USA > Ohio > Church of the Brethren in southern Ohio > Part 20
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LESTER E. FIKE
Lester E. Fike was born July 10, 1897, at Eglon, West Virginia, to Phineas L. and Sarah Beachy Fike.
He received his elementary education in the grade schools of West Virginia and Missouri. His high school work was done at Lewis Institute, Chicago. Then, enrolling in
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Bethany Bible School, he graduated with the B.S.L. degree in 1928.
His marriage to Elna Hylton, daughter of Elder Joseph B. and Orlena Belle Collier Hylton, of Ava, Missouri, took place on June 3, 1923. They have two daughters, Faye Kath- leen (now Mrs. D. Merrill Mow, of Chicago) and Elsie Belle (now Mrs. Clyde C. Fry, of Naperville, Illinois) .
Lester Fike and Wife
Brother Fike was made a Sunday-school superintendent at the age of eighteen. He was elected a minister at Peace Valley, Missouri, in April 1928. This same church made him an elder on August 22, 1928. He served this church, and also the Fernald church, Iowa, in the free ministry.
As a pastor Brother Fike has served the following churches: Seneca congregation, Onego, West Virginia, sum- mer pastorates; Fairchance, Pennsylvania, 1924-25, full time; Second South Bend, Indiana, 1926-28, as student pastor; Jasper, Missouri, joint pastorate with Carthage, 1929-31, part time; Clovis, New Mexico, 1934-37, part time; Astoria, Illinois,
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1937-44; Woodland, Illinois, nine months, 1938-39, and nine months, 1940-41; Circleville and Charleston, this district, 1944- 46. He was called to Springfield in 1946 and led that con- gregation until 1951, when he was called to serve East Dayton. He left this church and the district in September 1954 to serve the Nettle Creek congregation, Southern Indiana. In addition to being the pastor he served a number of churches in Missouri, New Mexico, Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana as elder.
Serving the districts he was secretary of the Ministerial Board of Southern Missouri and held the same office in Oklahoma, Panhandle of Texas, and New Mexico. When he came to Southern Ohio he again served as secretary of the Ministerial Board and was one of the first members of the new District Board, being made secretary of the Commission on Ministry, Missions and Church Extension.
Brother Fike was the moderator of district meetings in Texas, Oklahoma, and Southern Illinois, and was the moderator-elect for this district when he removed to Southern Indiana. He was several times a member of the Standing Committee, and has been active in the local ministerial as- sociations in communities in which he has resided.
PARKER M. FILBRUN
Parker M. Filbrun, son of Daniel W. and Sarah J. Filbrun, was born March 1, 1880, in Madison Township, Montgomery County, Ohio.
He was educated in the local schools, supplemented by several terms at Bethany Biblical Seminary.
His marriage to Mandie Garber took place on December 2, 1903. Two daughters were born to them, Velma and Marie.
He was elected to the ministry in 1909 and ordained an elder in 1916 by his local church, Bear Creek. He pastored the home church for ten years, 1922-32, and was its elder for twenty-four years, 1924-48. He served on the District Ap- portionment Committee for many years.
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In 1933 he toured Palestine on a Y.M.C.A. tour and made a trip around the world in 1937, again visiting Palestine.
Parker Filbrun
His wife passed away December 7, 1934. He married Anna Coffman in 1937. He died suddenly of a heart attack on November 9, 1953, at his home near the Bear Creek church.
C. KENNETH FISHER
C. Kenneth Fisher was born August 22, 1922, in Lawrence County, Illinois, to Charles Ernest and Ruby Benson Fisher. He completed high school in the township schools.
On August 23, 1940, he was married to Blanche Ruth Ducharm. They have five children: Charles Edward, Robert Dean, Donald Lee, Nancy Ann, and Patricia Sue.
He was elected to the ministry in 1939 by the Allison Prairie church in Southern Illinois and was ordained a minister in 1944. His ordination to the eldership took place
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in 1953 in the Turkey Creek church, Southern Ohio District.
The churches he has served include Allison Prairie, La Motte Prairie, and Kaskaskia in Southern Illinois, and Buck Creek and New Hope in Southern Indiana. He came to the Turkey Creek church in the fall of 1953 and is there at this time.
EVERETT R. FISHER
Everett R. Fisher was born January 18, 1896, in Miami County, Indiana, to Harry B. and Carrie Himelick Fisher.
He completed high school at Peru, Indiana, in 1915 and graduated from Manchester College, Indiana, in 1920, A.B.
