Alice Clay, 89, passed away on April 19, 2011, in Wakarusa, Ind. She was the wife of Rev. Burley Clay, a pastor in the United Brethren church and Missionary church for 58 years. He and Alice served six churches in Arizona, California, Ohio, and Michigan.

Alice grew up in Phoenix, Ariz., and graduated in 1944 from Fort Wayne Bible Institute with a music degree. She and Burley met at college and were married in 1944. Burley died in September 2010. The Clays had six children, all of whom survive. One daughter is Polly Dunten, whose husband, Darwin Dunten, is senior pastor of First UB church in Findley, Ohio. Darwin will officiate at the funeral.

Visitation: Friday, April 22, 4-6 pm and 6-8 pm.
Visitation Location: Walker Funeral Home, 5155 W. Sylvania Ave., Toledo, Ohio.
Funeral: 11 am Saturday, April 23.
Funeral Location: Redeemer Community Church, 5321 Springdale Ave., Toledo, Ohio.

We just received word about the death of Rev. Kenneth A. Beattie on Saturday, March 26, 2011. Rev Beattie, a minister for over 55 years, died in Toledo Hospital of complications from dementia. He was 83.

Rev. Beattie began showing symptoms of dementia about three years ago, and had broken both hips in separate falls during the past two years. He lived at home and was undergoing rehabilitation for his most recent break when he was taken to the hospital on March 22 because of difficulty breathing.

He was a Navy SeaBee during World War II, serving in the Philippines. Before entering the ministry, he worked for a machine products company and farmed in Defiance County, Ohio. He preached and held tent revivals in the Defiance area.

Rev. Beattie received degrees from Fort Wayne Bible college and the Huntington University Seminary. He served 13 years at churches in Sherwood, Ohio, and Camden, Mich., plus several years in evangelistic work. Then, in 1969, he became pastor of Harvest Lane UB church in Toledo, Ohio. He stayed for 12 years, overseeing the expansion of the sanctuary.

After leaving Harvest Lane, he pastored two UB churches in Michigan on a circuit–Riverside UB in Monroe and Morocco UB in Temperance. He then moved on to Pontiac, Mich., to pastor First Christian Missionary Alliance Church.

Reverend Beattie planned to retire in 1988 when he returned to Toledo, but then discovered a small Wesleyan church that needed a pastor. He volunteered part-time for a while, and then went fulltime, serving as pastor until retiring in 2009.

Reverend Beattie and his wife, Jean, were married for 63 years. Surviving are his wife, two daughters, and a son.

Services were held Wednesday, March 30, at 11 am in the Reeb Funeral Home in Sylvania, Ohio.

Rev. Robert Sanders, 82, of Reedsville, Ohio, passed away Saturday evening, March 19. He had pastored UB churches in southern Ohio since 1955–Mt. Zion, Salem Chapel, Laurel Chapel, West Pleasant Hill, Liberty, Logan, and Mt. Hermon. He concluded his ministry with 23 years as senior pastor of Mt. Hermon UB of Pomeroy, Ohio, 1980 to 2003.

Rev. Sanders served in the Army-Air Force in the Philippines 1946-1947. He also taught school for 30 years. Rev. Sanders was ordained in 1973.

Rev. Sanders is survived by his wife of 58 years, Nina, three daughters, and one son.

Funeral: 1 pm Wednesday, March 23, 2011. Rev. Peter Martindale will officiate.
Visitation: 5-8 pm Tuesday, March 22.
Location: White-Schwarzel Funeral Home, 9 Fifth St., Coolville, Ohio. Phone: 740-667-3110

Bernie Hull

Bernard Hull passed away the morning of Thursday, March 10, 2011.

Over the years, Bernie served in a variety of United Brethren leadership roles–General Conference delegate, member of the Executive Leadership Team, member of the Higher Education Leadership Team, and other leadership roles at the conference level.

Bernie had been a member of the Huntington University Board of Trustees since 1965, and served six years as board chairman. In 2004, Huntington awarded him an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree. HU President G. Blair Dowden wrote, “He had a profound influence on the direction and growth of the University. He was a valued friend, wise counselor, and beloved Christian brother.”

