ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Births
• Engagements
• Weddings
• Anniversaries
• Obituaries
• Tribute: Joe Anderson

Births

Proud parents Karim and Jennifer (McDuffie) and big sisters Kayla and Kelsey are overjoyed to announce the arrival of their first son (and brother) Alex Leon Lucus Toursar Kissian on Aug. 26, 2006, weighing in at 6 pounds 15 ounces and measuring 18¾ inches long. All of God's grace in one sweet little face! Alex is the seventh grandchild of Dunwoodie and Cheryl McDuffie of the New Orleans, Louisiana, congregation.

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David and Lynn Sandland are delighted to announce the safe arrival of granddaughter Grace Elizabeth Eksanow, the third child of their daughter Laura Eksanow, nee Sandland. Grace joins dad, Adam, and brothers, Joel and Sam, in Darwin, at the top end of Australia. Grace is their eighth grandchild, and she arrived on June 27, 2007. All are well and Grandma Lynn is very much looking forward to kidnapping Grace on her upcoming trip to Darwin.

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Steven Lee and Stephanie Mechelle Woods of the Gadsden, Alabama, congregation are excited to announce the birth of their daughter, Lauren Mechelle Woods, on June 22, 2007. Lauren weighed 6 pounds 9 ounces and was 19½ inches long. Proud grandparents are Nelson and Mary Woods of Henagar, Alabama; Deanie and Danny Phillips of Soddy Daisy, Tennessee; and Steve and Gail McDermott of Cleveland, Tennessee.

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Michael and Rachel Summy, of the Gadsden, Alabama, congregation, are excited to announce the birth of their daughter, Caroline Jane Summy. Caroline was born on March 29, 2007, weighing 9 pounds 2 ounces and measuring 21 inches long. The happy grandparents are Dan and Jeanne Summy (Pap and Grandma) of the Wheeling, West Virginia, congregation, and George and Rhonda Allen (Puddin' and Pie) of the Gadsden congregation.

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Jason and Rebecca (Warren) Dupuis of the Greensboro, North Carolina, congregation are proud to announce the arrival of their second son, Adam Joseph Dupuis. He arrived on Nov. 10, 2006, weighing 8 pounds 1 ounce and was 20½ inches long. Proud grandparents include Reginald and Sandra Warren of the Portsmouth, Ohio, congregation and Margaret Dupuis of the Greensboro congregation. The picture was taken with 3-year-old brother Jacob. He welcomes Adam with open arms and loves having a playmate.

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Engagements

James and Jeanne Lawrie of Spencer, Wisconsin, and Rodney and Mary Repp of Endicott, Washington, are pleased to announce the engagement of their children Lisa Lynn Lawrie and Richard Alex Repp.

Lisa graduated from North Idaho College in 1999 and Eastern Washington University in 2003, and is an admissions counselor for the Job Corps in Spokane, Washington. Rick graduated from Cornell University in 1992 and the University of Idaho School of Law in 2001. He is an attorney with Witherspoon, Kelley, Davenport & Toole, P.S. in Spokane.

The couple is planning a September wedding.

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Weddings

The families of Wayne Ward and Catherine Berendt are pleased to announce their marriage on Sunday, July 22, 2007.

The wedding took place in Edmonton, Alberta. Robert Berendt (father of the bride) performed the ceremony. Cathy's two brothers, Richard and Daniel, walked her down the aisle. Carrie Cooper, sister of the bride, was the maid of honor. Dale Ward, brother of the groom, was the best man. Carolyn and Max Berendt, niece and nephew of the bride, were the flower girl and ring bearer. Stephanie Berendt, niece of the bride, sang a solo. Family attended from Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and California.

The couple will reside in Edmonton and are members of the Edmonton congregation.

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Gladstone and Alice Chonde of Lilongwe, Malawi, are happy to announce that their son, Meshack Chonde, and Tione Nyirongo were united in marriage May 13, 2007. Gladstone Chonde, father of the groom, officiated at the ceremony.

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Keith Boise and Chris Singleton and Lorenzo and Celina Calderon would like to announce the marriage of their children, Jason Boise and Griselda Calderon, on June 24, 2007. The wedding took place in Navojoa, Mexico, and was performed by Larry Roybal, pastor of the Monterrey, Mexico, congregation. It was an evening ceremony, followed by a reception dinner, with a show of five different dances native to the area. The couple is now living in Salem, Oregon.

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Anniversaries

The Houston, Texas, South brethren hosted a beautiful and very special reception in honor of Frank and Nelda Pierce's 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 11, 2007, following services. The guests enjoyed cake and punch. A video chronicle of the Pierces' married life was shown, and the couple was presented with two beautiful framed pictures of their entire family, which included their daughter, two sons, a daughter-in-law, son-in-law and six grandchildren.

Frank and Nelda met in high school and were married four years later, while Frank was attending LSU working on a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering. Upon the recommendation of a friend, they began reading The Plain Truth magazine in 1962 and were baptized together in Houston in June 1963. Frank was later ordained a local elder in 1974.

