Suderman, John P. (1901-1979)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 13 Dec 1979 p. 3

Birth date: 1901

text of obituary:

Long-Time Writer of Sunday School Lessons Dies at 77

Winona Lake, Ind.—John P. Suderman, a retired Mennonite missionary and pastor and for more than 31 years the writer of the Sunday School Lesson for Mennonite Weekly Review, died of a heart attack at Winona Lake on Dec. 8. He was 77.

Funeral services were held Dec. 12 at the Trinity Mennonite Church of Hillsboro, Kan. with Albert Gaeddert, Theodore Epp, Harvey Jantz and John M. Dougherty participating.

Suderman was a native of Hillsboro and became pastor of the Bruderthal Mennonite Church there following his graduation from Bethel College in North Newton.

He and his wife Mabel later served for many years as missionaries to the Hopi Indians at Oraibi, Ariz. After that he served in pastorates at the First Mennonite Church of Berne, Ind., the Gospel Mennonite Church of Mt. Lake, Minn., the St. John Mennonite Church of Pandora, Ohio and the Glendale Mennonite Church of Lynden, Wash.

He continued active in retirement at Winona Lake, recording Bible conference speakers there up to the day before his death. He had served continuously as the Review's Sunday School Lesson writer since Oct. 14, 1948. At the time of his death he had submitted advance lessons through the middle of February 1980.

Suderman is survived by his widow, Mabel; a son and wife, John Mark and Alice Suderman of Mt. Lake, Minn.; a daughter and husband, Edith and John Dougherty of Buffalo, N. Y.; and seven grandchildren.

3 Jan 1980 p. 11

JOHN P. SUDERMAN

John P. Suderman was born Dec. 24, 1901 to Peter and Maria Penner Suderman. Early on the morning of Dec. 8, 1979 he had a heart attack during his sleep and the Lord took him quietly home.

He was the oldest of four children, the others being Ernest, Karl and Elsie (Mrs. Waldo) Nickel. John was saved during his teen years, and was baptized and received into the membership of the Bruderthal Church of Hillsboro, Kan., at the age of 18. He was married to Mabel Wedel on Aug. 11, 1926.

Upon completion of grade school, the Hillsboro Bible Academy and Bethel Academy, he taught school for several years, while serving in his home church at Hillsboro. Feeling called to the ministry, he studied Bible and music at Bethel College in North Newton, Kan. Soon after graduation, he was ordained on Nov. 25, 1925.

In response to the mission board's request and the leading of the Lord, he was commissioned in 1930 to the Hopi Indian mission field of Northern Arizona. It was his privilege to see the Lord save a goodly number of Hopis during his 17 years there. A 19-month leave of absence during this time was spent in serving as interim pastor of the First Mennonite Church in Berne, Ind.

In 1947, he assumed the pastorate of the Gospel Mennonite Church of Mt. Lake, Minn., and subsequently the St. John Mennonite Church of Pandora, Ohio, and the Glendale Mennonite Church in Lynden, Wash. Always dear to this heart was the challenge of world missions. One of the great delights of these years was to see several new missionaries go out from each of these churches during his pastorates.

His concern for missions had further outreach in that he served on the Board of Missions of the General Conference Mennonite Church for 18 years, and was also a member of the Congo Inland Mission Board.

In 1948 he began to write the commentary on the Sunday school lessons for the "Mennonite Weekly Review." This ministry continued to the very evening of his death. Upon retirement in 1967, the Sudermans moved to Winona Lake, Ind. There they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1976. The Lord enriched John's 12 years of retirement with continued ministries, among which were summer youth camps and a five-month radio ministry to the black community of Gulfport, Miss.

His taping of messages for the summer Bible conferences and Grace College and Seminary conferences has blessed hundreds of lives. It was also during these years that one of the greatest joys of his life was realized —the preparation of a new hymnbook for the Hopi Indian churches. Music always played an important part in his ministry, whether he was playing the piano or organ, directing the Hopi Indian choirs in cantatas or accompanying and singing in men's choruses.

He is survived by his widow; two children, John Mark and Alice of Mt. Lake, Minn. and Edith Elsie and husband John Dougherty of Buffalo, N. Y.; and seven grandchildren.