Fall 2023 Magazine

Ron Bacon ’69 , age 76, of The Villages, Fl, passed away March 20, 2023. Ron was born Sept. 14, 1946, in Chicago, Ill., to the Rev. R. Gordon and Phyllis (Reisenburg) Bacon. Ron graduated from Elkhart High School in 1964, attended Indiana University, and transferred to Bethel College, earning his B.A. in Elementary Education. He later earned a master's degree from Indiana University. Ron was a teacher in the Elkhart Public School system for several years. He later pursued a career as a UNISERVE director, helping public school teachers in Indiana, Kansas, Colorado, California, Illinois,Wisconsin and Michigan. In 1967, Ron married Marsha Francis. They were blessed with two daughters, Amy and Anina. Ron later married Deb Demitros on June 6, 1987. Ron is survived by his wife, Deb; his daughters; two grandchildren; a great- grandson; three siblings and several nieces and nephews. Janet Buck ’72 , age 73, of Nappanee, Ind., passed away March 16, 2023. She was born Dec. 31, 1949, in Bremen, to Herbert and Ruth (Hunsberger) Pittman. She married David Buck on April 15, 1972 and they enjoyed over 50 years of marriage. Jan graduated from Penn High School (1968) and Bethel College (1972) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. She then earned a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from IUSB in 1975. Jan was an elementary teacher for WaNee Schools and Madison Elementary (in the PHM corporation). She was a member of Oak Grove Missionary Church, playing piano and organ for close to 60 years and joyfully serving in various capacities. Jan is survived by her husband Dave of Nappanee, three children and six grandchildren. John P. Curtiss ’65 , age 81, passed away May 18, 2023. John was born Aug. 10, 1941, to Harold E. Curtiss and Margurite A. Paquin in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. He attended both North Central Michigan College in Petoskey and Bethel College in Mishawaka. In 1962, he married Linda Lou Garver of Petoskey. Together they raised three daughters: Michelle, Julie and Erin. He was a devoted husband and loving father. John worked as a lab technician at Miles Laboratory in Elkhart for over 40 years. John is survived by his loving wife Linda, three children and five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Wayne Gerber ’53 , age 95, of Mishawaka, Ind., passed away June 16, 2023. He was born Nov. 23, 1927, in Morton, Ill., to Otto and Fannie (Staker) Gerber. On Aug. 7, 1948, inWakarusa, he marriedWillowdean A. (High) Gerber, who passed away Aug. 27, 2009. In 2016, he married Sharon (Cooke) Snyder-Gerber.Wayne was educated at Bethel College, B.A.; Goshen Biblical Seminary, B.D., M.R.E.; the University of Michigan, Ph.D., and Bethel University, L.H.D. (Honorary). He was an ordained Minister in the Missionary Church, with 20 years of pastoral ministry (16 of them while teaching at Bethel). He served for 56 years as Professor and Administrator at Bethel (as Registrar, Academic Dean, Professor of Bible and Greek, Dean of Adult and Graduate Studies; and Dean Emeritus since 1998).Wayne co-founded the Missionary Church Historical Society and was President until 2018; Chair of the Trustee Board of the Missionary Church Archives and Historical Collections since its establishment. He served on the denominational Publications Board, Church Planting Committee and Christian Education Committee, Conference Historian and as Conference Parliamentarian for many years. His international involvement included travel in 27 countries outside the U.S., even teaching one semester at Jamaica Theological Seminary. He taught and coached many international pastors, church leaders and missionaries in Keystone, S.D.Wayne was semi-retired and served on various boards and committees and taught Sunday School classes at Beulah Missionary Church, of which he was a member. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, three children, nine grandchildren and 10 great- grandchildren, one great-great- grandchild and a brother-in-law. Lola (Jackson) Hicks ’50-51 , age 97, passed away at home. She was born in Marlette, Mich., married her high school sweetheart, Rex Hicks, in 1946, and raised five children. They spent their golden years in Kettering, Ohio, and enjoyed 71 years of marriage. She was preceded in death by husband Rex, daughter Claudia and eight siblings. Lola had a heart for missions, led a weekly prayer meeting for missionaries around the world and was a prayer warrior for many people, especially her 14 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Allan Lake ’64 , age 80, of Spring Arbor, Mich., passed away Sept. 8, 2022. He was born on Aug. 24, 1942, in Port Huron, Mich., to Kenneth Paul Lake and Etta Mae Lake. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Lois, their four children and 14 grandchildren. Allan graduated from Port Huron High School in 1960, from Bethel College in 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and from Michigan State University in 1971 with a Master’s degree in Education Administration. Allan worked his entire 36-year career as a teacher in the Walled Lake Consolidated School System in Oakland County, Mich., retiring in 2000, and working summers IN MEMORY 25 FALL 2023