Bartel, Floyd G. (1929-2017)

Revision as of 16:04, 20 December 2017

Mennonite World Review obituary: 2017 May 22 p. 15

Birth date: 1929 Nov 25

Text of obituary:

Floyd G. Bartel

Floyd G. Bartel, 87, of North Newton, Kan., died May 5, 2017, at Schowalter Villa in Hesston. He was born Nov. 25, 1929, in rural Hillsboro.

He was baptized in Johannestal Mennonite Church, finished high school at Mennonite Bible Academy at Bethel College and taught at Steinbach country school and Buhler Elementary School.

He married Pearl (Schroeder) Bartel in 1951, and they served a year of voluntary service in Cuauhtemoc, Mexico. Returning to Kansas, he graduated from Bethel College in 1953. He then attended Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Chicago, where he was interim pastor at Woodlawn Mennonite Church. After graduating from MBS in 1956, he taught public school and trained at the Menninger Foundation in Topeka. While in Topeka, he became the founding pastor for Southern Hills Mennonite Church.

Beginning in 1965, he was the pastor of Bethel Mennonite Church in Lancaster, Pa., for 11 years. In 1976 he returned to Kansas, where he worked for the General Conference Mennonite Church Commission on Home Ministries. In 1982 he became pastor at First Mennonite Church in Newton. Beginning in 1989 he worked for the Western District Conference as associate conference pastor, later adding part of his time at the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary extension in North Newton.

He began retirement in 2002, teaching the Chapel Sunday School Class at Bethel College Mennonite Church and gardening both at home and as the gardener for Kauffman Museum's Prairie Garden exhibit.

After Pearl's death in 1994 and his marriage to Justina D. Neufeld in 1995, he and Justina traveled to Ukraine, Poland, India, Paraguay, Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, China and Germany. By late 2016 his frontal lobe disorder required him to move to skilled nursing, first at Kidron-Bethel and then at Schowalter Villa.

Survivors include his wife, Justina D. Neufeld, of North Newton; four children, Katherine (Rus Binkley) Bartel of North Carolina, Nathan (Sylvia) Bartel of North Newton, Matthew Bartel of Lancaster, Pa., and Rebecca (Dave) Quiring of Fresno, Calif.; two brothers, Marvin (Delores) Bartel and Dean (Gwen Preheim) Bartel, all of Goshen, INd.; and one grandchild, Henry Bartel of Manhattan.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Pearl; and one brother, Alfred Bartel of rural Hillsboro.

Memorial services were held at Bethel College Mennonite Church. Memorials may be designated to Bethel College or Peace Connections at Bethel College Mennonite Church.