Remembering our friends

The Rev. George Reuben Harrington BTh ’41 died Feb. 28, 2008. He was an ordained minister of the Church of God for 66 years. He pastored Church of God congregations in Florida, New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama, and did evangelistic work in 20 more states. He never retired and was still an associate pastor going to his office at the First Church of God in Big Spring, Texas, until 2007. He married Lucile McDonald ’37 on August 9, 1936, at the old Park Place Church of God. Lucile, also an ordained Church of God minister, preceded him in death on Jan. 9, 1986, following a 50-year partnership in ministry. He is survived by their three daughters, Georgetta Stephenson, Diane Hunter ’61, and Hope Kolb MA ’75; and six grandchildren.

Margaret Sutton Cook ’42 died Feb. 15, 2008, in Anderson, Ind. She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. H. Revere Cook BTh ’39, whom she met at Anderson University in the 1940s, after moving to Anderson to work for the Gospel Trumpet. Her life’s work was dedicated to her family and to ministry with her husband in the Church of God. She served in various leadership capacities over the years, including women’s missionary endeavors and Christian education in local congregations. She used her musical talents for God’s glory. During her retirement years in Anderson, she was active in the life and ministry of Park Place Church of God. She is survived by four children, Jim Cook BA ’68, Jeannie (Cook) Hignell BA ’71, Larry Cook BA ’75, and Kate Cook BA ’78; nine grandchildren; and two great- grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her only sibling, Miriam Hidy.

The Rev. Dr. Milton A. Buettner BA ’43 died April 21, 2008. The Buettners served as missionaries to China from 1946 to 1949, leaving the country via the Burma Road in haste just as the Chinese Communists were taking over the country. Milton served for a time as the pastor of a Church of God congregation in San Francisco. Milton was a gifted, disciplined person, competent musician, and a highly-skilled pianist who had concertized quite a bit in his earlier adult years. He became the first called full-time minister of music and worship at Park Place Church of God, serving in that capacity from 1953 to 1959. Milton became a member of the Anderson University faculty in the fall of 1959 and served as a teacher of English literature there for 20 years until his retirement from teaching in 1979 as professor of English emeritus. He and his wife, Eleanor (Ihrig) Buettner BA ’69, left Anderson and moved to Florida in 1984 to become permanent residents of the Penney Farms Retirement Community. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two children, Peter Buettner BA ’76 and Lanny Buettner; and siblings Inez (Buettner) Frank, Willis Buettner, and Faith (Buettner) Vieth.

Winnegene Ella Reynolds “Jean” Newberry BA ’47 of New Boston, Ohio, died Tuesday, April 22, 2008. She was a retired teacher from South Webster High School. She was a member of the First Church of God in New Boston, Ohio, where she was the organist and choir director for many years. Surviving are her husband of 65 years, Thomas Homer Newberry BS ’48, whom she married on June 14, 1942; three daughters, Cynthia Newberry BA ’71, Susan Montavon ’72, and Jane Young; three grandsons; and one great-granddaughter. She was preceded in death by one brother, Doyle Reynolds; and three sisters, Adele Cunningham, Pauline Chew, and Mary Russell.

Dr. Oral Withrow BA ’55, MDiv ’61, DD ’88 died at his Anderson, Ind., home on Feb. 12, 2008, after an extended illness. A native of Charleston, W. Va., he was a long-time leader in the Church of God movement, serving as pastor to congregations in Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Wyoming, and Arizona, as well as assuming several leadership positions at Church of God headquarters in Anderson. Prior to his retirement from active ministry in 1998, he was vice president of the Board of Church Extension and a member of several national committees. He was chairperson of the national General Assembly of the Church of God, 1989-1990, and traveled extensively as a church consultant. A prolific writer, he was a frequent contributor to Christian magazines and was the author or co-author of six books. He earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Seminary in California. In 1987, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Anderson University. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Laura (Benson) Withrow BS ’55; two daughters, Carma (Withrow) Wood BA ’82 and Cheryl (Withrow) Eddy BA ’80; two sons, Douglas Withrow BA ’85, MDiv ’90 and David Withrow BA ’88; 17 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and one sister, Carma Lee Crede.

Glenn Dwight Berry Sr. BA ’56 died April 20, 2008, in Edina, Minn. He served as a medic in the U.S. Army during the Korean War from Jan. 30, 1951, to Oct. 29, 1952. He attended Anderson University. He also received a master’s degree in education from Eastern Michigan University. He married Judith Carol Thomas on April 1, 1955. He served as a minister in the Church of God (Anderson) in the following churches: Logan, W. Va.; Kenova, W. Va..; Ypsilanti, Mich.; Kittanning, Pa.; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Minneapolis, Minn. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Judith; children, Glenn Berry Jr. ’75, Deanne Berry Tan AS ’80, BA ’80, Michelle Berry ’80, and Susan Berry, ASN ’86, BSN ’86; two grandchildren; two brothers, George and Gerald; and three sisters, Olive, Louise, and Shirley.

