Gingerich, Simon C. (1883-1971)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1971 Mar 25 p. 5

Birth date: 1883

text of obituary:

Aged Church Leader Dies at Wayland, Ia.

Wayland, Ia. — Funeral services were held at the Sugar Creek Mennonite Church here March 10 for Bishop Simon C. Gingerich, 88, who served this congregation as bishop and minister for over 50 years. He died March 7 at the Parkview Home, Wayland.

A native of this area, he was ordained as a minister in 1908 and to the office of bishop in 1916. In 1920 he was secretary of the Amish Mennonite and Mennonite Merger Committee. He later served as moderator and in other capacities in the Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference, and two terms as moderator of the (Old) Mennonite General Conference. He also traveled widely in evangelistic work, and was president of the Mennonite Publication Board for 10 years.

In his younger years he engaged in turkey raising, and founded the Turkey Growers Federation.

Survivors include a son, Earl, of Tucson, Ariz.; one sister, Emma Gingerich of Kalona; two brothers, Joe and Ezra of Phoenix, Ariz.; seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.