Arnold Vorster

Arnold Schoeman
Vorster

Aug. 16, 1937 – Jan. 29, 2014

Arnold Schoeman Vorster was born August 16, 1937 in Pietersburg, South Africa, raised in Zambia and came to this country at 17 to study. He graduated from Vanderbilt Divinity School in 1963 and moved to the California-Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and served seven churches in this conference: Hillcrest Salinas, St. Paul's Reno, First Sunnyvale, Central Stockton, Trinity Berkeley, First Turlock and Mt. Tamalpais Mill Valley. Arnold was a compassionate and caring person, an intelligent, talented and dynamic preacher who excelled at raising funds for the church. He started a preschool and daycare program in Reno, Senior Citizen Program in Sunnyvale, a Cambodian Church in Stockton, and recreated Church School and MYF programs in Mill Valley – just a few of the highlights. He also served on the Board of Ordained Ministry for seven years and as a Trustee of the UMC Conference Claimants Endowment Fund for twelve years and as President for three during a time of extraordinary growth in that fund, resulting in good pensions and health care for retired pastors in this conference.

He was an avid sailor while in the Bay Area, enjoyed reading and traveling. Retiring in 2001, he and his wife were full-time motorhomers, traveling and exploring the country for seven years before settling in Port Townsend Washington.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Barend and Emmerentia Vorster and his sister Merentia Engelbrecht, all of South Africa. He is survived by is wife Penelope Vorster of Port Townsend, WA; two children by a previous marriage Karen Vorster of Richmond, CA, and Vince Vorster and two grandchildren Ryan and Logan of Discovery Bay, CA; and his brother Barend Vorster Jr. of South Africa.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Jefferson Healthcare Hospice, 834 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368, or Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County, P O Box 658, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at the Mt. Tamalpais UMC in Mill Valley on March 9th at 1:00pm.