Book, Thata (d. 2003)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2003 Sep 8 p. 2

Birth date:

text of obituary:

BIC mission couple die in accident before MWC

By Ron Ross For Meetinghouse

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe — Brethren in Christ members arriving for the Mennonite World Conference assembly last month were saddened to learn of the death the week before of a beloved couple who had served nearly 30 years in Zimbabwe.

Alvin and Thata Book served ministries of the BIC in several countries since 1947. Their previous extended stays in Zimbabwe made it seem like returning to a second home when they arrived in July for a six-month term.

Now, Zimbabwe has become their final resting place.

Alvin Book was the first bishop chosen by the African BIC Church during their first 20-year stay in the 1950s and '60s. In 2003, he and Thata had returned to serve at Ekuphileni Bible Institute, where they hoped to help complete the library building and to teach at least one course.

On Aug. 5, the couple and an EBI student went to Bulawayo in the mission's pickup truck to retrieve supplies for a work team. On the way back, the pickup collided head on with a large truck on a narrow paved road.

That Book was pronounced dead at the scene. Alvin book, who was driving, died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital in Bulawayo. The EBI student was treated for minor injuries.

Because of the MWC assembly Aug. 11-17, many family and friends were among more than 300 people who attended the memorial service held at Bulawayo's Central BIC Church.

The Books were laid to rest at Matopo Mission south of Bulawayo, where they had served for many years and where their four children were born.

"Dad and Mom were buried next to Jesse Engle, one of the first BIC missionaries to Africa." wrote daughter Priscilla, the eldest of those four children, in a letter to the 650 people who attended a second memorial service in Grantham, Pa., a week later.

"They would have felt so honored to have that particular spot. Dad's grave was right in front of that of Jesse Engle's, and Mom's is in front of that of Sara Zook Cress. Mon and Dad were placed in their graves next to each other with their heads next to the patriarch and matriarch who preceded them."

The Books also did mission work in the Bronx, N.Y. Alvin book had served as bishop for the BIC Church's Allegheny Conference. After their retirement in 1992, they learned Spanish and served church-planting efforts in Venezuela for seven years.