Obituaries
She graduated from Brookville Area High School with the Class of 1974 where she was involved in cheerleading, concert choir, and the honors program. She also played the French horn in high school.
Lila graduated from Westminster College in 1978 with a degree in business finance. She was on the tennis team in college and enjoyed studying abroad. Lila quickly achieved executive positions in corporate banking for PNC Band and Mellon Bank, both in Pittsburgh, and Key Bank in Erie. She moved back to the Brookville area to help care for her ailing parents.
Her passion in life was her faith. She studied at the United Theological Seminary, working towards her Masters in Divinity. She also completed part of her Masters in Divinity at Asbury Theological Seminary. Lila was a member of the Brookville First Methodist Church, where she was deeply invested in children ministry and outreach to the people of the church. Lila was dedicated to sharing the word of God to numerous churches in the area. She was also very involved in the Western PA Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Lila was also active in the community on multiple boards including WRC and the Brookville YMCA. Lila had a kind heart and was always willing to help others.
In 2021, Lila opened a clothing store on Main Street in Brookville that focused on affordable clothing for women, “Laurel Ladies.” In her youth, Lila was very active in kayaking, biking, and international travels. She also enjoyed music, singing, and playing the piano. You could also find Lila playing cards with many of her friends in the area. Lila loved her dogs, which were Manchester Terriers, which she always had growing up. Lila is survived by her constant companions, her two dogs, Duke and Lili; one aunt, Helen Bonsall; and several cousins. In addition to her parents, Lila was recently preceded in passing by her dog, Sase in July.
GE Buckley (CHC, USN, Ret.), M.A. in Pastoral Counseling ’61, aged 89, was promoted to his highest rank as citizen of Heaven on September 6, 2024. Buck was born in Morral, Ohio on July 8, 1935 to William and Rachel (Jordan) Buckley. He was the youngest of twelve children. After graduating from high school, Buck attended Greenville College in Greenville, IL where he studied Pastoral Counseling and Social Studies. Following his love for learning, he went on to earn a graduate degree in Pastoral Counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY, and a second graduate degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, NY. He completed a postgraduate program in Pastoral Counseling from the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health in New York City, NY.
As an ordained elder in the Free Methodist Church, Buck pastored churches in Robinson, IL and New Castle, IN before being sworn in as an officer in the United States Navy. He proudly served as a Navy Chaplain with his first duty station being assigned as the Squadron Chaplain to Destroyer Division 192 in Long Beach, CA. Over the course of his career as a Naval Officer, he served hospital assignments at St. Alban’s Naval Hospital in Queens, NY; National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD; and Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, VA. For a full year, he left his family behind to serve an overseas unaccompanied assignment with the US Marines 9th Division in Okinawa, Japan. He served sea duty tours on the USS Seattle AOE 3 and the USS America CV 66. His final duty station before retirement was at the US Naval Station, Annapolis, MD. Some of his achievements throughout his career in the Navy included the Navy Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2nd award), and the Sea Service Ribbon with one Bronze Star.
After retiring from the Navy in 1988, Buck served for 13 years as the Staff Pastoral Counselor at the Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church, Spring Arbor, MI where he was also an Adjunct Professor teaching Greek at Spring Arbor College. He then went on to serve five years as Staff Pastoral Counselor at Chelsea Free Methodist Church, Chelsea, MI.
Buck’s career accolades and achievements reflect a man committed to service to his Savior and to anyone God put in his path. To his family and in his work, each day he modeled empathy, kindness, fierce loyalty and the gift of creative giving. He loved to give to others, whether it was a ride, a meal, a place to stay, money, a batch of chocolate chip cookies or, most importantly, the gift of his earnest prayers.
Throughout his life, Buck used his musical gifts to minister to others. He had the most beautiful tenor voice and could play any instrument he put his hands on. Playing the piano was his favorite. As a high school student, he was paid to sing special performances in churches and that is where he was introduced to Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior. Over the years, he ministered as a soloist and in quartets and choirs.
To know Buck was to know a smart, strong, stubborn, occasionally sassy and always sincere man. He was a proud man who was deeply devoted to his Savior, family, friends and country. In 1958 he married his loving and faithful wife of nearly 66 years, Roberta Anne (Timm) Buckley. He was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved daughter Marti Jo Thorpe and all 11 of his brothers and sisters. He is survived by his son Morgan (Linda Kaye Piercy); daughter Shelley (Dwight) Ashley; and Marti Jo’s husband, whom he still considered his son, Jim (Beth) Thorpe. His grandchildren were the greatest joy of his life: James Thorpe, Ellie (Jake) Perry, Dewey (Ali Means) Ashley, Annie (Adam) Barber, Allison (Joe) Morton and Courtney (Wayne) Simons. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and other dear family members.