Robert E. Denniston BA ’58, MDiv ’62 died June 16, 2008, in Anderson, Ind. He married Dorothy Speagle BS ’58 on June 25, 1955. He worked for 30 years for the Department of Workforce Development and retired in January 1996. He had a great passion for genealogy and enjoyed doing census work. Devoted to Maple Grove Church of God, he was a beloved Sunday school teacher and committee and board member over the years. In the Anderson community, he served on the Private Industry Council and was a six-year member of the board of directors of the Community Action Program. He served 20 years as president and board member of the Mental Health Association of Madison County. For a number of years, he was active in the Alliance on Mental Illness, serving as a board member as well as board president. He was very active in the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Madison County support group, and the Anderson Noon Lions Club. In 1996, he received the Distinguished Hoosier Award from Gov. Evan Bayh. He is survived by his wife; two sons, David Denniston ’77 and Greg Denniston BA ’84, MDiv ’96; a brother, Wayne E. Denniston; a sister, Dorothy Wilson; and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister, Joan Hemmelein.

Betty W. Smith BS ’59 died April 26, 2008. She received her Master of Arts from Ball State University. She was a retired schoolteacher from St. Albans High School, yet after retirement she continued teaching. She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Dr. J. Loren Smith BA ’56; four children, Dr. Scott F. Smith, Jill S. Smith, Julie C. Smith, and Clark W. Smith; and seven grandchildren.

Carol Harting Wilcox BA ’60 died March 19, 2008, in Anderson, Ind., following a long battle with cancer. From Anderson, Carol went on to do graduate work at Clark University in Wor­cester, Mass., receiving her PhD there in 1963. After teaching political science for some years in various places in the United States, concluding her U.S. career in Massachusetts, Carol moved to England to spend the last 20 years of her life. Her passion for conservation and the environment continued with her throughout the United States and in England. Carol is survived by her daughter, Kirstin Reade; two granddaughters; three brothers, Wayne Harting BA ’53, Clyde Harting BA ’61, and Fred Harting BA ’70; and one sister, Gladys (Harting) Sowders BA ’58. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Wilcox.

The Rev. L. Odene Wampler BA ’67, MMin ’72 died Feb. 13, 2008. Odene served the Church of God all his life, growing up and preaching in Englewood, Tenn., at the First Church of God as a young man before coming to Anderson to finish his degree. Over the course of more than 40 years, he served congregations in Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, and Missouri. He is survived by his wife, Betty (Price) Wampler; three children, Claudia (Wampler) Braschler BA ’84, Phil Wampler, and Don Wampler; eight grandchildren; and siblings Jeannett (Wampler) Bishop and Billy Tallent.

The Rev. Lawrence Paul Wyatt MDiv ’69 died April 4, 2008. He attended Southern University A&M in Baton Rouge, La., earning the baccalaureate degree. Following graduation from Southern, he was commissioned as a First Lieutenant and served in the Korean War in charge of the transportation department. After being discharged from the Army he responded to God’s call to the ministry, and in 1957 was ordained to the ministry in the Church of God by the late Dr. Marcus H. Morgan. Lawrence’s thirst for education caused him to continue his educational goals. In 1969 he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Anderson University School of Theology, the sixth African American to graduate from that seminary. It was during his time at the seminary he met Artelia V. Harrison, and on Dec. 30, 1957, they were married. He pursued further studies at Drew University in Madison, N.J., and earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree. In May 1992 he was honored by the Southern California School of Ministry with a Doctor of Divinity degree. He began his ministerial journey as the associate minister to the late Dr. Horace W. Sheppard, pastor emeritus of West Oak Lane Church of God in Philadelphia, Pa., from 1959-1962. From 1962-1971, he served as senior pastor of Eliza Street Church of God (later known as the McKee Street Church of God) in Fort Wayne, Ind. In March 1971, he became pastor of Southwestern Church of God in Detroit, where he served this congregation for 37 years. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Reginald Paul Wyatt; and a brother, Claude Wyatt II.

Arnold L. Setzer of Anderson, Ind., died of complications from surgery May 1, 2008, after a two-week illness. He grew up in Hickory, N.C. He worked in defense work for 3 1/2 years prior to serving in the U.S. Navy for one year during World War II. He went on to attend Lenoir Rhyne College and graduated in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He worked as a radio engineer for WHKY in Hickory, N.C., WNNC in Newton, N.C., and WNAV in Annapolis, Md. He worked as staff announcer for WHKY in Hickory, N.C., for 15 years. He moved with his family to Anderson in 1964, taking a position with Anderson University. During his tenure here, he served as director of residence halls, director of the Work-Learning Program, and director of placement. He did graduate studies at Indiana and Atlanta universities before earning the Master of Arts degree in student personnel administration and higher education at Ball State University. He retired in 1982 from the Anderson University business office. He was sports announcer for the Anderson University Ravens for many years. Survivors include his wife of 72 years, Virginia (Helton) Setzer, whom he married March 1, 1936, in York, S.C.; a daughter, Gloria Edwards BA ’71; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Benjamin Arthur Setzer and Shelton Setzer; and a sister, Ossie Lee Setzer.