Dan Bryant served the congregations of South Arlington, Church of the Redeemer, Rockport, and Lakewood UMCS and was superintendent of the Mahoning Valley District in the East Ohio Conference after serving as student pastor of St. Paul UMC in the Baltimore-Washington Conference during 35 years of ministry. His ministry was shaped by his student pastor experience of serving a church whose members were from 17 countries of Africa. At each appointment he sought to be an encourager and to work for an inclusive community of faith.
In retirement, Dan and his wife Debbie will live in Brooklyn take time to rest and spend time with family in Ohio and Minnesota. Dan will continue to serve as chair of the Conference Council on Finance & Administration.
Jean Cooper served the congregations of Jerusalem, Somerton, Beallsville, Pleasant Ridge, and Barnesville Main UMCs during 13 years of ministry in East Ohio. Among many highlights of her ministry was organizing and leading weekly children’s and youth ministry from 2010 until the COVID-19 pandemic stopped them from meeting in-person, helping churches navigate closure and the loss of its building, and learning to do services online.
In retirement, Jean and her husband Frederick will live in Barnesville, where they will remain active in the community, attend to home projects that have been put on hold, and travel to spend time with their adult children and their grandchildren.
Steve Court served the congregations of Allerton, Norton, and St. John’s UMCs in the New Jersey Conference and Senecaville, Mt. Ephraim, and Strasburg UMCs in the East Ohio Conference. He also served as superintendent of the Southern Hills District and as director of Connectional Ministries in East Ohio during 34 years of ministry. Highlights of his ministry include “district and local church leadership, disaster response, mission teams, Habitat for Humanity, Rotary, band parents, fire chaplain, and especially ministry with children and youth.”
In retirement, Steve and his wife Elsa will continue to reside in Uniontown where they will enjoy time with their children and grandchildren.
Coralee Cox served the congregations of Mayfield, Roscoe, and Union Avenue UMCs during 29 years of ministry. The highlights of her ministry all relate to “the ineffable honor, privilege, blessing, and responsibility of preaching and teaching the Word of God;” including being present and connecting with people of all ages in all circumstances of life. The first church she served, as associate pastor, purchased a new 30-acre campus and the church from which she is retiring completed a major renovation and reconstruction project.
Coralee has yet to announce where she will live in retirement but she knows she will spend time breathing, resting, and reading for enjoyment, traveling, and serving as a Rule of Christ trainer.
Gordon Ferguson served the congregations of Bisel, Baxter’s Ridge, Chapel Hill, McConnelsville Grace, Greenwich, Delphi, Lakeland Parish, Newton Falls, Pricetown, Orangeville, Vernon, Pleasant Grove, and Chandlersville UMCs during 32 years of ministry. Among many highlights of his ministry was witnessing lives being transformed and the day that a wild turkey came walking down the center aisle of the church as the doxology was being sung.
Gordon and his wife Ann have yet to announce where they will live in retirement but he plans on spending time travelling, writing, and doing woodworking.
Gary George served the congregations of Dellroy, Leavittsville, Dueber, Canton Mt. Zion, and Newcomerstown Christ UMCs, was the last superintendent of the Steubenville District and the first superintendent of the Tuscarawas District, and then served as assistant to the Bishop during 41 years of ministry in the East Ohio Conference. Highlights of his ministry include connecting others to Jesus Christ and helping to equip and empower others for Christian service and mission …
Gary and his wife Lorraine will continue to live in Walnut Creek during retirement spending time with family and traveling. Gary will coach and consult and volunteer in ministry and community service.
Larry Hinkle served the congregations of Tippecanoe, Pleasant Grove, New Philadelphia Otterbein, Damascus, Warren Grace, and Louisville Christ UMCs during 41 years of ministry in the East Ohio Conference. Among many highlights of his ministry was impactful mission events, the Tuscarawas County Franklin Graham event, the Tsunami Festival, the Starfish mission project, and the Rock the Park Festival.
Larry and his wife Cathy have yet to determine where they will live or what their plans will be in retirement.