Buck’s life verse was Isaiah 40:31: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.”
Born on August 28, 1932 in Wilkes-Barre, PA, Bruce was the son of the late Thomas and Isabel Cleasby.
Surviving are his four daughters, Bonnie East (Keith) of Easley, SC, Barbara Hansen (Bruce) of Powdersville, SC, Sandy Clea
The second of nine children, Bruce is also surviv
Bruce proudly served in the US Air Force for 22 years, serving in the enlisted ranks before retiring as a Major in 1973. From there, he attended Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY, and spent 25 years serving as a pastor with the United Methodist Church. Bruce was a friend to all, loved his church family, his neighbors, and his friends, but the loves of his life were Nancy and his four girls.
Fred was the owner/manager of Davis Jewelers and Fred’s House of Trophies. He left Murphy in the late 1990s to attend Asbury Theological Seminary and became a United Methodist minister serving multiple rural churches in Kentucky.
Fred loved the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. He was generous and funny, wringing every possible ounce of fun out of life. He loved all kinds of card games and would definitely leave you with the queen of spades.
He is survived by his wife, Patsy Thompson Davis; a son, William Boyd “Bill” Davis; a daughter-in-law, Dawn Robertson Davis; a son, Lee Jefferson “Jeff” Davis; a daughter-in-law, Anne-Marie Jefferson Davis; a grandson, Raine Liam Davis; a daughter, Jaclyn Olivia Davis; a grandson, Seth Luther Lawrence; and a sister, Ellen Davis West and family.
Morris E. Hintzman, M.Div. ’70, aged 82, went to be with His Lord on September 1, 2024, following a battle with Alzheimer’s. His courageous spirit shone brightly throughout his journey with dementia. His last years were marked by grace, courage, and surrender, inspiring many.
Morris was born on November 25, 1941, on his family’s dairy farm in Menomonie, WI. He was the 4th of seven sons and one daughter of Leo and Elizabeth (Welk) Hintzman. He was a loving husband, a sacrificial and dedicated father, and a humble Christian who let his actions do his talking, leading by example, demonstrating hard work, integrity, and serving others.
As a teenager, Morris chose to follow Jesus at a Billy Graham Crusade in Minneapolis. He was influenced by Sunday School teachers, church laity, and the preaching of a new young pastor sent from Asbury Theological Seminary to Morris’ family church in Boyceville, WI. After graduating from Menomonie High School in 1959, he attended Asbury College (now Asbury University) in Wilmore, Kentucky, where he met and married the love of his life, Paula Ragsdale, from Southern Illinois. In 1967, he was awarded a BA and went on to Asbury Theological Seminary, earning a Master of Divinity in 1970 and receiving an Honorary Doctor of Divinity in 1998. During seminary, Morris and Paula served as student pastors of Mt. Hope United Methodist Church in Cynthiana, Kentucky, and Mt. Giliad UMC in Georgetown, Kentucky.
In June 1971, Morris was ordained as an Elder in Full Connection by the Florida Conference of the UMC where he served appointments at: North Naples UMC in Naples, Florida (1970-1977) and First UMC in Brooksville, Florida (1977-1982). Between 1984-1990, he founded Van Dyke United Methodist (now BayHope Church) and St. James United Methodist. In addition, he served on many United Methodist boards and committees and chaired the District Board of Ministry and District Board of Church Extension. In 2005, he retired from the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.
In his retirement from pastoral appointments, Morris and his wife Paula stayed connected to local churches through Partners In Giving, a ministry they formed to help churches raise capital and operating expenses. Their ministry also helped revitalize the Methodist Builders Clubs to enable the purchase of properties, plant churches, and build parsonages.
Morris will be remembered most by many for his years of service in the Tampa Bay Community as the President of Metropolitan Ministries. Second only to his love for his family came his zeal for fulfilling the God-given calling that came in 1982 when he became the Executive Director of this inter-denominational ministry formed to serve a growing number of families in need of food and shelter. In his role at Metropolitan Ministries, he was a leader of leaders in the field; a pioneer who moved services to struggling and homeless individuals and families from the soup lines of the 70’s and 80’s to the full continuum of care that it is today.
