ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Births
• Engagements
• Weddings
• Anniversaries
• Obituaries
• Tribute: Robert Allen Borton

Births

Glenn and Sharon (Greider) Koester of the Portland, Oregon, congregation are excited to announce the birth of their daughter, Sophia Rose Greider Koester. She was born Sept. 17, 2006, weighing 8 pounds 1 ounce. Sophia has been well taken care of by her amazing big brother, Max. She makes the second grandchild for Larry and Bonnie Greider of the Los Angles, California, congregation and the fourth grandchild for Bruce and Sandy Koester of the Portland congregation.

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Alan and Montse Warrington of the Redlands, California, congregation are very pleased to announce the birth of their first child, Jordan Alan Warrington. His early arrival on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006, over the Thanksgiving weekend, gave the family much more to be thankful for. Jordan weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 20½ inches long.

His grandparents, Alan and Diane Warrington of West Chicago, Illinois, and Enrique and Irene Baez of Puebla, Mexico, are enjoying their newest grandchild. A special thanks to the local pastoral couple, Robin and Susan Webber, for their love and support of "Baby W."

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Craig and Brenda (Wright) Wubben would like to announce the arrival of their daughter, Hannah Grace! Hannah was born on Oct. 11, 2006, weighed 7 pounds and was 19¾ inches long. Hannah's big brother, Ian, was born and died last year on Feb. 7, 2005, and so Hannah was a surprise blessing not thought possible, and a long prayed for Feast gift this year!

Her adoring grandparents are Albert and Elizabeth Wubben of Portland, Oregon, and Gary and Glynda Wright of Salem, Oregon. Thank you to everyone who prayed for many months for her safe arrival!

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Clint and Joy Porter of the Cincinnati East, Ohio, congregation, announce the birth of their first child, Melody Ruth, born on Dec. 9, 2006. Melody weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces and was 20.1 inches long. Proud grandparents include David and Luella Porter of Indianapolis, Indiana, and John and Linda LaBissoniere of Knoxville, Tennessee.

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Steve and Lori (Hoyer) Anderson are pleased to announce the birth of their second child, Jacob Grey Anderson. Jake arrived on July 5, 2006. He is a welcome addition to the family, and older sister Cora (age 7) is very excited to have a baby in the family "because they're SO cute!" The family resides in Crestline, California, and attends United services in Eagle Rock (Los Angeles).

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Jayson and Terri McDaniel of Oakland, California, are thrilled to announce the birth of their first son, Jaycob. Jaycob was born on Nov. 16, 2006, in San Leandro, California. Jaycob has a big sister, Jayslyn. The proud grandparents are Nathaniel and Bertha Williams of the Raleigh, North Carolina, congregation.

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With thankful hearts, Matthew and Betsy McDonald of the Lubbock, Texas, congregation, joyfully announce the arrival of their daughter, Avery Elizabeth. Avery was born on March 8, 2006, weighing 6 pounds 14 ounces and was 19¼ inches long. She is an absolute blessing! Avery has given her mommy and daddy lots of new wrinkles from smiling so much!

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Engagements

Jim and Kathleen Healey of Cleveland, Ohio, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Stephanie Lynn Healey, to Eduardo Adrian Elizondo from Atlanta, Georgia, son of Guilebaldo and Terry Elizondo of Leon, Mexico. Eduardo and Stephanie met at Ambassador Bible Center. They are planning a June 3, 2007, wedding in Cleveland, Ohio.

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Weddings

Victor and Annette Bernal of Bordeaux, France, are happy to announce the marriage of their daughter, Laëtitia Irène to Chad David Demarest, son of Roy and Pauline Demarest of Boynton Beach, Florida. The couple was married Oct. 8, 2006, in Varetz, France. They live in Baltimore, Maryland.

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Linda Goodale and Bryant Lambert of the Atlanta, Georgia, congregation were married on Aug. 12, 2006, in the picturesque village of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, in the presence of their families. The ceremony was officiated by Britton Taylor, pastor of the Fort Worth, Texas, congregation. The groom's parents are Johnnie and Hazel Lambert of the Elmira, New York, congregation.

