David A. Baker served York, Shadyside, Huron, Gay Street, and Cuyahoga Falls First UMCs. Highlights of ministry were the times when God called people into the ministry of the church.
In retirement, he will live in Millersburg, and spend time going to worship, having cookouts and inviting the family to come together on Sunday afternoons.
Bruce Batchelor-Glader served Westbrook Park, Lake Avenue, Pleasant Hills, Akron Church of the Master, and Port Clinton Trinity UMCs. Highlights of ministry were the people he got to know along the way, and the wonderful combination of The UMC connectional system and Wesleyan grace.
In retirement, he will live in the Cincinnati area where he’ll look to become “one of the gang” with some group of Christians that meets in an alternative setting.
Mary Blank served Willoughby Hills UMC, and also served in extension ministry at Cleveland Clinic Women’s Health Institute at Hillcrest. Highlights of ministry include caring for women in all phases of life, serving the orphans and vulnerable children in Africa, those who are homeless in Painesville, and ministering to and with the people of Willoughby Hills UMC.
In retirement, she will live in Willoughby Hills where she will spend time with family and friends and continue to serve with Project Hope for the Homeless.
Ricky L. Burkhardt served Gaysport/Ruraldale, Byesville Trinity/Pleasant City, Otsego/Bethel, Old Washington/Lore City, Kipling/Middlebourne, Bethesda, Green Springs, Massillon Wesley, Johnsville Grace/Steam Corners, and Newport/Beech Grove/Hills UMCs. Highlights of ministry were proclaiming the truth and anytime he could depart from the comfortable and the predictable.
In retirement, he will live in Canton and make plans to visit missionaries and ministries in various places.
Patricia Mulder Christ served Southington, Paradise Hill, Richard Brown Memorial, Champion Otterbein, Firestone Park, and Kinsman UMCs. Highlights of ministry include the relationships that were made and strengthened through the years.
Stanley T. Dunk (photo unavailable) served Birmingham and Cleveland Christ UMCs, and served in extension ministry as director of Pastoral Care at Fort Hamilton Hospital and Bereavement Coordinator/Spiritual Counselor at Otterbein Hospice. Highlights of ministry include serving two terms as president of the Ohio Chaplains Association and 17 years as a member of Red Cross Disaster Spiritual Care.
In retirement, he will live in Liberty Township, where he will work part-time, travel, and be a full-time grandfather to 19 grandchildren in four states.
Dana L. Flemming served Lafayette/Poe, Lakewood, Solon, Willoughby Hills UMCs. Highlights of ministry include being involved in small groups in the churches he served, and being part of Royal Family Kids Camps and Clubs.
In retirement, he will live in Willoughby, where he will spend as much time as he can with his wife, Martha, and their children.
Debbie M. Gibbons served Nottingham, Good Shepherd, Woodland, Redeemer North Hill, and Christ Woodland UMCs. Highlights of ministry include accompanying many wonderful people as they discovered their own ministries and grew in faith and service.
In retirement, she will live in Cleveland Heights, spend time with family and friends and continue to serve where Christ calls as opportunities arise.
Karen Gibson served Community and Friendship UMCs in the Rocky Mountain Conference, and then Conesville and New Moscow UMCs in the East Ohio Conference. Highlights of ministry include using my teaching and nursing skills as a licensed local pastor to assist many people with God’s help.
In retirement, she will live in Craig, Colorado, spending time relaxing, planting flowers, being a mentor, and doing community work.
Jon R. Heavilin served McZena Hope/Perrysville, and New Pittsburg UMCs.
In retirement, he will live in Wooster.
Larry Hukill served Norwalk First, Caldwell, Richmond, Macedonia, Newcomerstown Christ, and East Liverpool UMCs. He also served in extension ministry as superintendent of the Cambridge District and then the Three Rivers District. Highlights of ministry include guiding two congregations through major building renovations, serving 16 years on the Board of Ordained Ministry, and eight years as dean of the licensing school for local pastors.
In retirement, he will live in Wintersville, returning to Jefferson County to be close to family, where he will explore working for a funeral home.