E. R. Fisher and Wife
degree. He took the B.D. degree from Bethany Biblical Seminary in 1922.
His marriage to Cora L. Heestand took place on September 12, 1920, at Nappanee, Indiana. They have three children, Glen, Evelyn, and Esther.
The Mexico, Indiana, congregation called him to the ministry on September 15, 1919. In November 1922 the church at La Porte, Indiana, ordained him an elder.
Beginning his ministry at La Porte, he has served Broad- water, Southern Missouri; Grand Valley, at Grand Junction, Colorado; Hart, Michigan; Four Mile, Southern Indiana;
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Trotwood, this district (fourteen years); and Huntington, Middle Indiana, where he continues at the present.
In this district he was a member of the Board of Christian Education for ten years, moderator of district conference, and the district's representative on Standing Committee.
He also was active in the religious education department of the Ohio Council of Churches and in the co-operative work of the Greater Dayton Federation of Churches while living in this district.
JOEL CEPHAS FLORA
Joel Cephas Flora is a native of Virginia, and a descendant of Jacob Flora, Sr., who came to Franklin County, Virginia, about 1786 and who was the progenitor of many ministers,
J. C. Flora and Wife
missionaries, and church leaders. He was born to Benjamin F. and Elizabeth Belle Flora, in Franklin County, Virginia, on January 8, 1879.
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Uniting with the Valley church when he was seventeen years old, he was elected to the ministry in 1908 by the Huntingdon church, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. The West Charleston church, this district, ordained him an elder on July 11, 1920.
He attended Daleville Academy, Daleville, Virginia, and received the A.B. degree from Juniata College, Pennsylvania, in 1908. Subsequently he attended three summer terms in Chicago University and Columbia University. He taught a total of eleven years, three years in the public schools of Roanoke, Virginia, three in Daleville College, Virginia, and five in Blue Ridge College, Maryland.
On June 14, 1911, he was married to Elizabeth Garver, of Trotwood, Ohio, daughter of Elder D. M. Garver. A daughter was born to them, Mary Elizabeth, now the wife of Ivan L. Eikenberry; she and her husband are Church of the Brethren missionaries in Nigeria. Their biographies appear elsewhere in this history.
His eleven years of teaching were matched by eleven years of pastoral work, in which the following churches shared: Hagerstown, Middle Maryland, 1911-12; Moxham, Western Pennsylvania, 1917-19; West Charleston, Southern Ohio, 1919-25; Pleasant Hill, Southern Ohio, 1925-27. He also min- istered on a part-time basis to the West Charleston and Troy churches. For twenty-three years he was the elder of the West Charleston church, of which he and his family were members.
Following the last full-time pastorate, in 1927 they moved to the farm home in Wayne Township, Montgomery County. In 1954 they moved to Trotwood.
Brother Flora has just recently completed gathering the data and publishing the history of the family of Jacob Flora, Sr., beginning with the coming of his father, Joseph Flora, to America in 1733.
CHARLES L. FLORY
Charles L. Flory was born December 2, 1872, near Phillips- burg, Ohio, to John and Millie Younce Flory.
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After completing his high school training at West Milton, he took some training at Bethany Biblical Seminary.
He was elected to the ministry by the Salem church on March 26, 1907, and ordained an elder on June 3, 1916. He never removed his membership from this church, though he served several surrounding churches.
On October 22, 1896, he was married to Mary Catherine Brumbaugh, of Darke County, Ohio. Four children were born to them: Emmert, Mrs. Naomi Heestand, Mrs. Bessie McComb, and John.
His wife died on August 24, 1925. On September 1, 1927, he married Sister Etta Helman.
He began his pastoral ministry in the Pleasant Hill church in 1913, continuing until 1919. From 1919 to 1926 he led the Oakland church. During the next two years he assisted the Pitsburg and Loramie churches. From 1928 to 1934 he worked with the Piqua church. During the last five years of this time this church was yoked with the Troy church. From 1934 to the time of his death he gave his time to the Troy congrega- tion.
Besides the services rendered as pastor, Brother Flory served the district in various capacities. He was on Standing Committee several times, was a member of the Ministerial Board for some years, was on the Comity Committee, and also was moderator and writing clerk of district conference. He presided as elder of several churches in the district, and held many evangelistic services.
His death occurred on May 12, 1941.
EZRA FLORY
Ezra Flory, a native of Miami County, Ohio, was born January 5, 1870, to John and Millie Younce Flory.