Bernie enlisted in the Navy in 1945, serving for three years. During the Korean Conflict, he served two years with the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

Hull earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in business and mathematics in 1947 from Western Michigan University, and went on to a career as a building contractor in the Grand Rapids area. He served two terms as president of the Michigan State Home Builders Association.

Bernie is survived by his wife, Peggy, and four children. Funeral arrangements are pending.

UPDATE, MARCH 11

Visitation
Saturday, March 12, 2011, 4-7 pm
Sunday, March 13, 2011, 2-5 pm
Reyers North Valley Chapel
2815 Fuller Ave. NE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49505
Phone: 616-363-7755

Funeral Service
Monday, March 14, 2011, 11 am
Gaines United Brethren In Christ Church
1612 92nd St., Caledonia, Michigan 49316
Phone: 616-698-8252

Here is the link to the funeral home information.

Clarence Lubbs passed away on Tuesday, March 1. He and his wife Mary served as United Brethren missionaries in Sierra Leone 1964-1967. Three of their children were with them while they served there – Deb, Barb, and Jim. A fourth child, Bonnie was attending Huntington University at the time.

Visitation: Sunday afternoon, March 6, from 2:00 – 6:00 pm.
Visitation location: Schilling Funeral Home, 702 1st Avenue,  Sterling, IL  61081.
Funeral: Monday, March 7, 2011, at 10:30 am.
Funeral Location: Coleta United Brethren Church  Coleta, IL.

Rev. Fred A. Miller, 87, passed away February 10, 2011. He served as a pastor for 45 years, including the UB churches in Modesto, Calif., and Philomath, Ore. He then worked 23 years with Oregon Nursing Home Ministries.

Fred is survived by his wife, Jane, whom he married in 1943. They had five children.

The funeral was held February 18 at Siskiyou Perl Chapel in Medford, Oregon, where he lived.

Mrs. Marie Simbo, mother of Rev. Billy Simbo, passed away February 11, 2011, in Sierra Leone. She was 84 years old. Rev. Simbo, who concluded his transition role as bishop of Sierra Leone Conference in January, delayed his return to the States in case she passed away, knowing he would need to abruptly return. However, he decided to return to the States on February 4. He will head back to Sierra Leone for memorial services on February 25 and 27.

You can contact Billy Simbo at:

Billy K. Simbo
1822 Erlen Road
Elkins Park, PA 19027
Email

Here is information which Billy sent to Global Ministries on February 11.

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Nick Woodall, pastor of Stryker UB Church (Stryker, Ohio), has experienced the loss of his father. Robert A. Woodall passed away Thursday, February 3, 2011, at age 82. He was a member of Mainstreet UB church in Walbridge, Ohio. The funeral was held Monday, February 7. You can send condolences to Rev. Woodall at:

Nick E. Woodall
P.O. Box 329
Stryker, OH 43557
Email:

Neoma Yohe, 90, wife of the late Rev. Howard Yohe, passed away on Wednesday, January 26, 2011, at Lutheran Homes in Muscatine, Iowa.

Neoma ws born in 1920 in Claytonville, Ill. She went on to attend Huntington University, where she met her future husband, a ministerial student. She and Howard were married in 1939 in Hunington, Ind. They served 13 churches in Indiana, Illinois, and Virginia until 1974, when health concerns forced them to leave the pastoral ministry. Howard passed away in 1995. Neoma remained a member of Jerusalem Chapel in Churchville, Va.

Both visitation and the funeral will take place at Jerusalem Chapel.

Visitation: 6:30-8:00 pm Monday, February 1, 2011.
Funeral: Tuesday, February 2, 2011.
Officiating: Rev. Dennis Sites, pastor of Jerusalem Chapel, and Mr. Harold Fry.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Jerusalem Chapel Building Fund, c/o Mrs. Lucy Plotner, 563 Hankey Mountain Hwy., Churchville, VA  24421.