James H. Humphrey served Coalburg, Canfield, Toronto First, Shelby Trinity, Doylestown, and New Philadelphia First UMCs. He also served as superintendent of the Three Rivers District from 2008-2014. Highlights of ministry include youth work, touching people’s lives, and going on mission trips.
He will retire to his lake house at Guilford Lake State Park, where he reminds us that, “old ministers never retire they just go out to pastor.”
Monica Huntsman served Kimbolton and Nellie Chapel/New Guilford UMCs. Highlights of ministry include sharing Christ’s love with the communities and congregations she served.
In retirement, she will live in Freeport, where she plans to continue enjoying her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Linda S. McCowen served Westlake, Broadway, and Pleasant Hills UMCs, and served in extension ministry as the North Coast District parish nurse, in central intake with the Visiting Nurses Association, and with the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute. Highlights of ministry include sharing Jesus with children of God in congregations and communities.
In retirement, she will live in Middleburg Heights, where she will read, garden, cook, and enjoy time with family and friends.
Beth A. Mcguire served Warren First, St. Mark, Calvary, Church of the Redeemer, Canfield UMCs and Hospice of Medina County as Director of Bereavent Services. Highlights ogf ministry include Being Christ's ambassador in a variety of community service opportunities.
In retirement, she will live in the Coepland Oaks Retirement Community campus, where she will participate in the numerous activities that are offered. Additionally she hopes to do more birding and playing cribbage.
Douglas G. Meek (photo unavailable) served Canfield, Chapel of the Cross, Girard First, and Akron First UMCs.
In retirement, he will live in Akron.
Sturman C. Moore served Fairview, Kimbolton, Kennonsburg, Duncan Falls/Sugar Grove, and Cambridge Christ UMCs. Highlights of ministry were the significant numerical and spiritual growth in the appointments he served.
In retirement, he will continue to live in Cambridge, spending time with family and friends and doing woodworking.
James P. Nolte served Norwalk First, Portage Faith, Ashtabula First, and Uniontown UMCs, and, from 1992-1999, as associate director of the Conference Council on Ministries. Highlights of ministry include the spiritual growth of the congregations he served, working with United Methodist Youth Fellowship, and the lay and clergy involvement with the Russia Initiative.
In retirement, he will live in North Canton, where he will spend time with family and travel.
Warren F. Outhwaite, Jr. served Kilbourne, Asbury Greater Parish, Muskingham Pleasant Grove, Mentor Plains, New Philadelphia Broadway, Warren Grace, and Mount Vernon Mulberry Street UMCs. The highlight of his ministry was praying with so many individuals to experience New Birth.
In retirement, he plans to take a vacation from all church responsibilities for an entire year, while spending time with family, gardening, fishing, reading, and performing music.
Michael J. Padula (photo unavailable) served Attica and Bloomville UMCs.
In retirement, he will live in Republic.
Charles A. Peal (photo unavailable) served Green Valley/Liberty Chapel, Lakefork, Dalton, Bucyrus Woodlawn, Lakeshore, and Champion Otterbein UMCs, and served in extension ministry at Hope Hospice in the Florida Conference. Highlights of ministry include being called by God to ordained ministry, and the joys of helping persons find and develop their call to ministry.
In retirement, he will live in North Port, Florida where he plans to vest time with his wife of 43 years and their children and grandchild.
Donald R. Perks served Barnesville, New Philadelphia Otterbein, Shadyside Lincoln Avenue, and Willoughby UMCs. Highlights of ministry include having someone in every church he served called by God into the ministry as a servant of the gospel.
In retirement, he will live in Bolivar spending time with children and grandchildren, traveling, and working in the woodshop.
Gregory S. Sellers served Burton City, Tiffin Washington Street, and Lorain Lighthouse UMCs. Highlights of ministry include the privilege of being invited into the lives of people in both joyful and difficult times.
In retirement, he will live in Huber Heights where he will take some time off before going where God calls him next.