Morris believed in the truth of God’s word as written in Mark 14:7 (the poor will always be with us) and in Jeremiah 29:11 (God’s plan is to give us hope and a future) so he boldly shared the needs of those who were living in need with those who could offer help. He did so with a humility that was uniquely his. He was known for calling on community leaders and the community at large to donate financial support and holiday food and toys for the children, moms, and dads who came in need. As a result, short-term and transitional housing was built, a school was built, programs were expanded and replicated, and the size and reach of the organization grew from a storefront on Florida Avenue handing out groceries and soup to a national model with a regional reach. His visionary leadership and humble spirit taught at least two generations of volunteers, donors, staff, and families in need what community looks like at its best. Over his 42 years of service at Metropolitan Ministries, he received a host of honors and awards from Faith, Civic, Social, Professional, and Sports Organizations.
Morris was a friend to many. He was as comfortable at a kitchen table consoling a widow as at a boardroom table with a Fortune 500 CEO. He never met a stranger and he had a unique gift for remembering names and making everyone feel special. His farm boy stories and friendly sense of humor put people at ease and will be missed.
Having resided most of his adult life in West Central Florida, he and his wife moved to New Port Richey, FL, to be closer to family. Morris was survived by his wife of 57 years, Paula Ragsdale Hintzman, a son, Thomas of Leesburg, FL, and a daughter, Sheryl of Holiday, FL, and two wonderful daughters-in-law, Elizabeth Wozniak and Stephanie Berryman Hintzman. He is also survived by five brothers, Earl (Lucille), Larry (Arlyss), David (Julie), Harvey (Bobette), Howard (Julie), and one sister, Carol Brazzale (Mark), and many extended families. He is preceded in death by older brother Ned (Beverly) and sister Carol Welk (Raymond) and infant sister Betty
Richard William McClain, M.Div. ’75, aged 75, known affectionately as Dick, passed away on Sept. 4, 2024 in Leadville. Born on April 5, 1949 in Canton, China, Dick’s life was marked by his devout faith in Christ and his dedication to seeing, encouraging and serving others, which he carried throughout his life from his youth to his professional years and into his retirement years.
Raised in a missionary family, Dick’s early education took place in Hong Kong and he spent a significant part of his high school years in Taiwan. He furthered his education at Asbury College, where he married his chapel partner Pamela McCain in 1969, graduated in 1970 and earned a Master of Divinity at Asbury Theological Seminary in 1975.
Dick’s career in ministry began during a hiatus from seminary in the Panama Canal Zone, where he served as a youth pastor at Crossroads Church from 1971 to 1973. In 1975, Dick and his family moved to Michigan, where he pastored congregations at Saugatuck, Ganges and Leighton. In 1986, his path took him to Atlanta, Georgia, where he joined TMS Global (formerly The Mission Society), originally as the personnel director and later as the CEO. After retiring in 2014, he and Pam settled in Colorado, worshiping and serving at Cornerstone Church in Leadville until his passing.
Dick’s personal life was filled with joyous activities, including running, hiking, skiing, wood chopping, reading and singing. He cherished time with his family, who remember him as a loving and dedicated family man. He is survived by his wife Pamela and their children Joshua and Amita (Agrawal) McClain of Duluth, Georgia; Stephen and Heather (McClain) Wilson of Leadville; and Joseph and Ashley (Greene) McClain of Lawrenceville, Georgia. His legacy continues through his grandchildren Ian, Tyler, Matthew, Eden, Richard William II, Maya, Avonlea and Moriah. He also leaves behind his sister Carol Bassett and brother Douglas McClain, both of Florida. Dick was preceded in death by Dale and Pauline McClain, Homer and Katherine McCain, and grandbaby Isaac Wilson.
James Edward Peck (Jim), aged 83, of Sun City, CA, formerly of Austin, MN, completed his earthly journey and peacefully entered the safety of God’s presence and eternal life on August 24, 2024. Jim was born in Rushville, Nebraska on April 29, 1941, to Magdelena (Abbenhaus) and Walter Peck. His early years were spent at Pine Ridge, South Dakota, where his father was employed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, then later, at Crow Creek Reservation near Chamberlain, South Dakota. He graduated high school in Rapid City, South Dakota in 1959, and then attended Wessington Springs Junior College (WSJC) after spending some time learning carpentry from his brother-in-law, Darwin Hoefer. At WSJC he met, fell in love, and married Vera Kahlstorf on August 29,1964. Both graduated Greenville College in Illinois in 1966, where Jim earned a BA in Philosophy and Religion. He then attended Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, for two years before being called to become the general contractor of a new church building in Fargo, North Dakota.
