Obituaries – October 2016
Edwin Wilson Alexander (M.A., 71), passed from this life into the loving arms of his Savior on Wednesday, August 24, 2016. Husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, student, pastor, administrator, athlete, explorer; he led a remarkable life. Dr. Alexander was born May 25, 1934 in Greenville, Pennsylvania, the first born son of Philip Wilson and Dorothy (Reinhart) Alexander. He and his five siblings grew up “on the farm”, learning early the necessity and value of hard work. That hard work and his drive to learn helped him excel at everything he did, including caring for his Jersey cattle and raising crops. As a result he won many local, regional, and statewide awards through 4-H and FFA. During his senior year, he was named one of three “Star Farmers” in the state of Pennsylvania. He graduated from Stoneboro (PA) High School in 1952. He married Shirley Clark on March 13, 1954. They began their life together farming the Alexander Homestead Farm in Mercer County, a farm that has been in the Alexander family since 1789. In 1956, Ed and Shirley had a significant spiritual experience and began a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That relationship with Jesus anchored his life and oriented his purpose. Dr. Alexander felt a call to full-time Christian service and began the process of preparation to become a minister. That preparation lead to his ordination as a minister of the gospel in the Wesleyan Church. Over the years, Dr. Alexander pastored churches in Mississippi, Indiana, Kansas and Pennsylvania. In addition, he worked for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. His passion for older people eventually lead to his becoming a licensed Nursing Home Administrator. He saw that work as another expression of his call to full-time Christian service. He was a skilled administrator who was loved by both his residents and his staff. As a result, he was asked to “turn around” care facilities in a variety of places. Being absolutely committed to quality care, he never backed away from the challenge. Over the second half of his working life, he was the Administrator of facilities in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Ed was an immensely curious person and the definition of a “life long learner”. That curiosity led him to pursue education with a passion. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Salem (Ohio) Bible College, a Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Asbury Theological Seminary, a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy from Kansas State University. In addition, he completed Clinical Pastoral Education programs at LaRue Carter Psychiatric Hospital (Indianapolis, Indiana) and at the Menninger Foundation (Topeka, Kansas). His curiosity also drove him to explore and to travel. He and his wife, Shirley, worked hard to find the resources and time to travel. They loved Europe and went there many times. Ed and Shirley took their grandchildren to Europe, more than once renting a Volkswagen bus and serving as “tour guides” for the grand-kids. Over the years, they were blessed to travel to over 60 countries around the world. Ed was a good athlete in high school participating in basketball and baseball for his beloved Stoneboro Cardinals. He loved to tell stories of playing baseball with the Greenville Merchants “town team” of the 1950s. At the age of 44, he decided to “get in shape”. That began a 36-year career in running and triathlons that provided him great joy, countless friends and significant success. In addition to competing in hundreds of running events from the 800 meters to the marathon, Dr. Alexander competed in 156 triathlons. He represented the United States in track and field at the World Masters Championships on several occasions. One of his fondest memories was racing in Olympic Stadium in Rome. He represented the United States and USAT at World Championships on nine occasions in Gold Coast, Australia; Hamburg, Germany; Sader, Sweden; Maderia Island, Portugal; Perth, Australia; Lausanne, Switzerland; Honolulu, Hawaii; Edmonton, Canada; and Budapest, Hungary. His last international competition was at the age of 74 in Budapest. His silver medal at the World Long-Course Championships in Sweden was his highest international placing. Dr. Alexander is survived by his wife Shirley and their five children and spouses.