J. Roger Skelley-Watts served Pittman (NJ), Westbrook Park, Alliance Christ, Concord Hope Ridge, and Huron UMCs, and served in extension ministry as director of Bolivar/Zoar Youth Center, executive director of The Urban Mission Ministries, and the Cleveland District associate. Highlights of ministry include being “present at the creation’ of CCYM, and multiple mission projects, especially with the homeless.
In retirement, he will live in Vermilion spending time with family and friends, relaxing, traveling, enjoying hobbies, and becoming active in social causes.
Janet Stengel (photo unavailable) served Bay Village, Stafford, Massillon Christ, and Killbuck UMCs, and served in extension ministry as a hospice chaplain in Lexington, Kentucky. Highlights of ministry include youth group at Bay Village and Massillon Christ, participating in music programs in all of the churches she served, and the wonderful people she met being part of hospice.
In retirement, she will live in Stittville, New York participating in music and missions at the church she is attending, traveling in the U.S. and abroad, and going camping.
Dale W. Thomas served New Springs (KY), Flushing/Holloway, Warsaw, Perrysville/Mt. Pleasant/Pleasant Hill, Hartford, Minerva, Plainfield-Isleta, and Edison Memorial UMCs. Highlights of ministry include growing in the ongoing ministry of Jesus Christ and being blessed by many in the East Ohio Conference.
In retirement, he will live in Durham, North Carolina to be closer to family as he transitions to being a grandparent.
Charles E. Tobias served Belmont, Strasburg, Richfield, Canton Church of the Saviour, Canal Fulton, Mansfield First, Ridgewood, and Wooster UMCs. Highlights of ministry include leading congregations in the variety of settings he served through many seasons of transition and change.
In retirement, he will live in Parma Heights, spend time with his wife and family, continue singing with the Cleveland Orchestra chorus, and enjoy not going to meetings.
Donald G. Upson served Ravenna First, Lansing, Tiltonsville, Chiquola/Donalds (SC), Marshal Memorial/Ebenezer/Orrville/Homeland Park (SC), Pacolet/White Stone (SC), Mt. Zion/Bergholz/Chestnut Ridge, Liberty/Claridon/Iberia/Sixteen, and Copley UMCs. Highlights of ministry include discovering the blessings of God’s Spirit in the work he did as both a pastor and an EMT/Fireman in the communities he served.
In retirement, he will live in Suffield, spending time with family, continuing to work in the ministry field, and working on his hobbies.
Karen L. Upson served Ravenna First, Pleasant Valley/Asbury Chapel/Moorefield/New Athens/Rankin/Piedmont, Lancaster Chapel, Londonderry/Fairview UMC, Mingo Junction/Smithfield, Hopewell, Chiquola/Donalds (SC), Marshal Memorial/Ebenezer/Orrville/Homeland Park (SC), Pacolet/White Stone (SC), Mt. Zion/Bergholz/Chestnut Ridge, Liberty/Claridon/Iberia/Sixteen, and Copley UMCs. Highlights of ministry include the blessings of seeing God at work, and serving with her husband, Don.
In retirement, she will live in Suffield, spending time with family, painting, sewing, playing music, and taking the camper on adventures.
Dale M. Warrick served Conner Ridge, Adena/Harrisville/Georgetown, Cornerstone, and Doylestown UMCs.
In retirement, he will live in Barnesville on his childhood farm devoting time to his wife and his hobbies of woodworking, pottery, and painting.
Scott W. Williams served Sonora/Trinway, Newport/Beech Grove, Tiffin Washington Street, Alliance Beechwood, and East Rochester/Bayard UMCs, and in extension ministry with Community Mental Healthcare. Highlights of ministry include his involvement with many individuals of faith.
In retirement, he will live in Alliance and continue working at his counseling practice.
Scott F. Wilson served Louisville Christ, Bucyrus Grace, Johnson, and Mayfield UMCs. Highlights of ministry include witnessing God’s Spirit at work in so many people and places.
In retirement, he will live in Canton, where he spend time with his wife and try his hand at home ownership and gardening.