Remembering our friends

Merle Dierolf Stuart '32 died April 3, 2003, in Beverly, Mass. She was the widow of Streeter Stuart '31, a longtime radio and newsman for WBZ in Boston. She met Streeter when he came to the Boyertown, Pa., Church of God campmeeting in 1931 as a member of an Anderson College quartet. They married in 1936, and after four years in Oklahoma, they moved to Lexington, Mass. She had a strong interest in nutrition, and in 1979, she, her husband and their daughter, Twyla Stuart, opened the Belmont Nutrition Center and stocked the store with imported nuts and fruits and hard-to-find vitamin and mineral supplements from around the world. She also co-founded the Boston Orthomolecular Society, which was dedicated to treating physical and mental illness with nutritional supplements. She was active in Lexington Methodist Church. At the time of her death, she had been living with her daughter in Danvers, Mass. In addition to her daughter, she is survived by two sons, the Rev. Streeter Stuart Jr. MDiv '62 and the Rev. Douglas Stuart; a sister, Ruth Hawthorne; 10 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

James R. Pletcher '37 died April 3, 2003, in Anderson, Ind. He worked as a sales representative for Warner Press Publishing Company for 21 years, retiring in 1982. He was a member of Pendleton Baptist Church. He is survived by four children, A. Jeanine Pletcher '62, Jill Hemminger, James Pletcher and Jeffrey Pletcher, and eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Mary (Puchek) Ludwig AA '41 died Oct. 24, 2002, in Tucson, Ariz. Her husband, the Rev. Dr. Charles Ludwig BS '45 died the following November (see below). She and her husband served pastorates in Pennsylvania, Washington, Idaho, Illinois and Arizona. They were also evangelists and held revivals across the country. Mary would sing and Charles would share about Africa, where his parents served as missionaries. She is survived by a son, Chuck Ludwig; a daughter, Brenda Klinowski; a brother, Joseph Puchek BS '49; two sisters, Ruth Hnida and Eleanor Miller; and three grandchildren.

The Rev. A. F. Dreger BTh '43 died Feb. 21, 2003, in Anderson, Ind. During his ministry, he pastored nine different congregations in Indiana. He retired from full-time ministry in 1980 but served in interim pastoral ministry until 1995. Also during his retirement, he served as director and coordinator of volunteers of the SERVE Program with the National Board of Church Extension and Home Missions of the Church of God. Survivors include his wife, Eunice; three children, the Rev. Rebecca Fauntleroy, the Rev. Paul Dreger BA '75, MMin '79 and Keren Snyder '80; siblings William Dreger, Ida Weigelt, Margaret Schultz, Ruth Dreger and Evelynne Lonnberg; and six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The Rev. Dr. Charles Ludwig BS '45 died Nov. 22, 2002, in Tucson, Ariz., nearly one month after the death of his wife, Mary (Puchek) Ludwig AA '41 (see above). He was the son of the late Twyla Ludwig BTh '22, BA '40 and John Ludwig BTh '22, who were Church of God missionaries to Kenya. He pastored churches in Pennsylvania, Washington, Idaho, Illinois and Arizona, and also served as an evangelist. He wrote 52 books, including Michael Faraday, which won the Outstanding Religious Book award in 1979. He attributed his success to the encouragement of his wife. They were married for 63 years. Survivors include a son, Chuck Ludwig; a daughter, Brenda Klinowski; and three grandchildren.

The Rev. Carleton Bebee BTh '47 died March 6, 2003, in Anderson, Ind., after an extended illness. He pastored from 1942 to 1997, serving churches in Oklahoma and New Mexico. He served as groundskeeper at Anderson University for six years before retiring in 1983. He attended East Side Church of God. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Opal (Moore) Bebee '42; a daughter, Rebecca Mulvaney; a brother, Samuel Bebee '48; and three grandchildren.

Dr. Adam Miller Jr. BA '47 died Feb. 23, 2003. He held a master's degree from the University of Illinois - Chicago and a doctorate from the University of Utah. He was a doctor of psychology and retired from Oregon State University in Eugene, Ore. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Vinnie (Hicks) Miller; his sister, Joyce Miller Jones; and two nieces and a nephew.