After finishing his high school training he attended the Hartford School of Religious Pedagogy, Bethany Biblical Seminary, Manchester College, and the Southern Baptist Divinity School. He held the following degrees: Pd.B., B.D.,
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A.M., and Th.D. He taught school for nine years and was a telephone company employee for six years.
He was married to Emma Brumbaugh in 1893, and, after her decease, to her sister Martha in 1905. They had four children: Margaret, Miriam, James, and Paul.
Brother Flory was elected as a minister in 1901, ordained an elder in 1910, and rendered pastoral service in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. He served the Brotherhood as General Sunday School Secretary for eight years and was well known as a writer and lecturer. His death occurred in February 1940.
ROLLAND F. FLORY
Rolland F. Flory was born in Defiance County, Ohio, on April 26, 1895. He was the son of John and Mary Shock Flory. His father was an elder in the Northwestern Ohio District.
After finishing high school he entered Manchester College, graduating, A.B. degree, in 1916.
He was elected to the ministry on June 17, 1916, by the North Poplar Ridge church, Northwestern Ohio. He was ordained to the eldership at Pleasant Valley, this district, in 1920.
During 1917 and 1918 he was the pastor of the Seattle, Washington, church, teaching also in the Chinese mission there. Returning to Ohio, he became the first pastor of Pleasant Valley. He remained here three years and then turned to a teaching career, first as principal of the Monroe Township schools, Darke County, and then as superintendent of the Sinking Springs schools, Ohio, in 1923. In 1928 he became superintendent of the Enon schools, Clark County, Ohio, and later of the Lawrenceville schools, same county.
While in schoolwork in Darke County he served in the capacity of free minister in the Pitsburg church. While at Sinking Springs he took charge of the work at Marble Furnace and Strait Creek. In 1929 he became part-time pastor of the Donnels Creek church, carrying this responsibility along with his schoolwork. He was both pastor and elder here for about
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seventeen years. The erection of the new structure took place during this period.
After completing thirty-three years in schoolwork in Ohio he moved to Florida and became an instructor in the Orlando high school.
He was married to Goldie E. Kreider of the Painter Creek church on March 3, 1917. Her father was Elder Lawrence Kreider, of this district. She was a very efficient leader of music, serving both in local churches where they resided and in district gatherings.
They had five children born to them: Rolland, Jr. (a minister), Mrs. Ruth Engle, Laurell and Merrill (twins), and Herbert. The children are all members of the Donnels Creek congregation.
JOHN CLYDE FORNEY
John Clyde Forney is a native of Kansas, being the son of S. Benjamin and Anna Patton Forney, born to them on October 29, 1891, at Abilene.
After attending the public schools he was a student at Bethany Biblical Seminary from 1911 to 1913. He then en- rolled in the academy of McPherson College, Kansas, and then in the college, completing his training for the A.B. degree in 1919. Following graduation he entered Yale Divinity School, New Haven, Connecticut, and graduated in 1923 with the B.D. degree. In 1947 McPherson College conferred on him the honorary D.D. degree.
He united with the Church of the Brethren at Navarre, Kansas, in 1903, was elected to the ministry April 26, 1914, and was ordained an elder in 1943 by the Central church, Roanoke, Virginia.
His marriage to Ruth Frantz Brubaker of McPherson, Kansas, took place on June 8, 1920. They have three children, two sons and one daughter.
He began his professional service for the Church of the
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Brethren as district Sunday-school secretary for Southwestern Kansas. He was pastor of the West Wichita church in 1917, and was the McPherson College evangelist to 1919. Then he became director of Christian education for Northeastern Kansas to 1920. In 1923 he became pastor of the Lanark church, Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, remaining here until 1925.
J. Clyde Forney and Wife
In 1925 he went to the First church, South Bend, Northern Indiana. In 1934 he was called to the Elgin church, Illinois, continuing here eight years. In 1942 he began a seven-year pastorate in the Central church, Roanoke, First Virginia. It was in 1949 that he came to Southern Ohio as pastor of the Beaver Creek church, in the suburban section of Dayton.
He has served on the district boards of Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, Northern Indiana, First Virginia, and Southern Ohio. Three times he was a member of Standing Committee and four times a member of national committees appointed by Annual Conference. During the early part of World War II he was on leave from the Elgin church to direct the opening of the civilian public service camp at Lagro, Indiana. For
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many years he has been a director of summer camps and a teacher in them. He is the chairman of the District Board of this district.
CHARLES O. FORROR
Charles O. Forror is a native of Darke County, Ohio, born January 14, 1889, to Elam and Mary Cook Forror.
