16 Dec Death of Rev. H. Dean VanderVeen

Rev. H. Dean VanderVeen, 93, a retired UB minister in Michigan, passed away in his sleep on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. He was at home, with family at his side.

Both visitation and the funeral will occur on Saturday, December 18, 2021 at Calvary United Brethren church in Saginaw, Mich. (2895 E. Moore Road, Saginaw, MI 48601).

Visitation: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Funeral: 1:00 pm.

Dean’s son, Rev. Gary VanderVeen, and Rev. Ted Doolittle, the current pastor of Calvary UB, will officiate.

Dean was ordained as a United Brethren minister in 1965. He founded Calvary Community Church in Saginaw in 1971 and served as its pastor until 1992.

Dean and Annabelle, who survives, were married in 1951. Her address:

Annabelle VanderVeen
4620 McIntosh Rd
Birch Run, MI 48415-8704

16 Dec Dec 20 Funeral for Bishop Paul Hirschy

The memorial service for former bishop Paul Hirschy will be held at 11:00 am Monday, December 20, 2021. Location: College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind.

Visitation is 2-7 pm Sunday, December 19, at Myers Funeral Home in Huntington (2901 Guilford St, Huntington, IN 46750). Visitation will also occur one hour before the service on Monday.

The memorial service will be livestreamed on Youtube at this address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkNtTZVUvYI

Bishop Todd Fetters will give the memorial message. Former bishop Ray Seilhamer will also give some remarks.

04 Dec Death of Former Bishop Paul Hirschy

Former Bishop Paul E. Hirschy, 75, passed away December 1, 2021. The viewing and funeral will be held December 19-20 in Huntington, Ind.

Viewing: 2-7 pm Sunday, December 19, 2021
Viewing location: Myers Funeral Home, 2901 Guilford St, Huntington, IN 46750
Funeral: 11 am Monday, December 20, 2021
Funeral location: College Park UB church, 1945 College Avenue,
Huntington, IN 46750.

Bishop Todd Fetters will officiate at the funeral service, which will be streamed online on Youtube.

Paul graduated from Huntington University in 1968, and from the HU Seminary in 1972. In 1968 he began ten years of pastoral ministry–initially in Convoy, Ohio, followed by nine years at Park UB church in Bluffton, Ind. He managed the denominational printshop 1978-1981, and then was elected by General Conference to the first of five terms as Director of Church Services at the UB national office.

In 2001, Paul was elected bishop of the US National Conference. He served in that role until 2005. He worked the next seven years as a development officer at Huntington University, and since 2012 has been associate pastor at College Park UB church in Huntington.

On October 1, 2021, Huntington University awarded Paul the Distinguished Alumni Citation, which recognizes exceptional service over an extended period of time. “Service” is, indeed, what Paul is most known for—a man with a true servant’s heart.

Paul is survived by his wife Barbara, to whom he was married in 1969, and their three children: Jason Hirschy (Thornton, Colo.), Heather Gonzales (Washington, D. C.), and Amber Kaushik (Alexandria, Va.).

Condolences can be sent to Barbara Hirschy at:

Barbara Hirschy
5493 N Goshen Road
Huntington, IN 46750-8940

Memorial donations may be made to Huntington University or College Park UB Church, both in care of Myers Funeral Home, 2901 Guilford St., Huntington, IN 46750.

You can read the official obituary on the Myers Funeral Home website.

02 Dec Death of Paul Hirschy, Bishop 2001-2005

Former Bishop Paul E. Hirschy, 75, passed away December 1, 2021, after a long battle with cancer. Funeral arrangements are being made through the Myers Funeral Home in Huntington.

Paul graduated from Huntington University in 1968, and that year began ten years of pastoral ministry–initially in Convoy, Ohio, followed by nine years at Park UB church in Bluffton, Ind. He managed the denominational printshop 1978-1981, and then was elected by General Conference to the first of five terms as Director of Church Services at the UB national office.

In 2001, Paul was elected bishop of the US National Conference. He served in that role until 2005. He worked the next seven years as a development officer at Huntington University, and since 2012 has been associate pastor at College Park UB church in Huntington.

On October 1, 2021, Huntington University awarded Paul the Distinguished Alumni Citation, which recognizes exceptional service over an extended period of time. “Service” is, indeed, what Paul is most known for—a man with a true servant’s heart.

Condolences can be sent to Paul’s wife, Barbara, at:

Barbara Hirschy
5493 N Goshen Road
Huntington, IN 46750-8940

11 Nov Obituary: Rev. Thomas L. Brodbeck, 1935-2021

Rev. Thomas L. Brodbeck, 85, passed away on November 9, 2021. He served 19 years in United Brethren ministry in Indiana, Ohio, and Idaho.

Viewing: 9:00 am Saturday, November 13, 2021.
Funeral: 10:30 am Saturday, November 13, 2021.
Location: Glancy-H.Brown & Son Funeral Home, Warren, Ind.

