Rev. William Effa

Rev. William EffaMarch 14, 1922-June 28, 2019

The Rev. William Effa, 97, of Columbus, died Friday, June 28, 2019, at Emerald Care & Rehabilitation Center in Columbus.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 12, at Shell Creek Baptist Church. Family interment will be in the parish cemetery prior to the service. There will be no visitation. Memorials may be directed to Shell Creek Baptist Church or the donor's choice.

William Effa was born on March 14, 1922, to Gustave and Matilda (Scheller) Effa, in Lipowka, Poland. He immigrated to Canada with his parents in June of 1927, and the family settled in the Yorkton, Saskatchewan district. William accepted Christ as his Savior on July 11, 1933 under the ministry of the Rev. William Hoover at West Ebenezer Baptist Church. He was baptized on Sept. 10, 1933 by the Rev. Edward Wurch, and received into the fellowship of the church.

William received his call to the ministry in April 1942, and responded to that call in January of 1943. He attended the following colleges: Christian Training Institute in Edmonton, Alberta from 1945-1948; North American Baptist Seminary in Rochester, N.Y. from 1948–1949; Sioux Falls College, Sioux Falls, S.D. from 1949–1950; North American Baptist Seminary, Sioux Falls, from 1950–1953. In the summer of 1951, William served as student pastor at the Baptist Church in Lashburn, Saskatchewan, and in 1952, he served as assistant pastor to Dr. M. Vanderbeck in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. In the spring of 1953, he served as pulpit supply at the Creston Baptist Church in Creston. William graduated from seminary on May 17, 1953, and was ordained on July 5, 1953, at Central Baptist Church in Yorkton, Saskatchewan.

On May 31, 1953, William was united in marriage to Ruth I. Geary in Sioux Falls, with the Rev. Richard Grenz performing the ceremony. The couple was blessed with three sons and a daughter.

William pastored the following churches: Zion Baptist Church in Drumheller, Alberta from 1953–1961; Germantown Baptist Church in Cathay, N.D. from 1961–1966; First Baptist Church in Sidney, Montana from 1966–1970; Shell Creek Baptist Church in Columbus from 1970–1983; and First Baptist Church in Bison, Kansas from 1983–1992.

William and Ruth retired to Columbus in 1992. William served as the hospice chaplain for the Columbus Community Hospital for 10 years. He was always faithful to participate in the local ministerial associations wherever he served. William became a citizen of the United States on Feb.17, 1995.

William is survived by wife, Ruth Effa of Columbus; son, Roger Effa of Columbus; son, Robert (Christel) Effa of Columbus; son, Randall (Dien) Effa of Columbus; daughter,: Marianne (Terry Miller) Effa of Newton, Kansas; granddaughter, Rachel (Pat Case) Effa of Columbus; granddaughter, Jessica (Lance) Conley of La Vista; grandson, Randall Effa Jr. of Ralston; great-granddaughter, Karen Effa of LaVista; great-granddaughter, Layna Conley of La Vista; sister, Marian Effa Dohms of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada.

William was preceded in death by parents, Gustave and Matilda Effa; brother, Arthur Effa.

Condolences may be sent to www.gasshaney.com.