He entered Bethany Bible School in 1910, taking the Bible training course, and remained until 1914. Then followed two winter terms at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
Brother Forror was married to Elizabeth Hoff, who died in 1924. In May 1925 he married Ardeth Conover. A son, Kenneth, is a doctor in California.
He was installed into the ministry in 1920. After serving the Pleasant Valley church from 1922 to 1924, he moved to Michigan to be the pastor of the Lake View church and act as fieldworker for the District of Michigan.
Ordained to the eldership by the Lake View church, Brethren, Michigan, in 1927, he subsequently presided over several of the surrounding churches. He was a member of the District Mission Board, 1928-37, and was later a member of the Council of Boards. He was also the writing clerk at three district conferences.
Moving to California, he ministered to the San Diego church from 1937 to 1944, where he continues to live.
HAROLD FREEMAN
Harold Freeman is a native of Adams County, Ohio, where he was born June 24, 1918, to Selba and Orpha Freeman.
He married Thelma Payne of Ironton, Ohio, on May 22, 1941. They have an adopted son, Russell.
The Bethany church licensed him to preach on January 14, 1951, and ordained him to the ministry on April 3, 1952.
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He has been serving as pastor of the Bethany church since October 1951, under the direction of the District Board.
Harold Freeman and Wife
He is currently enrolled for work in the American Cor- respondence School, Chicago, and plans to enter Bethany Biblical Seminary in September 1955.
DARRELL C. FRYMAN
Darrell C. Fryman was born June 18, 1918, near Jaysville, Ohio, to Calvin and Sylvia Fryman.
After graduation from the Arcanum high school he entered Manchester College, from which he graduated, A.B. degree, in 1946. He received the B.D. degree from Bethany Biblical Seminary in 1949.
On June 4, 1944, he was married to Betty Louise Jay, of Pleasant Hill, Ohio. They have two children, James Darrell and Mary Louise.
The Greenville church ordained him to the ministry in
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June of 1946. He served the Michigan City church, Indiana, from 1949 to 1953; then he became the pastor of the Arcadia church, Southern Indiana, where he is at present.
While in Michigan City he served as president of the city ministerial association and was a leader at Camp Mack. He is now a member of the Children's Work Cabinet of Southern Indiana.
CYRUS FUNDERBURG
Cyrus Funderburg, the son of George and Mary Denlinger Funderburg, was born on March 31, 1881, near the Donnels Creek church, Clark County, and has always lived there.
Cyrus Funderburg and Wife
After attending the schools of Pike Township he enrolled in Manchester College, completing the training for a diploma from the commercial department.
Uniting with the Donnels Creek church, he later became an officer in the Sunday school. He was elected a deacon in 1907 and a minister in 1914, was advanced in 1915, and was ordained an elder in 1917. He was assistant elder of the church for some years prior to 1926, when he was chosen elder-in- charge; he served six years more in this capacity.
Emma Studebaker, of New Carlisle, became his wife on May 27, 1903. They celebrated their golden wedding an-
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niversary in 1953. They have two sons and two daughters: Edna, Glen, Ruth, and Alvin. Ruth has been on the Board of Christian Education. Glen is a deacon at Donnels Creek.
Brother Funderburg served the district on the Apportion- ment Committee, as Sunday-school secretary, and as mis- sionary secretary, and helped arrange for several summer assemblies. His hobby is the writing of poetry.
DRUE D. FUNDERBURG
Drue D. Funderburg, son of William H. and Carrie Dresher Funderburg, was born near New Carlisle, Ohio, on September 8, 1889. He was the great-grandson of Elder John
D. D. Funderburg and Wife
Frantz; his maternal grandparents came here from Germany.
He united with the Church of the Brethren at Donnels Creek at the age of thirteen, and later became a charter member of the New Carlisle church when this congregation was formed. The Donnels Creek congregation elected him to
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the ministry in 1911 and ordained him an elder in 1917.
After completing his high school work he attended Man- chester College, graduating with the A.B. degree in 1917. He then went to Bethany Biblical Seminary and took his B.D. degree in 1921. Following this he took a year of graduate work at Northwestern University and a summer at the Chicago University Divinity School.
After graduation from Bethany Seminary he was a mem- ber of the seminary faculty from 1921 to 1930, directing the practical field work of the students and teaching some courses in practical theology. Then he spent a number of years soliciting funds for the seminary.
In 1929 he began to work for the District of Northern Illinois and Wisconsin as field secretary on a part-time basis. From 1930 to 1936 he was the pastor of the Rockford, Illinois, church, combining the pastoral work with the field work.