In 1970, Jim and Vera moved to Valley City, ND, where Jim pastored a church and started The One-Way Coffee House in the church basement for about 100 teens and college students in the community to hang out, learn about Christ, and have fun. In 1979, Jim and Vera moved to Austin, MN, where he practiced carpentry and did other jobs, and then in 1998, he became manager of the Courtyard Apartments (an HRA facility). He loved the residents there and enjoyed time serving them. His retirement in 2010 allowed him to do what he loved; collect unusual woods from around the world and make beautiful bells or pens on his turning lathe. He gifted all his pens to family, friends, Christian workers, church guests, and musicians. He made hundreds of them! Jim and Vera lived in Austin, MN, until April 2023 when they moved to assisted living in Sun City, CA.
Jim served the Lord Jesus Christ in many creative ways using his gifts and talents. He found great joy in being of help to people wherever he was. He dearly loved his wife Vera, and he was so very proud of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as his daughters and sons-in-law, and loved to spend time with them and tell others about their adventures and successes. His sense of humor and teasing often brought smiles and laughter.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Magdelena Rockhold and Walter Peck, stepfather Ray Rockhold, brother Walter, sister Deloris Hoefer and nephews Bob Peck, Bill Peck, Mike Hoefer and life-long friend, Marshall Mickley.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years – Vera; daughter Patricia (Tim) Porter and their sons: Ryan (Ceci) Porter with Elsie, and Shaun (Christa) Porter with Micah, all living in Southern California. Daughter Kathi (Forrest) Himebaugh and their children: Benjamin Himebaugh, Isaac Himebaugh, and Alyssa Himebaugh of Adams, MN. His sister Betty Stubbe and nephews: Dwayne Fudge, Dennis Fudge, Mark Hoefer, Pete Hoefer, of Santa Rosa, CA, and niece Patty Peck of SD as well as many other relatives and friends.
Gerald Kent Roberts, M.Div. ’68, aged 89, of Zion Crossroads, VA, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 7, 2024, at home with close family by his side, holding his hand, praying, and singing him to the angels. He was born on July 29, 1935, in Janesville, Wisconsin to the late Kennard and Mabel Roberts of Evansville, Wisconsin.
Gerald (Jerry) grew up in the town of Evansville, and graduated from Evansville High School in 1953, where he enjoyed playing the snare drum in an EHS ensemble band, singing in chorus, and playing intermural basketball. He attended Madison Business College where he received his Associate Accounting Degree in 1955. He later enlisted in the Navy from 1956-1960 where he spent two years stationed in Nevada, then overseas on the newly commissioned Suribachi-class ammunition ship, the USS Mauna Kea (AE-22), outside of Yokosuka, Japan as a Disbursing Clerk & Petty Officer- 2nd Class, also porting in places like Hong Kong, Okinawa, Manila, San Francisco, and Pearl Harbor. Jerry readily recounted how he accepted Jesus Christ as His personal Lord and Savior one night while on the bunk of his Navel ship in 1960, when visited by members of the Navigators, living a full life loving, serving, and following the Lord ever since. He met his future wife, Susanne Conner while at Port in San Francisco in 1959 when they were both invited to a Bible study by friends, neither of them wanting to go, but both so very happy they went. They later married in San Francisco on September 11th, 1965 with many of Susanne’s relatives and friends in attendance. Jerry attended college at Asbury College in Wilmore, KY from 1961-1965 where he received his BA, with a double major in History & English. After, he attended Asbury Seminary from 1966-1968, where he received his Masters of Divinity. He later moved with his family to Beltsville, Maryland and worked one block from the White House as an Assistant Supervisor for an insurance company. He often recounted the moment of watching the Nation’s flag being lowered to half-staff when President Dwight Eisenhower died, and seeing President Nixon with First Lady, Pat Nixon leaving the White House in front of him in the back of the Presidential Limousine as they traveled to Walter Reed Hospital to pay their respects to the Eisenhower family. He later returned to his hometown of Evansville, WI with his wife and two daughters, raising his family in the beautiful small hometown where he grew up. He worked for several years at Capital Indemnity Insurance Company in Madison, WI as an Internal Auditor, later retiring from the WPS Insurance company in Madison, WI. After his wife Susanne & his mother Mabel passed, he moved to Lexington, KY in 2005 to be with his youngest daughter, Kathryn (Kat) and her family, including his grandson, Joshua, born the same week his wife Sue passed. He later relocated to Virginia with Kat’s family, and spent his remaining 17 years living with them, watching his grandson Josh grow to adulthood. He enjoyed visits from his eldest daughter Mary, who lives in France with her family, along with his two grandchildren, Lucie & Timothee. A very special memory for him was when he traveled to Europe to visit along with his grandson Joshua as his travel partner, when he was 77 and Josh was 11, seeing many sites across southern France, and spending his 78th Birthday with his European family.
