Walter R. Cecil, 88, of 337 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, died at 4:05 p.m. Sept. 18, 2008, in Grace Village Retirement Community, Winona Lake.
He was born Feb. 12, 1920, in Petros, Tenn., to George and Helen Hansen Cecil. On Feb. 5, 1943, he married Mary E. Soltis, who survives.
He was a retired pastor and preacher and worked as a nursing home and health care administrator in Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin and California. He lived in Kosciusko County since 1990. He served in the U.S. Army in the 21st Evacuation Hospital from 1941-45, in the Pacific Theatre. While in the military he helped organize the GI Gospel Hour in Manila, Philippines. He was a member of Pleasant View Bible Church, Warsaw, and helped organize the Far Eastern Gospel Crusade, which is now knows as SEND International Missions.
Also surviving are two daughters, Marcia Hochhalter, Abbotsford, Wis., and Cindy (and spouse Sam) Baker, Bainbridge; two sons, David (and spouse Rachel) Cecil, Findlay, Ohio, and Dan (and spouse Terry) Cecil, Jacksonville, Fla.; 11 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Betty Chell, Aurora, Colo., and Helen Claypool, Livingston, Mont. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, James Cecil.
A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Grace Village Retirement Community Chapel, Winona Lake. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw.
Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, is in charge of arrangements.
*****
Memorials to Grace Village Retirement Community, 337 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, IN 46590; or Kosciusko Home Care & Hospice Inc., P.O. Box 1196
