Shetler, Maynard W. (1922-2002)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2002 Oct 28 p. 10

Birth date: 1922

text of obituary:

Former book publisher at Herald Press dies

MOUNT PLEASANT, PA. — Maynard W. Shetler, who headed the Herald Press book division of Mennonite Publishng House in Scottdale from 1970 until his retirement in 1989, died Oct. 15 at Frick Community Hospital. He was 80.

Shetler helped shape hundreds of books and helped develop vacation Bible school curricula used by many denominations across North America.

He helped formulate the prototype for the Believers Church Bible Commentary series, which provides insights from a consortium of denominations on every book of the Bible.

Shetler pioneered for many Christian publishers the sale of foreign rights into other languages. Herald Press books have appeared in German, French, Korean, Chinese, Afrikaans (South Africa), Indonesian, Vietnamese, Portuguese and many other languages.

He and his staff helped produce the all-time Herald Press bestseller, the More-with-Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre. it has sold more than 1 million copies.

Shetler received a bachelor of arts degree from Goshen (Ind.) College in 1953 and a bachelor of theology degree from Goshen Biblical Seminary in 1954. He did graduate studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1955.

During World War II, in place of military service, he saw action with a National Smoke Jumper unit in Montana.

He began working at Mennonite Publishing House in 1955 as trade manager. He served as pastor or interim pastor at several area Baptist churches.

He is survived by his wife, Alice; a son, Larry R. of Providence, R. I.; three grandchildren; three sisters, Alice Schrock of Indiana, Mary Lou Williams of Arizona and Myra Randolf of Florida; and four brothers, Marlyn of Atlantic, Pa., Merle of Indiana, John of Mount Jewett, Pa., and Rollin of Michigan.

A memorial service was scheduled for Oct. 26 at the Mennonite Church of Scottdale. Burial was to be in the Pennsville Mennonite Cemetery.