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Obituaries

Bertha Buck, a member of the Cape Girardeau, Missouri, congregation, died May 25, 2007, after a long battle with cancer.

Bertha was born Feb. 1, 1935, in Williamsville, Missouri. She married Calvin Gene Buck and together they raised four children, Charles Franklin Buck, Michael Jeffrey Buck, Petti Jean Buck and Benjamin Dominic Gene Buck. Two sons, Charles and Benjamin, predeceased Bertha.

Bertha and Gene have lived for the last 37 years in Braggadocio, Missouri, where, for the past 14 years, they have operated Bucks' Homecare Service.

Bertha was baptized June 1, 1974. She set a wonderful example of being a strong and faithful member of God's Church. Despite the pain of her cancer, she made the four-hour round-trip to services as long as she was able.

In her own right she was a Good Samaritan, opening her home and giving comfort and shelter to several who had been abused. If you had a problem, she made it her own. If you wanted someone to watch your back in a spiritual battle, Bertha was a good choice.

Bertha loved her family and her God. In fact, she just loved people. She will be missed by all who knew her.

The funeral was conducted by Rick Beam, pastor of the Cape Girardeau congregation.

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Bill Steel was born July 10, 1917, and died March 3, 2007. He was 89 years of age. He was a member of the United Church of God.

Bill was a true example of God's love, and his faithfulness lasted until the end. He is survived by Bettie Steel; a son, Carl Steel of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; three daughters, Karen Spoor of Gladstone, Missouri; Lois Metz and husband Ralph of Dallas, Texas; and Donna Kay Steel of Lubbock, Texas; three grandchildren, Marissa Hallauer and husband Nick, Caitlyn and Austin Spoor; a brother, Robert L. Steel of Corpus Christi, Texas; eight stepchildren; and several nephews, nieces and cousins.

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Gilbert Smith, 80, died peacefully in the Kalispell Regional Hospital on June 25, 2007, after an extended illness. He was born Oct. 4, 1926, in Livingston, Montana. Soon after he graduated from Livingston High School in 1944, he enlisted in the Navy for three years. He then returned to Bozeman, Montana, to attend college. Mr. Smith was appointed by Senator Mike Mansfield to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where he graduated in 1952. He served in the Navy for more than 20 years, traveling abroad to many different countries. He retired as a lieutenant commander.

In 1962 Gilbert married Winona Freitag. They were both baptized in the late 1960s. In 1987 they were ordained on the same day as deacon and deaconess. He and his wife moved from California to Whitefish, Montana, in 1990, and were two of the four founding members of the United Church of God in Montana in May of 1995. Mrs. Smith, though in declining health, still serves the congregation in Kalispell.

Mr. Smith set a sterling example of unselfish service, courageous faith and quiet generosity. Gil's love of the truth and ability to encourage others continued right up to the end. Like the apostle Paul, Gil could say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

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Dorothy Lathrop of Olney, Illinois, a longtime member and deaconess in God's Church, died June 14, 2007, from complications of a stroke. "Next to the definition of servant in the dictionary had to be a picture of Dorothy" was stated several times by those who knew and loved her. She faithfully cared for her 91-year-old sister Lucille until the time of her stroke.

Dorothy was a member of the Henderson, Kentucky, congregation at the time of her death. She began attending services in the early 1960s in St. Louis, Missouri; then attended in Harrisburg, Illinois; followed by Evansville, Indiana; and finally Mt. Vernon, Illinois, before becoming a part of the Henderson congregation.

Dorothy is survived by her sister, Lucille Lathrop; a sister-in-law; several nephews and nieces; along with many great-nieces and great-nephews and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.

Bob Grove (a UCG deacon) stated, "I believe she had a positive influence on everybody she ever met. She will be greatly missed." A graveside service was held in Olney on June 18.

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Robert Lee Gaugler, age 59, died unexpectedly on July 22, 2007, at his home in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. He attended the Lewistown, Pennsylvania, congregation of UCG and was a former member of the WCG in Harrisburg and Selinsgrove. Robert will be remembered as one of the kindest men in the world, an expert carpenter and avid gardener. He loved to surf the Internet, travel, study religion and history and make people feel important.

His father, Edwin C. Gaugler, died in April 2007. He is survived by his mother, Gladys (Reinard) Gaugler, and his wife of 28 years, Patty M. (Bogol) Gaugler, and five cats. He is also survived by his four sisters, Mary Wilhide, Rose Massie, Linda Zeigler and Kathy Charles, and 21 nieces and nephews.

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Patti Kyle, 65, died peacefully on July 10, 2007, with her children at her bedside. She had been a faithful baptized member of God's Church since the early 1970s, attending in Youngstown, Ohio. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Kyle Sr., in 2006.

As a homemaker, she enjoyed sewing, gardening, farming and entertaining Sabbath guests when her health was at its prime. She also accompanied hymns at church services for years. For many years prior to her husband's death, she was his main caregiver. After he died, she was again able to attend and enjoy Sabbath services to the fullest—always wanting to be there no matter how poorly she felt.

