Births, Ordinations and Obituaries - September 2009

Vol. 4 No. 5 September-October  2009

Births

Triplets! Braden Abner, Jameson Douglas, and Patrick Ray Miller were born on July 2, each weighing less than 5 pounds. They are the first children for parents Shannon and Ryan Casey. Grandparents Paul and Marlene Miller attend the Mountain Home, AR, congregation.

Kate Sophia Goddard was born on June 4, the first daughter and second child for Mark David and Dareta (Roller) Goddard, of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. The maternal grandparents are Bobby Ray and Randena (Bowles) Roller of Tulsa, OK. Paternal grandparents are Robert and Janice Kathryn (Brown) Goddard of Bloomington, IN.

High School Graduations (these are in addition to the names published in the July/August issue)

• Alesha Markie Braswell, James Baxter Hunt Jr. High School, Wilson, NC. National Honor Roll and Young Dreamers Scholarship
• Jasmine Feliz Broadnax, The Master's School, Dobbs Ferry, NY
• Alexandria Arielle Hodges, Pebble Brook H.S., Mableton, GA
• Claire N. Humen, Cranford HS, Cranford, NJ; National Honor Society and French Honor society
• Lilas F. Humen, Cranford HS, Cranford, NJ; National Honor Society, Math Honor Society and French Honor society
• Joseph Joshua Johnston, Paradise High School, Paradise, CA
• Patrick Long, Sparta High School, Sparta, MO
• Jeoffrey Lovedahl, Monmouth High School, Monmouth, IL
• Kenneth A. Mohr, Marlboro HS, Marlboro, NJ
• Jason Douglas Nichols, Latta H.S., Latta, SC
• Amy Lynn Varsell, Lewis Mills High School, Burlington, CT. National Honor Society.

College Graduations

• Kashonta Crawford, B.S. in Biology, Francis Marion University, Florence, SC
• Donna Dolsey, Masters in Elementary Education, University of Phoenix in Atlanta
• Amaris Evans, Masters in Internal Medicine, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
• Monica Manuel, M.S. in Professional Counseling, Georgia State University
• Sean Mohr, Associate in Business degree from Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ
• Dolly Pope, B.S. in Philosophy, Georgia State University
• Ashley Rose Smith, Bachelor in English with Baccalaureate Honor and Summa Cum Laude from Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ
• Tamara Templeman, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design, Parsons The New School for Design, New York, NY
• Angela Wilhoite, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, B.A. in Business Administration, with honors.

Ordinations

Robert Abbas, St. Paul, MN
Brian Carlisle, Washington, DC
Lloyd Elwell, Rochester, NY
Michael Kinzie, Roanoke, VA
Stuart Mahan, Toledo, OH
Phil Nichols, Monroeville, AL
Randy Roberts, Toledo, OH
Duane Skrove, Champlin, MN
Ada Wilson, Portsmouth, VA

Obituaries

Frances Virginia Magdalene Creech, 62, died June 29, at home in Snow Hill, NC, surrounded by her children and family. She was born in Franklin, VA, on February 19, 1947, the youngest child and only daughter of William Titus Creech and Mildred Frances Joyner (both deceased). Frances graduated from Greene Central High School in 1965 in the top 10 of her class and was awarded a nursing scholarship. She married Louis Emerson Creech (a sixth cousin) on November 18, 1965 and they started a used farm machinery business (Creech’s Used Farm Machinery) in the early 1970s. 

Frances was baptized in July 1974 and attended services in Fayetteville, Raleigh, Jacksonville, New Bern, Greenville, and more recently, Wilson, NC. She was a homemaker along with being her husband’s business partner. Frances’ life centered on her faith, family and home. She was a faithful servant of God. She was a loyal church member who initiated the Operation Christmas Child program at church. Frances participated in the local Women’s Ministry and provided rides for widows to church.  She took excellent care of her husband during his cancer battle while dealing with her own health issues. While visiting the elderly and sick, she offered words of comfort.  During her cancer battles, she encouraged cancer patients at Duke Hospital, Leo Jenkins Cancer Center, and Physicians East of Greenville. 