Having his Master’s of Divinity, Jerry would readily fill-in officiating at several local church services, also preaching at area nursing homes for many years in Wisconsin. He taught Sunday School for several years at the United Methodist church in Evansville including his daughter Kathy’s class for a couple years while she was in middle school. Later, he often sang special music a- Capella with his beautiful baritone voice at Wednesday night services at Calvary Chapel Fluvanna in Virginia where he attended the past several years, and had recently begun a men’s Bible study at his daughter’s home, still inviting people days before he passed. He regularly mentored others with weekly individual Bible studies & prayer on the phone, and had a real gift of Bible memorization reciting multiple Bible passages by heart, helping others to do the same, while always remaining humble.
Jerry was an avid sports fan, growing up listening to Chicago Cubs games on the radio prior to the Milwaukee Braves, and Brewers teams. He often recounted how he, along with his parents and grandparents, traveled to Chicago for his first double-header on July 24th, 1948, the week he turned 12 years old to see the Cubs vs. Giants for $1.50 Grandstand seats. For multiple years, he enjoyed attending EHS football and basketball home & away games with his wife and friends, and held season tickets to the Wisconsin Badgers games he also attended with his family. He passed his love of sports onto his grandson Joshua, where they would share weekly game scores, team rankings, and game highlights with each other. He truly loved singing in church, and also at home. He passed this love of singing on to both his daughters at very young ages during weekend car rides to visit a disabled cousin. He enjoyed being out in nature going for long walks, hikes, and bike rides, and traveling/vacationing multiple years with his family, which he also passed down the love of adventure to his daughters and grandchildren. He greatly enjoyed exercise and was a runner for many years, jogging each morning before work until retirement age. He still spoke of getting back on the bike and shooting hoops the final weeks if his life.
He is survived by his two daughters, Kathryn ‘Kat’ Caswell of Zion Crossroads VA, son-in-law Thornton, daughter Mary Daban, son-in-law, J. Baptiste (JB); and his grandchildren, Joshua Caswell, Timothee Daban, and Lucie Daban and several nephews and nieces. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Susanne; half-brother, Phil Roberts; and half-sister, Virgene “Tootie” Gransee.
Dayna Shewmaker, aged 75, loving wife of Jerry Shewmaker for 56 years, entered her heavenly home on Thursday Sept. 5, 2024. She was born March 10, 1949, to the late Eulan and Helen Razor Cobb, being one of their three children. Dayna wore many hats being a wife, mother, and grandmother. She also held positions at TJ Tax, Asbury Seminary, County Clerk Roger Williams, and Jessamine County Board of Education. She included in her busy life a love for camping, fishing at Weis Lake, horses, daily walks at Lake Mingo and cleaning up Tommy’s Barn at Little Hickman. Dayna was accused of spoiling Jerry’s dog Addy, as well as leaving many pieces of advice to her son and daughter, such as: “ If you are going to fight go outside I just mopped this kitchen”! She leaves these and many more memories with her husband Jerry and daughter Kara Weatherly, husband Vincent, son John Shewmaker, wife Tiffany, and grandchildren Westyn and Davyn Shewmaker, Tori Clay and Joseph Weatherly, as well as her sister Kim Cobb and brother Rodger Cobb. Dayna had many nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends who will miss her humorous personality.
