntington College, while DeWitt served as president 1965-1981.

Visitation: 6-8 pm Friday, January 27, 2017.
Visitation location: Deal-Rice Funeral Home–Huntington Chapel, 338 E. Washington St., Huntington, IN 46750.
Funeral: 10:30 am Saturday, January 28, 2017. Visitation one hour preceding.
Funeral location: College Park UB church, Huntington, Ind.

Evelyn graduated from Huntington College with an elementary education teaching certificate, and then taught first grade in Wren, Ohio. She and DeWitt were married August 16, 1942, while he was serving as a Navy pilot during World War 2.

They moved to Sierra Leone in 1949 with sons Ron and Norman. They were first stationed at Bonthe, where Evelyn was the head matron at Minnie Mull Girls’ School. They were later stationed in Gbangbaia, then Mattru, and later Bumpe. While in Mattru, eight-year-old Norman was killed in a boat accident during a school excursion. Daughters Joyce and Annette were born during their years in Africa.

DeWitt was elected president of Huntington College in 1965, and they both spent the rest of their years in Huntington. DeWitt passed away in 2000. Evelyn was a member of College Park UB church. She played the piano for Rotary Club and at local nursing homes, was an avid bird watcher, and loyally supported Huntington University basketball.

Evelyn is survived by son Ron (Berrien Springs, Mich.), daughter Joyce Hewitt (Brazil, Ind.), and daughter Annette Shepherdson (Longwood, Fla.). There are ten grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

Preferred memorials are to Huntington University or United Brethren in Christ Global Missions, designated to Mattru Hospital. Contributions can be sent c/o Deal-Rice Funeral Home, 338 E. Washington St., Huntington, IN 46750.

26 Jul Death of Pastor Craig Loewen’s Mother

Lois Marie Loewen, 88, passed away July 23, 2016. She was the mother of Rev. Craig Loewen (right), pastor of the Heidlersburg and Mt. Olivet UB churches in Pennsylvania. She and her husband of almost 70 years, Rev. John Loewen, who survives, served 32 years in ministry with the United Methodist Church. (Read full obituary)

A memorial service will be held 10 am on Saturday, July 30, 2016, at the Fogelsanger-Bricker Funeral Home, Shippensburg, Pa.

Condolences can be sent to:

Pastor Craig A. Loewen
2725 Heidlersburg Road
Gettysburg, PA 17325-7618

17 Jun Death of Dale Haupert

Dale and Elaine Haupert

Dale Haupert passed away June 17, 2016. A member of Emmanuel UB church (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Dale was a faithful and generous churchman. He was serving as chairman of the denominational Investment Committee, and was a longtime member of the Huntington University Board of Trustees. The new agricultural program was named after Dale and his wife, Elaine, who provided the lead gift–the Haupert Institute for Agricultural Studies.

Wrote Bishop Todd Fetters, “I for one am grateful for the legacy of generosity and faith that he leaves. He certainly lived out the value of one who trusted God more.”

31 May Death of Mark Ralph’s Mother

Mark Ralph (right), pastor of Mt. Zion UB church (Wayne, Ohio), is mourning the death of his mother. Leona Elizabeth Ralph passed away on Saturday, May 28, 2016, in Jupiter, Fla. She and her husband, George, spent their life in the ministry; at her death, she and George had been married 73 years. You can read the complete obituary here.

The funeral will be held Friday, June 3, at Grace Immanuel Bible Church in Jupiter, Fla.

Rev. Mark Ralph, a 1974 Huntington University graduate, has served United Brethren churches since 1975 in Michigan, Alabama, and Ohio.

Condolences can be sent to Mark Ralph at 7481 Bays Rd, Wayne, OH 43466.

22 Apr Obit: Funeral for Rev. Christopher Little

Rev. Christopher T. Little IV, senior pastor of Mt. Pleasant UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.), passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, April 19, 2016. He was 51 years old.

The funeral will be held Sunday, April 24, at Mt. Pleasant Church.

Visitation time: 2-7 pm Saturday, April 23; and 1-2 pm Sunday, April 24.
Funeral time: 2 pm Sunday, April 24.
Visitation and funeral location: Mt Pleasant UB Church, 2509 Black Gap Road, Chambersburg, PA 17201

Rev. Dr. John K. Smith and Rev. Dennis A. Sites will officiate at the funeral. A graveside service will be held at noon on Monday, April 25, at Eagles Mere Cemetery.

Chris was born December 2, 1964 in Williamsport, Pa. In 1997, he received a degree in electrical engineering from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pa., and began working at the Naval Service Warfare Center in Silver Spring, Md. The family moved to Chambersburg in 1992, and he was employed at Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg and at Fort Ritchie in Maryland.

Chris was called to the ministry and began serving as associate pastor of Mt. Pleasant United Brethren Church in 1996. He graduated from Evangelical Theological Seminary in 2000 and, in 2001, became senior pastor of Mt. Pleasant.

Since 2011, Chris and his wife, Keri, have operated The Sweet Shop in Eagle’s Mere, Pa., where Chris worked growing up. He enjoyed coaching his children in soccer, baseball, softball, and basketball throughout the elementary school years.

Chris and Keri were married August 13, 1988, and have three children: Samantha Little of Lewisburg, Christopher Little V of Chambersburg, and Tabitha Baer of Clarion. He is also survived by his mother and two sisters.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mt. Pleasant Church Missions, 2509 Black Gap Road, Chambersburg, PA 17201; Eagles Mere Historical Village for The Sweet Shop, PO Box 362, Eagles Mere, PA 17731; or to Eagles Mere Community Church, PO Box 305, Eagles Mere, PA 17731.