Vogt, Robert Wayne (1930-2003)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2003 Jun 30 p. 8

Birth date: 1930 Dec 19

text of obituary:

ROBERT WAYNE VOGT

Robert Vogt, 72, of Dinuba, Calif., died May 20, 2003. He was born Dec. 19, 1930, to C.W. and Marie Heidebrecht Vogt in Corn, Okla.

He was raised on a farm. He attended Friendship Country School and Corn public schools.

He received Christ as his Savior and Lord during revival meetings when he was a sophomore in high school. He rededicated his life to Christ the summer after his graduation from high school. He sensed God's call to Christian ministry from his youth.

He attended Tabor College, 1948-52, and Central Baptist Seminary, 1954-57. He had a lifelong yearning to learn and received a doctor of ministry degree in 1984.

While at Tabor he met DeLoris Willems of Inman, Kan. They were married May 25, 1951.

He was a gifted teacher and counselor, taught at Tabor and Pacific College, and served as campus pastor at Fresno Pacific College for several years. He pastored churches in Nebraska, Kansas, Oregon and California, and often said that the 14 years as pastor at Dinuba Mennonite Brethren Church were the highlight of his ministry. He served as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches for several years, and on boards and committees on the district level. He devoted more than 40 years to full-time ministry.

He had a lifelong interest in athletics and coached for several years at Freeman (S.D.) Junior College. In 2000 he was inducted into the Tabor College Athletic Hall of Fame. He loved music and often sang duets with his wife, DeLoris.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, DeLoris; four children, Keith of Fresno, Cyndi Isaac and her husband, Stan, of Dinuba, Randy and his wife, LaVonne, of Clovis, and Denise Bese and her husband, Terry, of Dinuba; two brothers, Herb of Corn and John of Hillsboro, Kan; a sister-in-law, Carolyn Winter of Fairview, Okla.; and nine grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Wesley and Gene.

Memorial services were held at Dinuba Mennonite Brethren Church.