At age 21 he made a profound decision that impacted every area of his life and eternal destiny: he surrendered his life to Jesus. George described it this way in a song he wrote and would often sing: “A man who had no hope now hopes again. One who had no song now sings again. One who couldn’t dance now dances all day long.” Those who knew George saw his hope, heard his song, and many others joined him in the dance of his salvation.
Soon after, he sensed a call to the ministry. He attended Asbury Seminary and then Princeton Seminary and was eventually appointed to serve as the pastor of Bakerville Church, in New Hartford, Connecticut, a fellowship of people he would faithfully serve with for 36 years, a family of believers who would become so dear to him.
His desire to introduce young people to his savior led him to start a cycling ministry called Easy Pedalers. With the help of several volunteer leaders from the church, he led hundreds of youth on long distance bicycle trips for 25 years. After that, for another 18 years, he and his dedicated team led many young people on Summit Seekers, climbing the White Mountains where they could experience God’s majesty and hear of Jesus’ love for them.
George was an active member and frequent speaker at Tres Dias spiritual retreats, and made a focused effort to support many other area churches and local and global gospel ministries.
He played football and baseball for Taylor University, and never stopped playing sports of all kinds. He also loved playing his guitar and singing. He had a big-hearted devotion to his family and always made it a point to spend quality time with them.
In addition to his devoted wife, he leaves his cherished children, Jeff Smith and wife Jennifer of NH, Jennifer Williams and husband Kevin of VA, Jaimee Eldred and husband Michael of East Hartland and Joshua Smith of East Hartland; beloved grandchildren, Hayley, Julianna, Lily Smith, Caroline Smith Hobi and her husband Kent; Mac, Harry, and Ava Williams, Jonah and Wren Eldred; siblings, Trudy Smith of NY and Lynnette Stephan and husband Larry of NJ; and his beloved nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by a brother, William Smith and brother-in-law George Harmer Smith.
Carl Yoshimine, M.A. in Education ’48, aged 100, was born in San Diego, Calif., on March 31,1924, as the second son of Henry Kakuo and Shinobu (Yato) Yoshimine. He passed away peacefully of natural causes on August 7, 2024.
With his older brother Masao, Carl grew up in a small bungalow in Ocean Beach, where their parents ran a small wholesale produce business. Carl had fond memories of growing up in San Diego – taking the family rowboat unsupervised out into Mission Bay, riding waves on redwood bellyboards off the Sunset Cliffs, spending time with his Yato and Asakawa cousins, and attending the Japanese Congregational Church.
Carl graduated from Point Loma High School in the spring of 1941 and matriculated to San Diego State College in the fall of that year. But in February of 1942, with two duffle bags and one suitcase, Carl, his brother and his mother boarded a train that took them to the Santa Anita Assembly Center. They eventually were relocated to Poston Camp Three in the Arizona desert.
Taking advantage of a relocation program administered by the Quakers, Carl was able to leave camp in 1943 to begin theological studies, receiving a Masters of Education from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky and after the war receiving a Masters of Divinity from the Berkeley Theological Seminary in the Bay Area. Ordained into the ministry in the early 1950s, Reverend Carl served for 43 years as a pastor in the Pacific Coast Japanese Free Methodist Conference with appointments to congregations in Glendale, Venice-Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Anaheim and Clovis, many of whom joined him to celebrate his life and influence at the Anaheim Revive Church in June of this year. It was Carl’s wish to attend his seizenso (living funeral) and we are gratified that he was able to participate actively in that joyous event.
Throughout his life Carl’s conviction that Jesus is the light of the world was fundamental to his pastoral work and became a symbolic and recurring theme in his post-retirement hobbies, including his watercolor paintings.
Carl’s partner in ministry and life for 69 years was Eunice Miwako Shigekawa (1928 – 2022), whom he married in Los Angeles in 1953 and with whom he raised three sons, Jon William, Jeffrey Eric and Jordan Carl. Carl is also survived by three grandchildren, Willa Overland, Avery Yoshimine Dwyer and Devon Yoshimine; and six great-grandchildren, Truly, Stella, Castor, Tharen, Rory and Dylan.
Hello: I am a graduate of Asbury (1967 or 1968). Had three wonderful years at Asbury. My favorite professor was Dr. Robert Coleman. He and his dear wife invited my wife and I to stay at his home one summer while he and his wife traveled and held camp meetings. Last I heard, Dr, Coleman was living in Wilmore. Could you bring me up to date.
Thank you.
May Jesus embrace these families as they grieve their loved ones in Jesus name.