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Krabill, Russell R. (1917-2005)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2005 Jul 25 p. 6
Birth date: 1917 Jul 5
text of obituary:
By Mennonite Weekly Review staff
GOSHEN, Ind. — Russell R. Krabill, a longtime pastor and leader in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference, died July 16. He was 88.
Krabill served on the conference's executive committee from 1956-76 and as its president for 12 years. he also served as an overseer on behalf of the conference and as conference historian. He was president of the Indiana-Michigan Anabaptist Historians.
Executive conference minister Sherman Kauffman said Krabill performed a valuable service by collecting historical data about the conference.
"He was a stable, long-term leader here and widely respected across the conference," Kauffman said. "He had an unusual gift for attention to detail [in collecting, historical information]. . . . That will be a gold mine for someone someday."
Krabill was a founding board member of Bethany Christian High school in Goshen, serving 20 years.
He wrote Sunday school and vacation Bible school curricula for Herald Press and devotional articles for Rejoice! magazine. His book, Beginning the Christian Life, was used in classes for new church members.
After teaching in Iowa schools during the 1930s, Krabill earned a bachelor's degree in 1943 at Goshen College, where he received a post-graduate degree in theology in 1946. He was ordained in 1945 and was manager of the Gospel Book Store in Goshen from 1945-54.
A member of Prairie Street Mennonite Church, Krabill was a pastor at Locust Grove Mennonite Church at Burr Oak, Mich., from 1944-48, North Goshen Mennonite Church from 1948-65, Prairie Street from 1965-77 and Holdeman Mennonite Church at Wakarusa from 1978-87.
Born July 5, 1917, at Brighton, Iowa, the son of Elmer and Mary Ann Roth Krabill, he married Martha Hiestand on Agu. 30, 1947, at Marietta, Pa.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Mary Ann Hollinger of Camp Hill, Pa.; a son, James of Elkhart; a brother, Murray of Fredrickstown, Ohio; and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother, Maurice.
Funeral services were held July 20 at Prairie Street Mennonite Church. burial was in Prairie Street Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Mennonite Mission network of the Mennonite Historical Society.