Frances is survived by her four children, Rebecca Ann Creech Chahid and husband, Ali, Frances Louise Creech Price and husband, Walter, Samson Louis Creech and Jeffrey Emerson Creech; her grandchildren, Zachary Chahid, Adam Chahid, Nadia Chahid and Lindsey Price; brothers, Aron Creech and wife, Doris, Kenneth Creech and wife, Carol; stepmother, Sally Creech; and stepbrother Mike Phelps and wife, Susan.  She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 43 years, Louis Emerson Creech, who died October 8, 2008.

Roger William Robb, 85, of Industry, IL, died on May 26 in Tulsa, OK, while en route to a grandson's wedding in Texas. He was born in Otter Tail county, Minnesota, in 1924 to William and Ella (Kautz) Robb. He graduated from Wadena High School in 1941 and attended Bemidji State University before entering the U.S. Navy in 1943. He was commissioned as a Naval Aviator in 1944 and served on the USS Raleigh. He married Francis Barmus in 1946. He retired from the Navy in 1964 with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He then completed his education in mathematics at the University of Scranton, and taught in several high schools in Pennsylvania before buying a farm near New York Mills, MN. In 2003, he married Ila Steiner of Industry, and lived at times in Minnesota and at times in Illinois.

Preceding Roger in death are his his wife, Francis Robb, his parents, and a brother, Clyde. He is survived by his wife, Ila, and three sons: Randolph W. Robb of San Rafael, CA, Roger William Robb II and Richard W. Robb, both of Mt. Pleasant, MI; a brother, Thomas (Phyl) Robb, of Isle; three sisters: Marjorie Robb of New York Mills; Marion Horstman of Port Angeles, WA, and Lou (Howard) Legried of New York Mills; four grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and many others.

Gary D. Schmidt, 57, of rural Kendall, WI, died suddenly on May 25. Gary was the son of Donald and Alice Schmidt and was the youngest of their eight children. He married Diane Snitker from Waukon, IA, on September 3, 1972. Gary and Diane farmed his parent’s farm for several years and purchased the farm in 1994. Gary drove a school bus for New Lisbon, WI, schools for 21 years and was Transportation Supervisor for two years. He attended Living Faith Fellowship in La Crosse, WI.

Gary is survived by his immediate family—his wife, his son Justin (wife, Emily) and his daughter Jennifer (husband, Rod Weise). He is also survived by six of his siblings and a host of nephews, nieces and their families.

John Luther Snyder, Jr., 77, of Bay City, TX, died on Feb. 15 due to complications suffered from a heart infection. He was born in Houston, TX, July 7, 1931, to John and Hilda Snyder. John graduated from Bay City High School and received a Masters of Science from Texas A&M University Kingsville (formerly Texas College of Arts & Industry).

John attended Ambassador College in Pasadena, CA, and later transferred to Big Sandy, where he was responsible for running the college dairy. He later returned to Bay City where he owned and operated a small engine repair shop for over 20 years. He spent his final years in assisted living in Frisco, TX, with Parkinson's disease.

He is survived by his sister Dorothy Lofton of Houston, step-daughter Lenora Feeney of San Antonio, step-son L. Greg Smith of Big Sandy and son John Snyder, III of Frisco. John had seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Agatha M. Youtzy, 94, of Belmont, WV, died Jan. 21 after a short illness. She was born April 26, 1914 at Mellin, WV, the daughter of the late Harry and Margaret Hoover Moore. She was a homemaker and a member of Grace Fellowship in Mineral Wells, WV. She is survived by two sisters, Burneda Roberts and Jenivieve W. Woods. She was preceded in death by her husband John K. Youtzy, an infant son and seven brothers and sisters. Aggie spent the last ten years of her life in a nursing home. Even there she continued to make beautiful quilts and other craft items. Despite gradually failing health, she always had a beautiful smile and never complained. She was greatly loved and will be missed by all the members.