Gingerich, Joseph C. (1887-1975)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1975 Apr 10 p. 10

Birth date: 1887 Jan 18

Retired Minister Dies at Phoenix

Phoenix, Ariz. — Funeral services for Joseph C. Gingerich, retired minister, were held at the Sunnyslope Mennonite Church on March 27 with Rev. Ray Smee officiating.

Rev. Gingerich died March 24 after a long illness. He was 88.

In 1926 the Gingerich family moved to Detroit lakes, Minn. where they helped found the Lake Region Mennonite Church. Rev. Gingerich served as minister there until 1953, having been ordained to the ministry in 1917 at Wolford, N. D. He was one of the founding members of the Dakota-Montana Conference.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1975 Apr 24 p. 11

text of obituary:

JOSEPH C. GINGERICH

Joseph C. Gingerich was born at Kalona, Iowa on Jan. 18, 1887, the son of Joseph C. and Catherine Gingerich.

In 1910 he married Volina Driver, who preceded him in death in 1943. Ten children were born to this union, five of whom preceded him in death: Harold, Gordon, Gladys, Daniel D. and Stella (Mrs. Walter Erb).

In 1945 he married Fanny Chupp, who survives him. Also surviving are five daughters, Margaret, Mrs. Ed Kauffman of Phoenix, Ariz., Pauline, Mrs. Alvin Rogie of Canby, Ore., Ruby, Mrs. Clarence Hartzler of Scottdale, Pa., Hazel, Mrs. Henry Mast of Phoenix, and Dorothy, Mrs. Leo Miller of Bedford Heights, Ohio; one brother, Ezra, of Phoenix and one sister, Emma, of Kalona, Iowa.

He was ordained to the ministry at Wolford, N.D. in 1917, in 1922 the family moved to Ulen, Minn. and in 1926 to Detroit Lakes, Minn. where they with two other families formed the Lake Region congregation, to which he ministered until 1953.

He was one of the founding members of the Dakota-Montana Conference, now known as the North Central Conference, and served as secretary for many years, representing the conference on the Mennonite Board of Education and the Publication Board. He served as a winter Bible school instructor for several years in the Alberta-Saskatchewan district and at Hesston College Winter Bible Term.

He and his wife Fanny retired in 1959 to live in Phoenix where he passed away March 24, 1975 after a slow and tedious illness. He was faithfully and tenderly cared for by his beloved wife for the past three years.

Funeral services were held on March 27 at the Sunnyslope Mennonite Church, with Rev. Ray Smee officiating. Burial was in the Rest Haven Cemetery, Phoenix.