Going to Elgin in 1936 as the national director of adult education, he continued in the employ of the Board of Christian Education in this capacity for seven years. Then followed three years in the administration of the civilian public service program for the Brethren Service Commission. From 1946 to 1949 he was the director of the New Windsor Relief Center.
Brother Funderburg has been on the Standing Committee twice and has acted as elder-in-charge of ten different churches and as part-time pastor of the Troy church, this district.
He married Forest Ethel Denlinger of Miami County, Ohio, on May 11, 1913. She also took training in Bethany Biblical Seminary. They have two married daughters, Frances Irene Farling and Cordelia Mae Browning.
They live in Troy, Ohio, and he is at present the director of leadership training for this district.
JESSE O. GARST
Jesse O. Garst, editor of the former Southern Ohio history, was the son of Elias and Maria Eversole Garst; he was born on October 18, 1868, just east of Dayton, Ohio.
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He completed his high school work in Montgomery County and taught school and attended Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, alternately, receiving the A.B. degree there in 1892 and the A.M. degree in 1895.
On March 23, 1893, he married Eliza A. Huffer. They had three children, John M., Grace G., and Lawrence A. The two sons are ministers and elders in the Church of the Brethren.
His election to the ministry occurred in June 1895, he having been a deacon since 1893. On June 2, 1910, he was ordained an elder. The Lower Miami church claimed him as a member soon after his marriage and since; he was the elder of this church for several years. He held many evangelistic meetings.
He was a member of the Ministerial Board of the district and also for two terms a member of the Mission Board. While a member of the latter board he served as elder of Middletown and Springfield and the Highland and Adams County churches. He was nonresident pastor and elder of the East Dayton church for three years.
Brother Garst died in 1938, the last of the members of the committee responsible for the former history to pass on.
JOHN M. GARST
John M. Garst, son of Elder Jesse O. and Eliza Huffer Garst, was born in Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, on June 6, 1896. He completed high school here and attended the Montgomery County Normal, then began teaching in the schools of the same township.
He graduated, A.B. degree, from Manchester College in 1922, and in 1930 received the A.M. degree from Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio.
He was married to Naomi Virgil Beery, of Liberty, Indiana, on May 26, 1917. She was the daughter of Brother and Sister N. V. Beery. They have two daughters, Genevieve and Dorothy.
The Lower Miami church elected him to the ministry
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on June 6, 1917. He was made an elder by the Lexington church, Highland County, in 1924.
Brother Garst served his home church first as Sunday- school superintendent for three years and later as part-time pastor for twelve years. He was pastor of the Lexington church for several years while also serving as principal of the local schools. In 1930 he became elder and pastor of the Stonelick church, where he has now served for twenty- five years. He also teaches in the Dayton schools. His home is near the Lower Miami church.
John Garst and Wife
Lawrence Garst and Wife
LAWRENCE A. GARST
Lawrence A. Garst, a son of Jesse O. and Eliza Garst, was born near Dayton on August 8, 1909.
He completed high school in Jefferson Township, Mont- gomery County, and entered Manchester College, graduating with the A.B. degree in 1932.
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His marriage to Orpha Brubaker, of Virden, Illinois, took place on December 25, 1931. They have two children, Joan and Richard.
The Lower Miami church called him to the ministry in 1927 and ordained him an elder in 1936.
Brother Garst pastored the Gratis church from 1932 to 1936, and until a full-time pastor was secured in 1950 he assisted in the work at Lower Miami.
He is a teacher and administrator in the public schools.
DANIEL M. GARVER
Daniel M. Garver, son of Elder George and Margaret Miller Garver, was born August 30, 1856, in Montgomery County, Ohio.
On December 31, 1878, he married Mary L. Eby. They had four children. Three are living, Mrs. J. C. Flora, Mrs. Alva Gump, and Ralph.
A member of the Bear Creek church since 1882, he was made a deacon in 1883 and a minister in 1884. The Lower Twin church ordained him an elder in 1898.
Moving to Trotwood in 1909, he became elder of the church here and was the leader of the congregation for many years.
He held many evangelistic meetings, had a great deal to do with establishing and directing several mission churches of Southern Ohio, and was an outstanding leader in the district and throughout the Brotherhood.
For some twenty-five years Brother Garver was a mem- ber of the District Mission Board, and many new points owe their existence and growth to his efforts and counsel. He represented the district many times on Standing Committee. As moderator of district conference several times he was accepted as one of the best. He was a member of the Historical Committee that brought out the 1920 history of the district. He was one of Southern Ohio's strongest leaders.
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