Alumni Link
Alumni Obituaries – April 2014
Published Date: March 25, 2014
ARMENTROUT-John William, (1950, BD), 86, of Lebanon, passed away Thursday December 15, 2011. Born June 13, 1925 in Greene County, OH to Harold and Louise (nee: Ledbetter) Armentrout, he was a retired United Methodist minister who served many churches in the Western Ohio Conference. He served for 12 years as Chairman of the Board for Otterbein Homes and was also the District Superintendant for the Wilmington area. Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Celeste (nee: Johnson) Armentrout, three daughters, Cece (Doug) Yeakel, Amy (Jeff) Dawson, and Julie (Kirk) Peterson, one son, David (Patricia) Armentrout, one sister, Mary Pickering, 12 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild.
KISER-J.W. (Jay) Leonard, (1949, BD), 89, of Burlington, WA was born November 4, 1924 in Kannapolis, North Carolina, the 11th of 13 children. He graduated from Belmont High, Marion College (presently Indiana Wesleyan University), and Asbury Seminary. During his seminary days Jay was chosen to participate in the Experiment in International Living program, and spent the summer of 1948 in Germany and Austria. He often spoke of this profound experience. Jay also pastored two small Wesleyan congregations in the Old Fort, NC area. While at Asbury, he met Ruth Holcomb, and they married in April 1950. They served together in the Cherryville Wesleyan Church in North Carolina, and in Free Methodist churches in California and Washington, including Warm Beach and Everett. Their ministry spanned over 30 years. Jay was a shepherding, nurturing pastor who often visited in the homes of those under his care. Following Ruth’s death in 1993, Jay married Martha Miller, a former classmate of Ruth’s at Greenville College. They have enjoyed nearly 20 years together and have been part of the church family at Hillcrest Christian Fellowship. Dressed in his Sunday suit, ready to leave for church, Jay was suddenly taken on up to Heaven March 9, 2014. He leaves behind his loving wife Martha, daughters Karen (Mike) and Pam, son Mark, grandchildren Kristin (Dan), Bryan (Tiffany), Cody (Alaysha), Dylan, Carly, great-grandchildren Cooper, Bentley, and Taylyn. He is also survived by his brother Clint (Wanda), sister-in-law Frances, numerous nieces and nephews, as well as Martha’s children Edward, Marvel, Steve, and Judy, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His family will always remember and cherish his devoted love, humor, and faithful prayers.
KNASEL-Lorraine J, (1956, MRE), 84, of Greenville, passed away at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at her home in Greenville. Lorraine J. Johnson, the daughter of Dr. Brantley M. Johnson MD and Alice Marie (Holliday) Johnson, was born May 12, 1929 in Dexter, Iowa. The family moved to Harvey, Illinois where her father worked as a radiologist. Lorraine and Rev. Dwight Lee Knasel were united in marriage on August 3, 1956. Lorraine earned a B.A. degree at Olivet Nazarene University and was active in debate, radio broadcasting, drama and oral readings. She was chosen to be a member of “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.” She was interested in Speech Therapy and earned a M.S. degree at the University of Illinois. Lorraine organized Speech Therapy in the Wood River, Illinois schools. She also worked as a speech therapist in Saginaw, Michigan. Later, she earned a M.R.E degree at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky. Lorraine had a special interest in young children. She started a preschool and day care in a church in Peoria, Illinois and helped to develop a preschool and day care program at the church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Lorraine usually served as an accompanist for the choirs and for some of the services. After retiring to the Mackinaw City area, she served in this capacity at the church of the Straits for several years. One of Lorraine’s teachers recognized her talent to write. She has written about interesting activities and people in the churches they served including their church in Peoria, Illinois which was active for many years. She also wrote about her own family history. When her husband retired in 1994, they moved to their home near Mackinaw City. Lorraine is survived by three daughters: Karen (Dr. Greg) Sanders of Greenville, Susan (George) JeuDeVine of Coldwater, Michigan and Becky (Dr. Arthur) Kerle of Greenville. Also surviving are 2 sister-in-laws, Delight (Bill) Fagan of Traverse City, Michigan and Evelyn Johnson of Pleasant Hill, California. She is the loving grandmother of 14: David, Melody, Tiffany (Jacob) Schlemper, Dwight, Loralyn, Dellon, Chad, Jonathan, George, Niklaus, Garet, Arthur, Matthew and Kristen. Also one great-grandchild Jane Schlemper. Lorraine is preceded in death by her parents, husband on August 28, 2008, brother Brantley M. Johnson Jr. a WWII Veteran on December 25, 2008 and a grandson Darren C. Sanders on November 22, 1991.
SATOH-Kei, (1965, MDiv), 83, beloved father, grandfather, and pastor, died peacefully in his sleep on March 6, 2014. He was a retired pastor of the Devon Church of Jesus Christ in Chicago. Preceded in death by his wife, Tomoko, and second wife, Atsuko, he is survived by sons, Nobi, Steve Atsushi (Carolyn), and Hiro (Barbara), and grandchildren, Amy, Kathryn, Kevin, Michael, Julia, and Eric. Rev. Satoh led a congregation in Fukushima, Japan for nine years before coming to the United States in 1962 to study at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. There he received his Master of Divinity degree in 1965. He relocated to Chicago to pastor the Hokusei Christian Church, soon thereafter moving on to lead the Japanese-speaking congregation at Devon Church of Jesus Christ, where he served until 2013. He was also active in the Japanese community in Chicago and the Christian community in Japan.