Regier, Peter K. (1891-1973)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1973 Mar 1 p. 3

Birth date: 1891 Jun 4

text of obituary

Retired Pastor, Conf. Executive Dies

Newton, Kan.—Funeral services for Rev. Peter K. Regier, 81, retired pastor and former executive secretary of the General Conference Mennonite Church were held Feb 22 at the West Zion Mennonite Church of Moundridge, where he served as pastor from 1927 to 1941. Rev Marvin Zehr, the present pastor, officiated.

Rev. Regier died Feb. 19 at Bethel Deaconess Hospital here.

A native of Moundridge, he served pastorates at Wayland, Iowa, at Moundridge, and Reedley, Calif. For 10 years he was president of the Bethel College Board of Directors, and later served for 10 years as the first executive secretary of the General Conference with offices in Newton.

He received the A.B. degree from Bethel College and B.D. degrees from Garrett Biblical Seminary in Chicago and Witmarsum Theological Seminary, Bluffton, Ohio. In his early years he taught at the Mt. Lake, Minn. High School and later was principal of the Henderson, Neb. High School.

Rev. Regier married Marie Staufer at Deer Creek, Okla. in 1921. She died in 1954. Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Gladys Vaughn of Los Angeles; a son, Eugene, of Courtney, B.C.; one sister, Mrs. J. B. Ediger of Buhler; and two grandchildren.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1973 Apr 12 p. 11

Birth date: 1891 Jun 4

text of obituary

REV. P. K. REGIER

Peter Karl Regier, son of John K. and Anna Unruh Regier, was born June 4, 1891, on a farm near Moundridge, Kan.

He received his early schooling at the O.K. country school, and his early religious training at the Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church, where he was baptized on July 9, 1911 by Rev. Abram Ratzlaff. The desire to train for the ministry came to him during a period of service as a lay minister in that church.

He attended Bethel College Academy from 1911-1914, and received his B.A. degree from Bethel College in 1920. He pursued theological studies in Witmarsum Seminary and Garrett Theological Seminary, where he received his Bachelor of Divinity Degree in 1922.

He was married Aug. 17, 1921, to Marie D. Staufer at Deer Creek, Okla. and they began his first ministerial assignment at the Wayland (Iowa) Mennonite Church and the Eicher Church, Noble, Iowa, on Sept. 3, 1922.

From 1924 to 1927 he taught high school in Mountain Lake, Minn. From there he went to the West Zion Mennonite Church where he served as pastor from 1927 to 1941. During those years he held numerous executive positions for the Western District Conference, and was president of the Board of Directors of Bethel College from 1935 to 1942.

After one year as high school principal in Henderson, Neb., he became minister of the First Mennonite Church, Reedley, Calif., in 1943. He served there until 1950, when he was designated the first Executive Secretary of the General Conference Mennonite Church. Over a period of ten years he gave leadership in developing the philosophy and image of the new office within the conference organization. As Ministerial Placement Secretary, he gave congregations invaluable help in securing resident pastors and in counselling pastors in their congregational responsibilities.

Upon his retirement in 1960 from conference work, he continued to serve as interim pastor at Ransom, Kan. (a congregation for which he developed such affection that he continued as their minister for nearly eight years), and in Walton, Kan. from 1968 to 1970, and several churches until resident pasters were made available to them. Even after his official retirement in 1970 at age 79, he continued to serve on numerous occasions as supply pastor and leader of various study groups. About 13 months before his death he was forced into retirement by illness.

Rev. P. K., as he was affectionately known, had the special gift of drawing together people of differing backgrounds, philosophies and age levels, creating an environment where they could work together in acceptance of their larger goals. He had a special enthusiasm for the children of the church, and his object lesson sermons for the young, as well as his repertoire of games and magic tricks, attracted young children wherever he went.

His earthly life came to an end Feb. 19 at Bethel Hospital in Newton at the age of 81. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marie on April 8, 1954. He leaves to mourn his departure one daughter, Gladys Eileen, and one son, Eugene Vernon; one daughter-in-law, Beryl; two grandchildren; one sister, Agatha (Mrs. J. B. Ediger) and one sister-in-law, Minnie (Mrs. J. U. Regier)

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