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Donald Maple Obituary
PEORIA - The Rev. Dr. Donald F. Maple, 85, of Houston, formerly of Peoria, died on Monday, May 13, 2013, after a long battle with melanoma and Parkinson's disease.
He married Bonnie Rankin, his wife of 65 years, shortly after returning from the Navy at the end of World War II.
In 1961, he gave up his career as an IBEW Journeyman electrician to become a Methodist minister, having been raised by his parents, Fred and Elizabeth (Schildwachter) Maple in St. John's Methodist Church in Peoria. That German Methodist congregation was 12 miles from Mapleton, the neighboring village named for Donald's grandfather, Abraham Maple.
After serving as an associate pastor at churches throughout central Illinois, Don's first and longest appointment as a senior pastor was at Lovely Lane United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from 1971 until 1980. There he enjoyed developing ambitious church outreach projects that included summer mission trips to Mexico and the city-wide Children's Weekday Ministries Preschools program. He subsequently served at churches in Waterloo, Bettendorf and Anthon, Iowa, as well as the Balboa Union Church in Panama.
After his official retirement in 1993, Don and Bonnie moved from Iowa to Houston, now the home of their children, Lisa and longtime family friend, Kathy Jones, Christopher and partner, Ray Morris, and eldest son, Howard. Their youngest daughter, Leslie, lives in Castle Rock, Colo.; and Don's cousin, Valerie Sorenson, lives in Cambridge, Mass.
Never one to sit around enjoying leisure time, he continued to serve as an interim pastor at a number of Houston-area churches. He and Bonnie also did volunteer work at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and became a part of the lively and liberal "Point of View" Sunday school class at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in central Houston.
He earned a doctor of ministry degree at Houston Graduate School of Theology in 1999 and was also an active supporter of the Foundation for Contemporary Theology in Houston.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Foundation for Contemporary Theology, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center or Houston Hospice.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Donald Maple
4 Entries
Kimberly Young
June 4, 2013
Dear Bonnie, Chris, Lisa, Howard and Leslie,
Your Husband and father was and always will be a wonderful man. He has done so many good things for so many people, he will be dearly missed.
I am so sorry for your loss.
May God bless you all, and comfort you in your time of loss.
Love and best wishes always,
Linda Leschnitzer
May 29, 2013
Dear Bonnie,
Was sad to her of the passing of Rev. Don Maples. Dad wanted to get a hold of you last year but I was not able to find a working phone number. Love and prayers coming your way.
Linda
May 19, 2013
To the Maple Family - I believe Don and Bonnie were at First Methodist Church in Watseka, Il when I was a child and my family attend that church. Rev. Teesdale was the head pastor and I remember that Don was a wonderful man. I have lived in Peoria for 44 years with my husband and family and did not know Don grew up in the Peoria area. My condolences to your family on Rev. Maples death.
Sincerely,
Ann Sauer Ragsdale
Peoria, Il
May 19, 2013
To the Maple family... I believe Don and Bonnie were at First Methodist church in Watseka, IIl when I was growing up and my family attended that church. Rev. Teesdale was the head pastor and I remember what a nice man Don was. I have lived in Peoria for 44 years and did not realize Don was from the Peoria area. My condolences to your family on the death of Rev. Maple.
Ann Sauer Ragsdale
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