Remembering our friends
Harold L. Phillips BTh 38 died March 20, 2006, in Anderson, Ind., following a brief illness. He came to Anderson in 1936 to study at the university and was offered a position as book editor with The Gospel Trumpet Company (later Warner Press). He held a Master of Arts from Butler University School of Religion, and a Bachelor of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary. He did graduate work at Union Theological Seminary and Princeton Seminary, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1954 by Anderson University. He served The Gospel Trumpet Company/Warner Press for 41 years in editorial assignments, culminating as editor-in-chief for 26 years. He supervised an editorial program that produced numerous periodicals, a full range of church-school curriculum materials, and more than 20 books a year. After retiring from Warner Press, he served as professor of New Testament at the AU School of Theology. Following that he was an instructor in the Adult Continuing Education Department of Anderson University, and more recently, he served as a resident chaplain at its School of Theology. He married Ethel Louise Mott 38, on June 24, 1937. They had been married 55 years at the time of her death. He is survived by his four children, Harolyn (Phillips) Burns BA 59, Jean (Phillips) Harbron 64, Wanda (Phillips) Yoder BA 69, and Timothy Phillips; a brother, Wendell Phillips; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two step grandchildren; three step great-grandchildren; and many nephews, nieces, and cousins.
Marie (Esper) Meyer BS 45 died Feb. 18, 2006, in Anderson, Ind. She was employed as national associate secretary of the Women of the Church of God for 25 years before retiring in 1982. She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis P. Meyer BS 45. They were married 49 years. She is survived by her daughter, Jan Meyer; a son, Tim Meyer; a sister, Lois Downs; a brother, Edwin Esper; three granddaughters; and several nieces and nephews.
Dr. Hollis S. Pistole BA 45 died April 19, 2006, in Anderson, Ind., after an extended illness. He was a professor of applied theology at the AU School of Theology for 25 years, before retiring in 1984. He was a Church of God minister with pastorates in Cleveland, Ohio; Columbia Station, Ohio; and Baltimore and Marbury, Md. He received his Master of Divinity from Oberlin Graduate School of Theology and received his Doctor of Religion from Chicago Theological Seminary. In 1993, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the AU School of Theology and served as chaplain in residence at the seminary. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Elizabeth (Smith) Pistole BS 43, on Dec. 1, 2005; a grandson, Christopher Pistole; and a brother, Lee Pistole. Survivors include four children, Cynthia L. (Pistole) Poikonen BA 68, Carole (Pistole) Greenwalt BA 72, Dr. David Hollis Pistole BA 77, and John Pistole BA 78; one brother and two sisters, Aileen Pistole, George Pistole and Carrie Ott; nine grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Dr. Gustav Jeeninga BA 51 died June 6, 2006. He was living in Florida at the time of his death. Originally from the Netherlands, he was transported to Germany during World War II and forced into slave labor in Berlin. He came to Anderson University in 1947. After graduating from AU, he earned degrees from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. He began teaching at AU in 1960 in the Department of Religious Studies, retiring in 1989. During his 29- year tenure as a professor at AU, he participated in six major archaeological digs. His archaeological focus was at Caesarea Maritima, Tel-Rumeith (Israel) and other sites in Jordan and Cyprus. While at AU, he founded the Museum of Bible and Near Eastern Studies, serving as its director until 1992. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Aletta. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Poe Jeeninga 55; a brother Fritz Jeeninga; sisters Trudee (Jeeninga) Pueter, Alberta (Jeeninga) Marschall, and Hilda (Jeeninga) Beckman BS 60; and many nieces and nephews. Memorial donations may be made to the Jeeninga Museum of Bible and Near Eastern Studies, c/o Anderson University, 1100 E. Fifth St., Anderson, IN 46012.
