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PASTOR GERALD STUDER Pastor Gerald C. Studer, 86, of Rising Sun, MD, and formerly of Lansdale, went to his heavenly home Thursday, August 1, 2013. He was the husband of the late Marilyn (Kreider) Studer, who passed away September 12, 2003. Born January 31, 1927, in Smithville, OH, he was a son of the late Martin Gottleib and Edna Lucille (Blough) Studer. Gerald attended schools in the Smithville, Ohio area where he completed high school in three years. After his junior year of high school, he entered Goshen College, Goshen, IN and graduated in 1949. He returned to the Goshen/Elkhart area and graduated with Th.B., B.D., and M.Div. degrees. At the young age of 20, Gerald was ordained to the Christian ministry. He has served on the General Board of the Mennonite Church and executive bodies of three Mennonite district conferences as well as many church-wide committees. Pastor Studer has also written curriculum materials and articles for denominational periodicals and other Christian magazines and journals. Among his published works is a biography, Christopher Dock: Colonial Schoolmaster and several theological studies, including Toward a Theology of Servanthood and After Death, What? In the mid 1940's, Gerald began a Bible collection. Eventually, he and his wife donated their entire collection of over 5,000 rare editions and various versions to the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in Elkhart, IN where The Studer Bible Collection is on permanent display. He also donated over 1,000 volumes on Mennonite/Anabaptist History and Theology to Menno House in New York City, and 500 volumes on cults and the demonic to Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA. In his more than 50 years of service, Pastor Studer served as pastor at Pleasant Hill (OH) Mennonite Church, Smithville (OH) Mennonite Church, Scottdale (PA) Mennonite Church, and Plains (Lansdale, PA) Mennonite Church from 1973 to 1990, then Conference Minister of the Atlantic Coast from 1990 to 1994. He also served as Overseer to various congregations in the Franconia Conference. While living in Lansdale, he served as president of the Board of Trustees of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School. Pastor Studer is survived by two daughters, Jerri L. Longacre, and her husband, Glen, of Port Deposit, MD, and Maria A. Fluck, and her husband, Robert, of Harleysville; three grandchildren, Ruthanna Longacre, Tiffany DiDomenico and Anthony DiDomenico; five great-grandchildren; and a brother, Robert W. Studer of Smithville, OH. Relatives and friends may call between 6 and 8PM Tuesday, August 6 at Plains Mennonite Church, 50 W. Orvilla Rd., Hatfield. A second visitation will begin 9:30AM Wednesday at the church followed by the Celebration of Life at 11AM. Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in Pastor Studer's memory to The Mennonite Heritage Center, 563 Yoder Rd., Harleysville, PA 19438. Arrangements are by the Huff & Lakjer Funeral Home, Lansdale.
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2 Entries
Gerald was our friend, pastor, theologian and scholar. Our sympathy to his family.
Sam and Helen Lapp
August 3, 2013
Gerald was pastor at Plains Mennonite when we first joined. A great example of the Christian Life. Grace & Harvey Freed
August 2, 2013
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Huff & Lakjer Funeral Home, Inc. - Lansdale701 Derstine Avenue, Lansdale, PA 19446
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