Andrew E. “Andy” Aux t, 91, Hagerstown, Md.
Betty C. Curtner , 92, Lexington, Ohio
June Elizabeth Hall , 94, Ashland, Ohio
Marvin A. Good , 91, Sebring, Fla.,
David Plaster , 60, Lewis Center, Ohio
Andrew E. “Andy” Auxt, 91, a well-known Grace Brethren layman from the Mid-Atlantic District of Grace Brethren Churches, died Feb. 9, 2010, from a brain injury sustained in a fall at his home.
Born Dec. 24, 1918, in Chambersburg, Pa., he was the son of the late George Andrew and Harriet (Pugh) Auxt.
He graduated from Chambersburg High School in 1934 as valedictorian at age 15.
He attended Strayer College and first entered the work force for the U.S. Government in Washington, D.C. He later moved to Hagerstown, Maryland, where he was employed at Fairchild Aircraft for 35 years.
Andy served in the U.S. Navy as a physical instructor during World War II.
He wrote as a conservative columnist for the Hagerstown newspaper, The Herald-Mail. His favorite hobby was planting seedling trees and raising them to a good, healthy size, and then planting them at schools, churches, and homes of friends and relatives.
He was a charter member of Maranatha Brethren Church, Hagerstown, Md., and had served in many capacities having been a Sunday school teacher, Sunday school superintendent, an avid home visitation worker and phone encourager. He taught weight training and body building to teen boys. The Auxts had previously been active in Grace Brethren Church and Calvary Grace Brethren Church of Hagerstown, as well.
He served on the Board of Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Ind. The Auxts were one of the first Grace Brethren families to have three children enrolled in Grace College simultaneously.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Jane (Hopkins) Auxt. Andrew was extremely proud of the fact that they would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in April.
Also surviving are one son, Erik and wife Tecca of Baton Rouge, La.; three daughters, Sharon White and husband Terry of Winona Lake, Ind., Kristin Kriegbaum and husband Ward of Wheaton, Ill., and Harriett Miles and husband Barry of Hagerstown; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Katherine Stonesifer of Verona, Va., and Betty Eves of Hagerstown; and a brother, George Auxt of Venice, Fla.
He was preceded in death by one sister, Dorothy Auxt Feil, medical missionary to Japan, and two granddaughters.
Memorial contributions may be made in Andy’s name to Grace Brethren International Missions, c/o Maranatha Brethren Church, 19835 Scott Hill Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
In 1942 a self-motivated and strong-willed Betty Curtner walked into an Army recruiting office ready to serve her country. During WWII Betty served in the European Theater in Algiers working in the central postal directory for the Mediterranean Command. While in Algiers, Betty was one of three women sworn into the Women’s Army Corps. by General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
On Sunday March 14, 2010, Betty C. Curtner, 92, of Lexington died in Mansfield MedCentral Hospital. Born October 23, 1917 in St. Paris, Ohio Betty was the daughter of Howard and Bessie (Graves) Jenks.
Along with her husband, Lloyd “Doc” Curtner, Betty owned and operated Kell Hardware in Lexington.
Described as faithful and devoted, Betty was a longstanding member of Lexington Grace Brethren Church where she led several Bible studies. She was also a member of Lexington VFW.
Betty is survived by her son, Rick Curtner of Lexington; nephew, Jeff McRae of Knoxville, TN; and a host of lifelong friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd “Doc” Curtner; and sister, Maurine DeBusk.
June Elizabeth Hall, 94, Ashland, died March 2, 2010, following a short illness.
June was born in Sterling, Ohio, to Harvey and Mary Etta Hartzler, and married the late Nelson Hall on Aug. 21, 1938. He died on Feb. 2, 1979.
She served joyfully with Nelson, a Grace Brethren pastor, in churches in Homerville, Ohio; Long Beach and Tracy, Calif.; Albany, Ore.; Richland and Toppenish, Wash.; and Winona, Minn.
