MILFORD — The Rev. William Lee Stieglitz, Winona Lake, passed away and entered the Lord’s presence on Dec. 21, 2017, at Grace Village at the age of 90. He had been a resident of Kosciusko County for at least 55 of those years, living in Milford, Nappanee and Winona Lake.
William (also known to his family and friends as Bill) was born Dec. 12, 1927, in Milford, the son of Henry and Anna Zimmerman Stieglitz. He grew up in a large family, the son of a farmer.
After serving in the Navy, he had early aspirations to be a professional ball player, which led to his playing for the Chicago Cubs on a farm league. This direction changed, once he turned his life over to Christ and headed to college to prepare for serving the Lord in full-time ministry.
He was married to Beverly Burch on Aug. 13, 1955, in Oklahoma City, Okla.; he graduated in1955 from Nyack (N.Y.) Bible College. He and his wife became pioneer missionaries to the Dani tribe in Papua New Guinea for over nine years while serving under the Christian and Missionary Alliance with work that involved evangelism, church planting and beginning a Bible school. He was later a pastor of different churches in Indiana, Michigan and Texas.
Later, William worked for World Missionary Press, Word Music and Martin’s Super Market. He often wrote devotional articles and biblical editorials for The Goshen News. William was a member of Nappanee Missionary Church. A loving family man, William devoted his life to the pursuits of knowing, loving and serving God, and helping others in those same pursuits.
William will be lovingly remembered by all his family, which includes daughters Rebecca Dingeldein (husband Mark), Milford, and Dinah Bergan (husband Ernest), Wadsworth, Ohio. Also surviving are nine grandchildren: Jonathan Dingeldein (wife Julie Stutsman), Burlington, Iowa; Stephen Dingeldein (wife Wendy Weimer), Durham, N.C.; Daniel Dingeldein (wife Megan Okerson), San Diego, Calif.; Joshua Dingeldein (wife Jacqueline Close), Denver, Colo.; Caleb Dingeldein, Milford; Anna Bergan, Irving, Texas; Nathaniel and Timothy Bergan, Wadsworth, Ohio; and Hallie (husband David Eckenrode), Dallas, Texas. He is blessed to have nine great-grandchildren: Micah, Noah, Kate and Kinsey (children of Jon and Julie); Evelyn, Cyrus, Gage and Elsee (children of Stephen and Wendy); and Madison (child of Daniel and Megan). He is survived by his siblings: Joshua (Elizabeth), James, Elizabeth (Jack) Scruggs, Frances (Eric) Schiller and Ruth (John) Hooley; and brother-in-law John Zook.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Beverly; three brothers: George, John and Larry Stieglitz; a sister, Rosemary Zook; and a sister-in-law, Marilyn.
A public visitation time will be from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28, followed by a memorial service as a celebration of William’s life from 3 to 4 p.m. at Mishler Funeral Home, 461 W. CR 900N, Milford.
A burial service at 4:30 p.m. will follow at Milford Cemetery, where William will receive military honors for his service in the Navy; both services will be officiated by Bryan Benjamin, Grace Village chaplain.
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Memorials to Nappanee Missionary Church, P.O. Box 110, 70417 Ind. 19N, Nappanee, IN 46550.
