Rev. John M. Whitcraft
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
He was born March 19, 1917, near Lititz, Pa., to Elmer and Edna Weaver Whitcraft, who preceded him in death. On Jan. 1, 1940, he married Mary Pauline Redcay.
He was a veteran of World War II and a private in the U.S. Army. After the war, and while working at DeWalt Corp., Lancaster, Pa., he experienced a call to ministry. They continued to live in Lancaster County, Pa., until 1952 when they moved to Chicago in order for him to attend Bethany Seminary. In 1953, the family moved to North Manchester where he continued his education at Manchester College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1956. He then returned to Bethany Seminary for his master of divinity in 1959.
During his college and seminary years, he served a part-time pastorate at Clear Creek Church of the Brethren, Huntington. Beginning in 1959, he began full-time pastoral ministry and continued in that work for many decades, serving several Church of the Brethren congregations including Liberty Mills; Eversole, New Lebanon, Ohio: Union Grove, Muncie; Eel River/West Eel River, Silver Lake; New Paris; and part-time at Roann.
He enjoyed fishing and bowling whenever it fit into his busy retired life. He and his wife particularly loved attending sporting and special events in the lives of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Surviving are five children: Brenda (and spouse Chuck) Petry, Fort Wayne; Jim (and spouse Jane) Whitcraft, Hoagland; Faye (and spouse Larry) Jagger, Winona Lake; Scott (and spouse Crystal) Whitcraft, Wausau, Wis.; and Pam (and spouse Duane) Metzger, Leesburg; 17 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Margaret Whitcraft, Lititz, Pa. He was preceded in death by three brothers and a sister.
A memorial service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday in the chapel at Grace Village, Winona Lake. Private burial will be in Oaklawn Cemetery, North Manchester.
Calling is from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday in the chapel.
McKee Mortuary, North Manchester, is in charge of arrangements.
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Memorials may be made to Kosciusko Home Care & Hospice, 1515 Provident Drive, Warsaw, IN 46580; Grace Village Retirement Community, 337 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, IN 46590; or Kosciusko County Relay for Life, c/o McKee Mortuary, 1401 Ind. 114 W., North Manchester, IN 46962.
Condolences may be sent via mckeemortuary.com[[In-content Ad]]
He was born March 19, 1917, near Lititz, Pa., to Elmer and Edna Weaver Whitcraft, who preceded him in death. On Jan. 1, 1940, he married Mary Pauline Redcay.
He was a veteran of World War II and a private in the U.S. Army. After the war, and while working at DeWalt Corp., Lancaster, Pa., he experienced a call to ministry. They continued to live in Lancaster County, Pa., until 1952 when they moved to Chicago in order for him to attend Bethany Seminary. In 1953, the family moved to North Manchester where he continued his education at Manchester College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1956. He then returned to Bethany Seminary for his master of divinity in 1959.
During his college and seminary years, he served a part-time pastorate at Clear Creek Church of the Brethren, Huntington. Beginning in 1959, he began full-time pastoral ministry and continued in that work for many decades, serving several Church of the Brethren congregations including Liberty Mills; Eversole, New Lebanon, Ohio: Union Grove, Muncie; Eel River/West Eel River, Silver Lake; New Paris; and part-time at Roann.
He enjoyed fishing and bowling whenever it fit into his busy retired life. He and his wife particularly loved attending sporting and special events in the lives of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Surviving are five children: Brenda (and spouse Chuck) Petry, Fort Wayne; Jim (and spouse Jane) Whitcraft, Hoagland; Faye (and spouse Larry) Jagger, Winona Lake; Scott (and spouse Crystal) Whitcraft, Wausau, Wis.; and Pam (and spouse Duane) Metzger, Leesburg; 17 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Margaret Whitcraft, Lititz, Pa. He was preceded in death by three brothers and a sister.
A memorial service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday in the chapel at Grace Village, Winona Lake. Private burial will be in Oaklawn Cemetery, North Manchester.
Calling is from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday in the chapel.
McKee Mortuary, North Manchester, is in charge of arrangements.
*****
Memorials may be made to Kosciusko Home Care & Hospice, 1515 Provident Drive, Warsaw, IN 46580; Grace Village Retirement Community, 337 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, IN 46590; or Kosciusko County Relay for Life, c/o McKee Mortuary, 1401 Ind. 114 W., North Manchester, IN 46962.
Condolences may be sent via mckeemortuary.com[[In-content Ad]]
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