Arthur Eugene Keesling 54 died April 20, 2006, in Seminole, Fla. He was an Indiana State Trooper for 10 years. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 1989, having been a mail carrier in Anderson and Muncie, Ind. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Ramona; three sons, Jeffrey Keesling, Kent Keesling, and David Keesling; two daughters, Deborah Iaria and Terrie Cornelius; three sisters, Sally Powers, Susie Vorhees, and Carol Walker; two brothers, Michael Keesling and Dan Keesling; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Delores J. (Bird) Roberts 56 died March 4, 2006, as the result of cancer. She was a homemaker and a member of First Church of God in Winter Haven, Fla. Survivors include her husband, Jesse Roberts 56; a son, David Roberts; a daughter, Laura Jones; two brothers, Eddie Bird and Richard Bird; and five grandchildren.
Nemuel R. Albea 63 died Feb. 19, 2006, in Anderson, Ind. He graduated from Ball State University and also attended Franklin College. He retired from Delco Remy in Anderson after 32 years of service. He was also a real-estate broker and had worked at the Pendleton Community Library. He is survived by his wife, Aileen; mother, Cecile Albea; a son, Jeff Albea; two daughters, Shelly Harvey and Jeri Anne Cleckley; one brother, Richard Albea; five sisters, Dianne Martin, Linda Smith, Loretta Kroin, Cheri Perrin, and Jayne McCubbins; 11 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Frances (Bundy) Duty 63 died April 13, 2006, surrounded by her family after an eight-month battle with cancer. She married Edward Duty BA 51 on June 14, 1947. Her husband felt a call to ministry, and Frances served as a faithful wife beside him in pastorates in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, and Florida. She is survived by her husband; a son, the Rev. Michael Duty BA 73; a daughter, Joyce (Duty) Wehneman BA 76; two grandchildren; a brother, Delbert Bundy; and cousins, nieces, and nephews.
The Rev. J. Henry Dodson Jr. 68 died Feb. 28, 2006, in Boca Raton, Fla. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Force, serving in World War II. He served as a minister of music and then as a pastor in Ohio, Virginia, Indiana, and Florida, until his retirement at age 80. He is survived by his wife, Annita; four children, James Dodson BA 70, SOT 87, Jane (Dodson) Voss AA, BA 77, Jannis Vrabel, and John Dodson; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Norma F. Early BA 69 died April 22, 2006, in Indianapolis. She was a retired teacher from Anderson Community Schools. She is survived by her husband, Allen Early, whom she married July 9, 1950; three children, Johanna Baker, Lori Wensel, and Christine Jansen; her mother-in-law, Geneva Hartley; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Thomas Parker BA 77 died March 17, 2006.
Chris Edward Kohli 79 died Feb. 12, 2006, as a result of a fire at his residence. Chris was an artist and leaves behind a legacy of paintings. He is survived by his parents, Edward and Janet Kohli; a brother, John Kohli; two sisters, Carole Gill and Barbara Scott; and five nieces and nephews.
Garth Alan Eppley BA 03 died April 20, 2006, from injuries he suffered in a plane crash. He graduated from Anderson University with a degree in music performance and was a student at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He attended Giest Christian Church, Fishers, and was a member of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, Yankee Beamers and Rounders No.7. He is survived by his parents, William Bill and Laura (Bailey) Eppley; grandparents Richard and Elda Eppley and Robert S. Bailey; a brother, Miles Eppley; a sister, Heather Hutchinson; two nieces; and aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Zachary Joseph Daniel Novak BA 04 Anderson, died April 20, 2006, when a plane he was in went down in Bloomington, Ind. He graduated from AU Summa Cum Laude with honors in music. Zach received the music departments Voice Performance Award and won the senior men category and State National Association of Teachers of Singing awards. He was due to graduate in early May with a Master of Music degree in choral conducting with a minor in voice from Indiana University in Bloomington. He is survived by his parents Dan and Misty (Ward) Novak BA 78; a brother, Joel; a sister Brytni; grandparents Raymond and Rosemarie Novak, and Robert and Ellen Ward; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.
