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Bender, Richard (1927-1997)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1997 Jun 19 p. 12
Birth date: 1927 Feb 9
text of obituary:
RICHARD BENDER
Richard Bender, son of Omar and Norma (Maust) Bender, was born Feb. 9, 1927, near Meyersdale, Pa. He died at his home in Clarence, N. Y., April 16, 1997.
He was one of 12 children. He accepted Christ at the age of 14. l As a young man Richard came to Alden, N. Y., for employment. On June 1, 1951, he married Jean Bontrager. They enjoyed over 45 years of life together. They were blessed with three children.
Richard became the first pastor of what is now called Harris Hill Mennonite Church. He was ordained to the ministry Nov. 18, 1951. Jean worked along with him in many areas of pastoral ministry and in home Bible studies. Their spiritual leadership was a great benefit to many people, as evidenced by the large number who attended the funeral.
Within a year of their first child, the embryo of a Christian bookstore took shape in the living room of their home. From the beginning in 1953 it went to their garage. About every five years it seemed the space was continually being outgrown. The bookstore is now one of the largest independently owned Christian bookstores in the country and is now managed by his son, Arden. Richard was one of the early members of the Christian Booksellers Association.
He served as a pastor from 1951 to 1984, when he retired. He and Jean served on the Beaver Camp Board of the Adirondack Mennonite Camping Association and on other committees and in other capacities in the Mennonite church. He became semi-retired in 1990.
Survivors include his wife, Jean; a daughter, Sheryl Slingerland of Williamsville, Pa.; two sons, Arden of Williamsville and Dale of Greencastle, Pa.; seven brothers, Loren, Luke and Elam, all of Meyersdale, Robert of Praire de Sac [sic Prairie du Sac], Wis., Jason and mark, both of Grantsville, Md., and Paul of Morgantown, W. Va.; two sisters, Doris Kintner of Fort Morgan, Colo., and Martha Claussen of Denver, Colo.; and seven grandchildren.