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Eric Jeffords and Laura Pottinger are pleased to announce their marriage on Oct. 4, 2006. Eric is the son of Warren and Diane Jeffords, members of the United Church of God, Nashville, Tennessee, congregation. The couple is residing in Ohio, and attend the Cincinnati East congregation. Eric is building a local computer service business and a private franchising business. Laura is a professor of fine art at Southern State Community College and is building a business as an artist.

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Anniversaries

L.J. and Arline Smith celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with friends and extended family in mid-December, and the Gadsden, Alabama, congregation honored them with a surprise reception after services on Dec. 30. They were married on Dec. 15, 1956, in San Francisco, California. Both are baptized members in the United Church of God in Gadsden.

L.J. was born in Ashland, Alabama. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Air Force and was stationed in the San Francisco area where he met his future wife, Arline. Being in the Air Force, L.J. and Arline had the opportunity to travel the world.

While stationed at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa, Arline and a friend began receiving Church literature. Both L.J. and Arline had previously listened to the The World Tomorrow broadcast while stationed in Belton, Missouri, in the mid-1960s.

Upon retiring from the Air Force in 1973, the family moved back to L.J.'s hometown and began farming. In 1976 he was hired by Northrop Corporation to manage a crew responsible for the maintenance of the Saudi Royal Air Force's fighter aircraft at one of three airbases. L.J. and Arline spent the next 15 years on and off in Saudi Arabia.

L.J. retired in 1991 and moved back to Ashland where they attended the Anniston and now Gadsden congregations.

L.J. and Arline have three sons: Joe, Bob and Wes; and four grandchildren: Brandon, Nathan, Zach and Emily. All three sons are baptized members.

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Obituaries

Kenneth D. Garrison of Des Moines, Iowa, died suddenly of heart failure during the Feast on Oct. 10, 2006, at the age of 62. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Sharon; four children; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and many other family members and friends.

Ken was a family man and a man of faith. He was a rock for his family and others. He saw this as his godly role, and he rejoiced in it. He loved his job in tool and die making and had several interests and hobbies: woodworking, auto mechanics, hunting, fishing, computer games, collecting tools and general tinkering. But his greatest interest was in serving.

Ken was forced into retirement 20 years ago, as a result of a massive heart attack. Since then he had lived with the knowledge that he could go at any time. There were two other close calls with death from which he escaped miraculously. Many times, experiencing heart pain as he retired for the night, he said a short prayer to the effect of, "Father, I'll see you in the morning, or in the Kingdom."

This gave Ken a very directed viewpoint: to show his gratitude by serving God, his family and fellow man to the greatest extent every day. He was thankful for every day of life, and considered the extra time he had (because of not being able to continue working) as an opportunity to serve others. Because of that outlook, he was a cheerful helper wherever he went. He served and was known and loved in his neighborhood, community and church.

He leaves a large vacancy in the Des Moines congregation where he and Sharon have served for decades. As a deacon, Ken worked behind the scenes, giving credit to others, and carried a heavy load that several others have stepped in to fill.

He leaves behind a "legacy of laughter" and good will. He set a strong example as a servant and leader, and had an impact for good on many, many people. Kenneth D. Garrison will be sorely missed.

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Gladys Blanks of Dallas, North Carolina, died peacefully on Dec. 20, 2006, at the age of 95. Gladys was baptized in 1977 in the Richmond, Virginia, congregation; she moved to the Charlotte church area in 1996. She was only able to attend occasionally since moving into the area a decade ago. Her health had been declining for several years, including becoming mostly blind and hard of hearing. She became very discouraged at times and actually did not desire to continue living. Several in the Charlotte congregation stayed in contact with her, visiting and encouraging her.

Her funeral service and burial on Dec. 22 were in Henderson, North Carolina, where she grew up and spent her childhood. Quite a few family members and friends were there to show their love and respect. Gladys lived a full, rich and long life. Now she will rest until the resurrection when we will see her again.

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Dorothy Jane Minton Shelton died Nov. 26, 2006, at the age of 56. She was a member of the Roanoke, Virginia, congregation. Her husband, Wallace, survives her, and he too is a member in Roanoke. They both were greatly encouraged by the prayers and cards of support that came from the members of the Church.