She is survived by her son, Bill Kyle, Jr, his wife, Jackie, and their three children, Elizabeth, Meghan and Matthew; and her daughter, Tina Rupp, her husband, Dan, and their two children, Ben and Amanda.

Funeral services were held on July 14 with David Myers officiating. Friends and family will be looking forward to the first resurrection and being reunited once again.

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Taylor Henry Wilson, 5, of Killbuck, Ohio, died Aug. 8, 2007. Funeral services were held Aug. 12 in Millersburg, Ohio, with elder John Miller and pastor Chris Moen officiating. Burial was at the Union Grove Cemetery.

Taylor was born June 10, 2002, in Killbuck and was the son of Ted and Beth (Schwartzrock) Wilson who attend the Mansfield, Ohio, congregation.

Taylor will be forever remembered for his incredibly special smile and his unquenchable spirit. He left his mark of complete happiness on everyone he knew. To say our Taylor is missed by all his family and friends is an understatement. We miss our "Taylor Bug" more than words can express. We know "Tayls" made a tremendous difference in our lives and pray he will continue to positively impact everyone by the memory of his five years God gave to us. We anxiously await the day we shall all meet again.

Taylor is survived by his parents, Ted and Beth; his twin brothers, Samuel and Luke, 3; a sister, Lauryn, 1; paternal grandparents, Tom and Regina Wilson of Glenmont, Ohio; his aunt, Risa Wilson, and soon-to-be uncle, David Kennebeck; maternal grandparents, Gerald and Ardelle Schwartzrock of Hawley, Minnesota; his aunt, Dawn (Aaron) Booth; his uncles, Lee (Jane), Todd (Christine), Brent (Kathy), Shawn (Heather) and Sherwin (Leah) Schwartzrock; and his 12 cousins.

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Tribute: Joe Anderson

Jo Anderson, wife of Seattle, Washington, elder Carl Anderson, died peacefully in her sleep July 8. She was 75 years old and suffered from cancer.

Joanne Golliet was born in Seattle Oct. 11, 1931, to Obed and Ethel Golliet. Jo's younger brother, Gene, resides in San Diego, California. She attended schools in Seattle and Elma, Washington, graduating from Elma High in 1949. Shortly after graduation Jo moved back to Seattle to live with a girlfriend and her parents and worked for Sears Roebuck in the shipping department.

In 1952 a coworker told Jo about her cousin, Carl Anderson, who was returning from overseas on a troop ship, and urged her to meet him. When he came to meet her, all they could do was gulp and say "Hi." When he returned to duty, they corresponded, and upon his discharge they were married on Oct. 17, 1953.

Mrs. Anderson continued to work for Sears until the birth of their daughter, Lynn, in 1958. She then became a stay-at-home mom. In 1960 their son, Bruce, was born. About this time her mother, who was very interested in the Radio Church of God, began sending provoking articles from The Plain Truth. Both Jo and Carl were baptized Aug. 12, 1961, by then pastor Jim Friddle and ministerial assistant Dean Wilson. Life was busy with being a wife and mother.

In 1971 the Anderson family moved to Pasadena, California, along with many other families from the Seattle area, to help with the building expansion of the Church headquarters. There was a financial slump in 1974, so Jo and Carl volunteered to return to Seattle.

The Seattle congregation in the 1960s and '70s offered many opportunities to serve. Both Jo and her husband became very active in serving the brethren, establishing "support groups" for those in need. Jo was ordained a deaconess in 1985, and Carl was ordained an elder in 1987.

Jo was very spiritually minded and had a very loving and accepting way of working with people. She was greatly loved by the many that she came in contact with over the years. In 2002, after returning from the Feast, she went into a deep clinical depression that she never recovered from. In April 2007 she was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer. Cancer radiation treatment made her very sick, and so it was decided to bring her home to be comfortable with her family.

The effect of her illness caused her to sleep much of the time, but even then she would instinctively know when the Sabbath was about to begin and would inform her husband. Though no longer able to study, after the many faithful years, God's truth and Holy Spirit were solidly implanted in her mind and heart.

Seattle pastor Dennis Luker came to visit and talked to Jo about God's great love for her and His promises and the Kingdom of God. He thanked her for the tremendous service and example she had been and of the great reward that lay in store for her. Her eyes were closed, her face serene and peaceful, and she squeezed his hand. Shortly after that she died peacefully in her sleep with her husband at her side.

Her husband said that "to say she was a Proverbs 31 wife would be a gross understatement—she was so much more. From the very beginning of her calling I honestly cannot think of a day that she missed her prayer and study time in the early morning hours. She had a deep passion for God and His people, and she served both faithfully and with a tenacious spirit. Those who knew her well lovingly referred to her as a prayer warrior."

She also enjoyed hiking, biking, being out of doors, beachcombing and square dancing.

A memorial service was held July 14 for the family and brethren in Seattle.

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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.