ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Births
• Engagement
• Weddings
• Anniversaries
• Obituaries

Births

Tony and Diana Garcia of the Los Angeles, California, congregation, formerly from Corpus Christi, Texas, would like to proudly announce the birth of their second grandchild, Rowan Delmos Anthony Garcia. He was born Feb. 21, 2006, weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces and was 20 inches long. Parents are Isaac and Michelle Garcia and big sister, Malena Ann, all from Altadena, California.

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Charles and Markera Dupuch Sr. are pleased to announce the birth of Charles James Dupuch Jr. Born on Jan. 27, 2005, he weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. Mom Markera Dupuch and grandmother Eureka Smith are members of the Nassau, Bahamas, congregation. Charles Jr. makes the second child (big sister Cherith Jalynn Dupuch, born Sept. 8, died Sept. 15, 2003) and 11th grandchild.

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Engagement

Michael and Amy Rose of Vassar, Michigan, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Sarah Michal Rose to Stanley Earl Grabowski, son of Stephen and Ada Grabowski of Laramie, Wyoming. The couple will wed in August of 2006 and plan to reside in Laramie.

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Weddings

Mr. and Mrs. David Roenspies of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, are happy to announce the marriage of their daughter, Jill Marie Roenspies to William (Will) Frederick Flaman. The ceremony took place on March 26, 2006, in Lake Geneva, and was performed by the bride's father, David Roenspies. Robin Roenspies (sister-in-law of the bride) was matron of honor and Peter Ross (friend of the groom) was best man.

Over 120 friends and family attended the happy celebration, blessed with a day that was unseasonably sunny and warm. The couple lives in Elgin, Illinois, and attends the Chicago congregation.

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Julie Richardson and Maurits de Jong are happy to announce their marriage on April 2, 2006, in Bedford, United Kingdom. They attend the Bricket Wood and Tonbridge congregations.

Paul Kieffer performed the wedding ceremony. Guests came from all over the world, but were mainly from Britain and the Netherlands. Afterward Julie and Maurits honeymooned in Malta for a week.

At the moment the couple live in Brighton in the United Kingdom .

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Anniversaries

Al and Shirley Segall of the Sedro-Woolley, Washington, congregation were wedded on March 23, 1946—60 years ago! They are the parents of two sons—Stuart Segall, pastor of three United congregations in California, and Mark Segall.

The Segalls celebrated with a family reunion in Florida , March 30 to April 7. Then the Sedro-Woolley congregation hosted an anniversary reception for Mr. and Mrs. Segall on April 22. They were presented with a gift of a framed collage of photographs of the beautiful Skagit Valley where they live.

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Not long ago, two wonderful people had a very special anniversary. After 75 years they love each other more than ever. Robert and Addie Ice were married on Feb. 6, 1931, in Piggott, Arkansas. Mr. Ice was 20 and Mrs. Ice was 16, almost 17.

Mr. Ice was born on Oct. 20, 1910, about 4 or 5 miles south of Campbell, Missouri. Mrs. Ice was born on May 25, 1914, near Wapapello Lake in Missouri. They met at a church called Hell's Beginning. Later the Ices would find the truth while listening to Herbert Armstrong on the radio in the 1940s.

The Ices' first congregation was Cape Girardeau, Missouri, not too far from their current congregation of Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Mrs. Ice remembers their first Feast in Big Sandy, Texas, under the big tent. They were both baptized the same year, 1966, so they have had 40 years to live the truth.

Mr. Ice is now 95 and last year was still driving. His driving experience began at age 14, giving him 81 years of practice. When he was 94, he finally stopped changing his own oil in his truck. Also, this lovely couple kept a garden for 75 years until gravity told them they could do it no longer.

The Ices' family expanded over the years to include five children (two girls and three boys), 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Ice are very proud of them all.

When the Ices were asked, "How did you stay together so long?" they replied, "It wasn't easy" and "Commitment."

"They are truly an example of love and understanding. Never in all our years around the Ices have we heard them say a mean or spiteful thing," said Cheryl Wright of Poplar Bluff. "The Ices' long and loving relationship should be an example for the entire Church. Only with our faith and love in God will we ever hope to live as long and still be in love with our mate as the Ices are."

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Obituaries

Velma Dite from Spokane, Washington, died April 14, 2006. She was born July 2, 1924, in Colorado. She enjoyed fishing much of her life. She has been a member of the Church of God since 1994. There was a graveside service for her in Yakima, Washington, on April 21, with Mark Mickelson officiating.

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Russell R. Decker, 93, of Barre, Vermont, and formerly of Mill Village in Craftsbury, Vermont, died at his home on the Last Day of Unleavened Bread, April 19, 2006.

He was born in Arlington, Nebraska, Sept. 24, 1912, the son of Roy and Hattie (Bump) Decker. He entered the U.S. Army from Camp Upton, New York, on March 13, 1942. He served as an assistant squad leader with the 307th Infantry, 77th Division, in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, during World War II. Wounded in service to his country, his discharge was from Rhoads General Hospital in Utica, New York, on Jan. 4, 1946. Sgt. Decker's awards included the WWII Victory Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, a Purple Heart and the Good Conduct Medal.

He later made his home in Mill Village in Craftsbury where he operated a goat farm for many years. He enjoyed trading goats, crops or other things for items he needed.

In October 1996 he sold his farm and moved to Cobble Hill in Barre, where he continued his quiet life of poetry writing and Bible study.

Mr. Decker leaves a brother, Clyde Decker of Lincoln, Nebraska, as well as other extended family. He was predeceased by two brothers, Earl and Clarence Decker, and a sister, Violet.

Mr. Decker was a long-time Church member, and was a member of the United Church of God from its beginning.

A funeral service was held April 25 in Craftsbury Common, with Paul Suckling, pastor of the United Church of God in Worcester, Massachusetts, officiating.

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Raymond Fred Driver, a member of God's Church for many years, died on March 9, 2006, after losing a battle with cancer. He was 77 years old. He leaves his wife, Mildred, and a stepson, Clarence Chappell. He attended the Olympia, Washington, congregation and was baptized in 1979. He worked in the woods for many years and lived in Chehalis, Washington.

He was the third youngest of 11 children (three of whom remain). Born in Colorado, he moved to Washington with his family at the age of 9.

He met his wife, Mildred, and stepson, Clarence, who are former Canadians, at a Feast site in Eugene, Oregon, in 1986. They married in July 1987.

He will be sadly missed by many.

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Announcements: Members are welcome to submit announcements of the births, engagements, weddings, significant anniversaries (25, 40, 50, 60, etc.) and obituaries in their families. Please include a self-addressed envelope if you would like photos returned. Most items are 50 to 100 words and should not exceed 250 words. Please e-mail (preferred) or give them to your local pastor to forward to United News.