Dorothy suffered from a rare disease of the lungs called LAMS. For many years she endured painful lung collapses and invasive surgeries. Finally, after much suffering, she was able to be placed on a lung transplant list and received a transplanted lung. The suffering did not end. The new lung didn't respond and it eventually failed. Her last few months were in total agony, as she suffered from much pain and insufficient oxygen.

Yet, despite her suffering, she was a beacon of hope and courage. She never complained but trusted God with her very life. She often would send cards to those who were experiencing trials and would be concerned about how they were doing. Those who visited her often came home more encouraged and strengthened by her positive determination to hang onto the truth of the coming Kingdom of God. We all know that her next conscious moment will be without any pain or suffering, and we all pray for that day to come soon.

She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Dorothy's funeral was attended by many of her other surviving family including her sister, father and mother, other relatives, and many of the members from Roanoke. Her pastor, John Foster, officiated.

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Nov. 2, 2006, Nadine Bruzas, the member of the West Palm Beach, Florida, congregation who had been a member longest, was killed in a car accident. Nadine was 84 and was baptized in 1954.

The West Palm Beach congregation has lost a true Christian soldier. Because of her very positive presence among us, she will be greatly missed.

Members of the congregation all have memories of time spent with her, our little chats about what she experienced and many times endured during her 52 years as a baptized member of God's Church. We all will treasure our memories of Nadine. We understand and appreciate the fact that her warfare is over, and she now awaits her crown in the Kingdom of God at the resurrection of the saints at the second coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Nadine suffered for many years from a severe throat condition due to calcification. Her throat was closing slowly on a continuous basis. She could only eat puréed foods in order to be able to swallow and not choke. Yet in spite of this condition, she was always a sweetheart—positive, happy and pleasant, and she rarely if ever complained.

We will not know until the resurrection why God allowed Nadine to die in this untimely way, but we can surely know this—her suffering is over.

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William Michael Kyle Sr. attended church in Youngstown, Ohio. He was born on Oct. 7, 1939, in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, and died in his home from lymphoma on March 9, 2006, after enduring years of debilitating health problems. He was baptized in 1971 and has been a member of the United Church of God since its founding.

He leaves his wife, Patti, and one son, Bill Jr., and his wife, Jackie, and their two children who attend the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, congregation. He is also survived by one daughter, Tina Rupp, and her husband, Dan, and their two children, who attend the Youngstown, Ohio, congregation. He is preceded in death by one daughter, Julie Anne.

He was a U.S. Army veteran having served in Korea with the DMZ police force. He was a first class machinist. He also was a part-time dairy farmer.

A funeral service was conducted by David Myers, the pastor of the Youngstown congregation. Many family members and friends filled the funeral home and supported the family. He is dearly missed by his family, who are anxiously awaiting reuniting at Christ's return.

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Kortwright Peters, 53, died Dec. 15 at his residence in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was surrounded by family and friends. The funeral service was held Dec. 20, 2006, and was conducted by Roy Demarest, pastor of the West Palm Beach and Miami congregations.

Kortwright was born on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean on Nov. 25, 1953. He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Tracelyn; his three brothers; three sisters; close friends, Lilian and Jonathan Hendricks; many nieces and nephews; and his mother-in-law, Ethel.

Kortwright was baptized on Feb. 17, 1985, by Stan Bass in Antigua. Then he immigrated to Florida on Feb. 8, 1987, and joined the Miami congregation. He was very kind, lived in great peace and gave what he had to those in need. He was a man of conviction, faith and faithfulness. He followed his convictions even though it meant going against the crowd.

Kortwright enjoyed good health for most of his life. However, in June 2005, he was diagnosed with colon cancer and worked while in chemotherapy. He faced a steady decline in health after August 2006.

Due to his persistence, and God's strength, he was able to attend the Feast of Tabernacles in October 2006. Shortly after the Feast, Kortwright's health deteriorated dramatically. He was hospitalized the day before Thanksgiving for a few days and was readmitted on Nov. 30 with respiratory difficulty. On Dec. 13, he was discharged to hospice care at home and died on Dec. 15. He now rests and awaits the first resurrection.