She taught Sunday school and child evangelism classes, led women’s ministries, including Spice of Life in Toppenish, engaged in hospitality and faithfully witnessed for her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She was strongly committed to Grace Brethren missionary efforts and contributed to an orphan care center in the Central African Republic.
Surrounded by family members, she continued to share her faith until the end. She expressed confidence in imminently being with Jesus in heaven, while continuing to encourage others in making certain they have the same assurance.
She expressed gratitude to the staff of Kingston of Ashland and Cambridge Home Health Care for their dedication to her. She also appreciated the staff and residents of Mill Run Place.
A loving and devoted mother and grandmother, she is survived by her children Junelle (Ed) Bjerke of Albany, Ore., Jeanene Helfrich of Colorado Springs, Col., and the Rev. Jonathan (Linda) Hall of Ashland, formerly of Wooster; 10 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.
Preceding her in death were two sisters, Ferne Barnard and Mary Gail Yeakley, and two brothers, Merle and Roscoe Hartzler.
A service of celebration was held at Ashland Grace Brethren Church on March 5, 2010. Memorial contributions may be made to Project Hope and Charity, which supports orphans in the Central African Republic.
Marvin A. Good, 91, of Sebring, Fla., died Monday, March 15, 2010, at his home.
He was born February 16, 1919, to Rufus E. and Stella (Wolf) Good in Brecknock Township, Pa., and had been a resident of Sebring since 1988, coming from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was a service technician in the electrical and refrigeration industries and a veteran of World War II, having served in the U.S. Army. He enjoyed serving people and fixing things.
Marvin was a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, and an active member of Grace Church of Sebring. He is survived by his wife, Charlotte Good of Sebring; sons, Bradford K. (Vallrie) Good of Orange Park, Fla., and Kent C. (Becky) Good of Cambodia; brother, Kenneth Good of Lancaster, Pa.; sisters, Bernice Hunsicker of New Holland, Pa., and Hilda (The Rev. Robert) Reichenbach of Harrisburg, Pa.; and grandchildren, Kimberly and Staci.
Memorial services were held March 21, 2010, at Grace Church of Sebring, with Dr. Randall Smith officiating. In lieu of flowers, friends may contribute to Grace Church of Sebring for local hospice and international missions.
David Plaster died March 6, 2010 in Lewis Center, Ohio. He was born in Akron, Ohio, November 6, 1949. He found Christ at the age of eight at the Grace Brethren Church of Canton, Ohio. He married his college sweetheart Ginny Crees on December 18, 1970.
After completing studies at the University of Lyon, France (1970) and Grace College (1971), he entered Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Ind. At that time he became the part-time pastor of Millwood Chapel in Etna Green, Ind. After receiving a Masters of Divinity degree (1974), he and his wife Ginny moved to Armagh, Pa., where he began the Valley Grace Brethren Church.
In 1979, he returned to Warsaw, Ind., to serve as senior pastor of Community Grace Brethren Church. In 1984, Dave completed a Masters of Theology degree and joined the faculty of Grace Theological Seminary full-time. He received a doctorate in Systematic Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1989. He has served as academic dean of Grace Theological Seminary (1988-1991) and vice president for academic affairs for both Grace College and Seminary from 1991-2007. In 1991-92, he served as the moderator of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.
He was senior pastor at the Grace Brethren Church of Columbus, 2007-2010. He was a valued member of the North Central Ohio Ministerium of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches. Throughout his life two passions, mentoring pastors and foreign missions, have made an impact all around the world. He had been a board member of the Grace Brethren International Missions for years.
Dave and Ginny have three grown children: Andy, (Warsaw, Ind.); Rachelle, and her husband Brandon Creighton (Warsaw, Ind.), and Rob and his wife Nichole (Paris, France). They have one granddaughter, Shelly Marie Creighton, who was the light of her “Papa’s” eyes, and a baby boy Creighton on the way. Dave’s mother, Jane Plaster, resides in his hometown of Canton, Ohio.
Gifts may be sent to the Dave Plaster Memorial Fund c/o GBIM, PO Box 80065 City of Industry, California 91716-8065