Dr. H. Myron Bromley (B. Div., 51), son of Harry M. Bromley and Ethel May (nee Horth) Bromley, was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania on March 23, 1925, and died on July 26, 2016. Myron graduated from Meadville High School in 1942 and served with the U.S. Army at the end of World War II. He attended Allegheny College and graduated from Houghton College, NY in 1948. Then, while attending Asbury Seminary in Kentucky, he heard God’s call to missionary service. In 1951 he received his Bachelor of Divinity from Asbury, and went on to study and teach at St. Paul Bible Institute (now Crown College), MN. He received his M.A. from the University of Minnesota in 1958, an honorary Litt. D from Houghton College in 1969 and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Yale University in 1971. In 1954, Myron followed God’s call and went overseas, joining other pioneer missionaries entering the remote mountainous region of then Dutch New Guinea, now the province Papua, Indonesia. On February 8, 1958, he married Marjorie Jean, an Australian Medical Doctor. Together they served in Papua for almost 40 years, many of those years in the mountain mission station, Tangma. Myron’s passion was for language analysis and translation in the service of God’s word, and it was to this cause that he devoted his many gifts. He was instrumental, not only in learning, analyzing and creating a writing system for the language of Tangma, but in assisting other missionaries to learn local languages and translation skills, as well as training indigenous translators to carry on the work. He supported his wife Marj in her medical work, attended to the many needs of a remote mission station, and preached the good news of Jesus Christ. He loved his three children deeply, as well as his many “spiritual children.” He is remembered by many as a humble kind man and a brilliant linguist. In Papua he is revered and loved by thousands whose lives were changed. In 1993 Myron and Marj returned to the USA to retire. After moving to North Carolina, he became active not only in the local church, but also in the lives of his neighbors, often going to visit and pray with them. In 2014, the Lord took Marj home to be with Him. Alone, Myron moved in 2015 to DeLand, Florida, where he entered the Alliance Community for Retirement Living and much appreciated the friendliness of his fellow residents. Myron Bromley was a fortunate man, blessed by the God he served. He lived his life’s dream, he loved his work, he created an enduring legacy, he married the woman he loved, he maintained his intelligence and independence throughout his 91 years, and had the beautiful caring support of his youngest daughter, Lois. On July 26, following a heart attack at Central Regional Florida Hospital in Sanford, FL, Myron suddenly went home to be with his Lord. He has shed his burdens now, and can simply be loved. Myron is survived by his son Mark Bromley, his daughters Elisabeth and Lois Bromley, and his beloved granddaughters Rahme and Maia von Erkel-Bromley, who reside with their mother Elisabeth in Australia. Myron was the youngest of his own family and was preceded in death by his brother, Raymond Bromley, and his sister, Florence Bromley.
The Reverend Bobby Joe “Bob” Dennis (B.Div, 56), was born January 4, 1932, to Ronzo and Pauline Dennis of Troy, North Carolina. He was the oldest of three children, Patsy Dennis Craddock and Philip Donald Dennis, who preceded him in death in 2005 and 2004. He died on Saturday, September 3, 2016 at the age of 84. He was a graduate of Troy High School and received the B.A. Degree in English from High Point College in 1953. He earned the B.Div. Degree at Asbury Theological Seminary in 1956 and did post graduate study in the area of Evangelism. As a college student, he served on a Youth Caravan Team under the General Board of Education of the Methodist Church in Arkansas during the summer of 1951. When he was a seminary student he served three summers in several states in the program of Seventy Evangelists under the General Board of Evangelism of the Methodist Church. He helped establish a Methodist Church in Searcy, Arkansas. Rev. Dennis was a member of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. Over a period of 37 years, he served as pastor of the following United Methodist Churches: The Stoneville Charge, the Hiddenite Charge, Bethel in Thomasville, Bethlehem at Climax, Mt. Mitchell in Kannapolis, Spencer Memorial in Charlotte, First Methodist in Landis, Vanderburg in Mooresville, First Methodist in Maiden, North Kannapolis UMC, Rocky Ridge in Concord and Cramer Memorial in Cramerton. He retired in 1994. He preached in fifteen different states and in Jerusalem, Israel. In North Carolina he conducted many revival services , and preached in churches of various denominations. He made several trips to Israel and other countries. Bob Dennis developed a comedy routine around a character known as Josche and it grew into what he called a “Ministry of Mirth”. He did between 500 and 600 performances of this character. He loved the game of baseball and played five years on the Troy High School team and four years on the Montgomery County American Legion team. In 1951, he played shortstop on the High Point College team and in 1952 and 1953 he played second base. Also, he played on church and city teams until he was nearly sixty years of age. Rev. Dennis loved the outdoors and was an ardent fisherman and participated in local tournaments. He was a life member of Bass Anglers Sportsman Society and of the North American Fishing Club. He was also a member of the National Fishing Lure Collectors Club, Florida Antique Tackle Collectors Club, and a life member of Carolina Antique Tackle Collectors Club. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Sue Dennis; a daughter, Major Elizabeth Birks and husband John and their children, Captain Sarah Birks, Lt. Laura Tidman and husband Matthew, Lt. David Birks and wife Amy and their two daughters Victoria and Amelia; a son, Keith Alan Dennis and his wife, Sheri and their daughter Megan.
Leave a Reply