Brodbeck graduated from high school in 1953 in his hometown of St. Mary’s, Ohio, served in Korea with the US Army, and worked for the city of St. Mary’s until sensing God’s call to the ministry. He was 35 when he moved his family to Huntington, Ind., so he could enter college. He graduated from Huntington University with a bachelor’s degree, and in 1975 received the Master of Christian Ministries. He was ordained in 1975.

Brodbeck served 19 years in United Brethren ministry: 1972-1979 at the UB church in Van Buren, Ind.; 1979-1983 as director of Camp Cotubic in Bellefontaine, Ohio; 1985-1988 as pastor of Log Cabin UB church in Boise, Idaho; and 1988-1993 as pastor of Third Street (now Anchor) UB church in Fort Wayne, Ind. He then served a Wesleyan congregation in Waldron, Mich., until 2017.

At the time of his death, Brodbeck was living with his wife Cathy in Van Buren, Ind. (609 E 3rd St, Warren, IN 46792-9410). He is the father of Rev. Thomas M. Brodbeck, who served 27 years in United Brethren ministry, including as fulltime superintendent of Central Conference.

Memorial contributions should be directed to Camp Cotubic, 2158 Road 25 North, Bellefontaine, OH 43311.

You can read the online obituary here.

24 Sep Obituary: Emma Evans, Pastor’s Wife in Ohio and Indiana

Emma Lou Evans, 75, passed away September 23, 2021, in Coldwater, Mich. after a battle with cancer. She and her husband of 51 years, Ron Evans, served 28 years in United Brethren pastoral ministry in Indiana and Ohio.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, September 27, at Lockwood Community Church, 202 E Lockwood Rd, Coldwater, MI 49036. Officiating will be Rev. Mike Arnold and Rev. Ron Evans. Visitation will be held 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, September 26, at Dutcher Funeral Home in Coldwater.

Condolences can be sent to Ron Evans at:
233 Prairie River Dr
Coldwater, MI 49036-8064

17 Aug Obituary: Rev. Tom Tarpley (Fowlerville, Mich.)

Rev. Tom Tarpley, Care Pastor at Fowlerville UB church (Fowlerville, Mich.), passed away August 15, 2021. He was 79 years old.

Visitation: 4-8 pm Thursday, August 19, 2021.
Visitation location: Hermann Funeral home, 1005 E Grand River, Fowlerville, MI 48836.
Funeral: 11 am Friday, August 20, with visitation one hour beforehand.
Funeral location: visitation and the funeral will be held at Fowlerville UB church, 9300 W Grand River Road, Fowlerville, MI 48836.

The funeral service will be livestreamed at 11am on on Facebook, Youtube, or at fowlervilleub.org.

02 Jun Death of Rev. Steve Henry (Franklin, Pa.)

Rev. Steve and Amanda Henry and children.

Rev. Steve Henry passed away the evening of May 31. He has been pastor of Victory Heights UB church (Franklin, Pa.), since 2006, and was ordained as a United Brethren minister in 2014. Steve leaves behind a wife, Amanda, to whom he has been married since 2001, and five children.

Amanda posted the following on June 1: “I got a call last night with news I never wanted to hear. Steve had a massive brain hemorrhage. It caused fluid to back up in his brain and did irreparable damage. The surgeon said he was brain dead and that surgery wouldn’t be able to correct it. Steve passed away last night. He now is the presence of his Savior and rejoicing without pain or struggle.”

A funeral service will be held sometime Friday afternoon, June 4, at Atlantic Avenue UB church in Franklin, Pa. Bishop Todd Fetters will officiate. The exact time and other details are still being worked out.

According to Facebook posts from Steve and Amanda, Steve tested positive for Covid on May 8, was hospitalized the next day, was moved to ICU and placed on a ventilator on May 13, and was transferred to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh on May 15, where he remained until his death.

19 Apr Obituary: Rev. Wayne Goldsmith, Longtime UB Minister

Rev. Wayne Goldsmith, 91, passed away April 16, 2021. He and his wife, Mary, who died in 2018, enjoyed 66 years of marriage together. A celebration of life service will be held June 12, 2021, in Fort Wayne, Ind. Details below.

For 45 years, Wayne served congregations fulltime in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Ontario. After retiring, he spent another 15 years serving many congregations as an interim minister, including in Fountain Hills, Ariz., in 2002.

The first United Brethren church he pastored was Parkwood Gardens UB church in Guelph, Ontario, 1985-1988. He went on to pastor churches in the former Michindoh Conference, which included churches in southern Michigan, northwest Ohio, and northern Indiana. He also served a number of stints as an interim pastor for UB churches.

Visitation: Friday, June 11, 2021, from 1-3 pm and 5-7 pm.
Visitation location: D.O. McComb and Sons Maplewood Park Funeral Home, 4017 Maplecrest Rd., Fort Wayne, Ind.
Celebration of Life service: 10:30 am Saturday, June 12, 2021. Visitation one hour beforehand.
Location: Central Ministries, 5801 Schwartz Road, Fort Wayne, IN.

Online obituary here.