Dr. Russell Ray Renz BS '47 died June 8, 2003, in Anderson, Ind., following a stroke. After completing his degree at AU, he earned a master's degree from the University of Toledo and a doctorate from the University of Kentucky. He served in the V12 Medical Program in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a longtime member of Park Place Church of God in Anderson, serving in various lay ministries. He taught in the AU Department of Education for 30 years, retiring in 1989. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Velma (Riddle) Renz BA '69; a daughter, Rebecca Ann Renz BA '81; a son, David Renz BA '76; and one grandson.

Robert Macholtz BS '49, former Anderson University professor and coach, died March 26, 2003, in Florida.As a student at AU, Macholtz played baseball and basketball and majored in physical education. He returned to AU in the 1950s, and along with his brother, Jim BS '51, Ernie Rangazas and later Gertrude Wunsch, built a high-caliber physical education and athletic program at the university. He worked as the athletic director and an associate professor of physical education. He coached baseball for three seasons and men's basketball for 15 seasons. He took the Ravens to six Hoosier Conference basketball championships and in 1961 to the third round of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament. He was named Coach of the Year four times in the Hoosier Conference. Macholtz is survived by two sons, James '70 and Steve, and two grandchildren.

Ralph E. Welton Sr. BS '50 of Mt. Sterling, Ky., died Feb. 13, 2003. He was a retired Church of God minister, serving churches in Ohio, Kentucky, Mississippi and Alabama, and served as Coordinator of Curriculum Services for Warner Press in the early 1970s. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, M. Ruth Sloan Welton; a son, Dr. Ralph E. Welton Jr. BA '76; a daughter, Beth E. Welton Weyrick BA '79; and five grandchildren.

Richard N. Tazelaar BS '51 died Nov. 18, 2002, from pancreatic cancer. He retired from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he was chief architect/engineer for the D.C. Area Field Office (FHA). He was co-founder of the Temple Hills Church of God, Temple Hills, Md.; charter member of Genesis, a drug rehab organization in Prince George's County, Md.; and was active in St. Charles Church of the Nazarene in Waldorf, Md. He is survived by his wife, Doris (Johnson) Tazelaar '51; three children, Rick Tazelaar, Steve Tazelaar and Elaine Cooper; and eight grandchildren.

E. Jane Williams BA '58 died Feb. 1, 2003. For many years, she worked in ministerial partnership with her husband in numerous states. For the past 11 years she served as a professional librarian at the Eckhart Public Library in Auburn, Ind. She is survived by her husband, the Rev. O. Dale Williams BA '58, MDiv. '62; two sons, Tony Williams BA '89 and Chris Williams BA '92, MBA '00; and three grandchildren.

Melissa Harlan BA '93 died Sept. 6, 2002. She was a juvenile probation officer in Butler County, Ohio, and a licensed social worker. She had been diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1994. The tumor was removed, and she lived cancer-free for six years. In the summer of 2001, doctors discovered two inoperable tumors in her brain. She lived in Middletown, Ohio.

David Green BA '99 died in August 2002 from cancer. Survivors include his parents, Dan and Nancy Green, and a 1-year-old daughter, Allison.

Tyler Stutzman BA '03 died May 11, 2003, at his home in Ohio. Tyler was diagnosed with Acute Mylogenous Leukemia in 1999. With the help of his brother, Preston Stutzman BA '92, he wrote and produced a documentary about the disease and how, for one year of his life, he dealt with it. The film, called Uncertain Tomorrow, received the 2002 President's Choice award at the Heartland Film Festival. In addition to his brother, he is survived by his parents, Dick and Vernane Stuzman; two sisters, Vanessa Stutzman BA '03 and Trinda Stutzman Cole BA '94; and a niece and nephew.

Arlene Callen, wife of AU professor Dr. Barry Callen MDiv '66, died March 1, 2003, at her residence after a battle with colon cancer. She earned a bachelor's degree in education from Geneva College in 1963. She and her husband spent a majority of their married years together in Anderson. She taught at Chesterfield Elementary School from 1962-67, tutored students and was active in various children's ministries. She was a leader and staff sponsor for an organization for seminary wives at the AU School of Theology. She was an active member of Park Place Church of God. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her mother, Elizabeth Cooley; a son, Todd Callen BA '91; and three grandchildren.

Carol Govier Malcolm, a faculty member in the School of Nursing from 1973 to 1977, passed away on April 26, 2003. She lived in Kearney, Neb., with her husband and children.