The family thanks everyone for the many prayers and support.

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Tribute: Robert Allen Borton

Robert Allen Borton was born June 27, 1940, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Earl and Henrietta Borton. He was the second oldest of four children, having two brothers, Richard E. and Thomas E. Borton, both of Fort Wayne, and a sister, Barbara A. Bolen of Fremont, Indiana.

Bob graduated from North Side High School in Fort Wayne in 1959 and attended Indiana University Extension there as well before going to work at Perfection Bakeries, Inc. He lived all but two of his 66 years in the Fort Wayne area, those two being spent in the U.S. Army after being drafted in 1964. One posting was in Thule, Greenland, serving in security and as the chaplain's assistant on the weekends. While in the Army, Bob also took accounting courses.

He received an honorable discharge with the rank of Private First Class and returned home to Fort Wayne to work at Perfection Bakeries again, staying there from 1966 until 2002. Bob's last seven years with Perfection were spent as an internal auditor. He enjoyed traveling to their 40 branches, located in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Michigan. After leaving Perfection he worked for four years in an insurance office in Fort Wayne alongside several other Church members.

One day in 1966 while on the job at Perfection he was introduced to Janet Welty. He was instantly attracted and got to know her up to a point, but when he asked her out on a date, Janet said no. When Bob asked why, she said her religion was different than his and that it just wouldn't work out. Whereupon Bob replied, "I don't want to marry you, I just want to go out on a date!"

Being raised a good Methodist with perfect church attendance, he had also read the Bible through three or four times already, and he became curious about just what was so different about Janet's religion. She gave him a lesson from the Bible Correspondence Course and Bob quickly finished it and asked for more. After he had thoroughly and rapidly completed eight or nine lessons he wrote Pasadena asking for the rest of the lessons and numerous booklets. One thing led to another and he was baptized April 8, 1967, by John Bald, along with 17 other people.

Bob proposed to Janet in the parking lot of Perfection Bakeries, under the locally famous rotating bread loaf sign. They married on July 15, 1967. Together they had two boys, Jeff and Joel, in 1968 and 1971, respectively, and raised them in the faith. Both sons attended Ambassador College in Big Sandy. Jeff graduated in 1992 and Joel in 1994. Both live in Fort Wayne. Joel is married to the former Suzanne Oliver of Spokane, Washington, and they have two daughters, Sophia, 3, and Tessa, 18 months.

Bob loved to golf and was active in softball and bowling through the years as well, mostly at Church functions. Janet always said, "If there's a game with a ball involved, Bob just loves it." He also helped Janet on weekends with her housecleaning business. He and his family built their life around the Church, and traveled to many Feast sites over 40 years.

In 1973 Bob was ordained a deacon by Bruce Vance and in 1978 he was ordained an elder by Frank McCrady III. Bob and Janet were central to the life of the Fort Wayne congregation, especially since 1995 when the group reformed with 29 founding members out of the approximately 300 that previously attended services.

Bob and Janet were widely considered among current and former Church members as shepherds who diligently went after the lost sheep. They kept in contact with scores of former members after the breakup of 1995 and many of them attended his funeral.

Bob died Thursday morning, Dec. 7, 2006, at the age of 66 after a very short stay in the hospital, suffering from a brain tumor. He was preceded in death by his wife, Janet, who died at age 62 on Nov. 29, 2004, of complications arising after heart surgery. They are both buried in Highland Park Cemetery in Fort Wayne, in the Memorial Garden section.

Pastor Darris McNeely writes, "Bob's death came very quickly after the diagnosis of an inoperable brain tumor in mid-November 2006. He was not in any pain even though it was a fast-growing tumor. His death brings to a close a life of faith and service to God's Church and members in Fort Wayne. Bob was a cheerful elder and friend. Together with his wife, Janet, they were solid pillars for nearly four decades. It is difficult to describe their impact over the years. All of us who knew Bob feel a deep loss of a friend. He finished his race and died in the faith. The angels rejoice and we all await the resurrection when we will see him again."

—Scott Moss

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.