Ricardo (Tony) Jones served the congregations of St. James, Myrtle, University Heights, and Church of the Good Shepherd UMCs, and served on the Conference Council on Ministries staff before taking medical leave during 32 years of ministry in the East Ohio Conference. Highlights of his ministry include baptisms, leading Bible study on anti-racism, singing at Ministerial Recruitment Institute, and being a disaster response coordinator.
Tony and his wife Ann will continue to live in Canton during retirement spending time doing volunteer work, traveling, and spending time with family.
Carol McCartney served the congregations of Bisel, Dennison Grant Street, Akron Faith, Dellroy, Leavittsville, Kilbourne, and Bunker Hills UMCs during 35 years of ministry in the East Ohio Conference. Among many highlights of her ministry was being privileged to bring people to Christ and help them grow in their faith, officiating weddings, baptizing children, and being involved in music.
Carol and her husband Jim have yet to determine where they will live in retirement but she plans to travel more and do tutoring or work with a children’s choir in the local school district.
Toni McKee served the congregations of Ashland First and Wesbrook Park UMCs and served in extension ministry during 25 years of ministry in the East Ohio Conference.
Randy Mercer served the congregations of Freeport, Smyrna, Mt. Carmel, West Chester, Tippecanoe, Beckett, and Pleasant City UMCs during 16 years of ministry in the East Ohio Conference. Among many highlights of his ministry was holding the hand of a person who is passing into eternity, baptizing a newborn baby, and standing at the altar of a young couple beginning a life journey into Holy matrimony.
In retirement, Randy will continue to serve the community, do some traveling, and enjoy time with his family.
Jerry Penrod served the congregations of Brilliant, Rush Run, Clearview, Wellsville, Wadsworth, Galion, and Beverly UMCs during 37 years of ministry in East Ohio. Among many highlights of his ministry – in addition to planning services, visiting parishioners and small group ministries – was planning 25th, 50th, 100th, and 200th anniversary celebrations for churches that he served.
In retirement, Jerry and his wife Cynthia will live in newly purchased home Galion where they will babysit grandchildren, visit family, garden, walk, bike, and get involved with a church.
Travis Phillips, Jr. served the congregations of Garfield Memorial, Orwell, and Windsor UMCs in the East Ohio Conference and served as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corp. before taking medical leave during 38 years of ministry. Among many highlights of his ministry include leading three short-term mission trips and working hand-in-hand with clergy and missionaries supporting Christ’s work in Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Kiribati, Micronesia, Dijibouti, and Italy.
In retirement, Travis and his wife Jadel will live in Brandy Station, Virginia where they will spend more time together and he will write a book on practical discipleship for Christians.
Richard F. Smith served the congregations of Calcutta Good Shepherd, Elkton, and Brookfield UMCs during 11 years of ministry in the East Ohio Conference. Among many highlights of his ministry was completing licensing school, finishing course of study and, when the pandemic began, starting a food pantry at Brookfield UMC.
Richard and his wife Anne will live in Girard in retirement where he will continue to be involved in outreach ministry.
Tom Snode served the congregations of Galena, Gambier Epworth, Mansfield First, East, North Robinson, Bucyrus First, Attica, Galion St. Paul, Willowick Shoregate, and Chardon UMCs during 33 years of ministry in East Ohio. Among many highlights of his ministry was watching people receive life in Jesus, preaching, teaching, listening, and leading.
Tom and his wife Sondra will live in Mentor in retirement and he will spend time “following the path."
Dale Sutton, Jr. served the congregations of Gambier Epworth, Gambier Hopewell, Waterford, East Liverpool First, and Roscoe UMCs during 21 years of ministry in the East Ohio Conference. Among many highlights of his ministry was helping to bring healing to churches in conflict, ministering to families in times of crisis and grief, and God using him to help people develop or deepen a relationship with God.
In retirement, Dale and his wife Becky will live in Howard, where they will spend time with family and he will go boating, play golf, and do woodworking.
Johnnie F. Swann served the congregations of Winterset, Antrim, Plainfield, Isletta, Plymout Community, Savannah, and Olivesburg UMCs during 23 years of ministry in East Ohio. Among many highlights of her ministry was serving in a different district with each new appointment, serving on Religion & Race and Native American Ministries committees in the Conference, and earning her Doctor of Ministry degree in Wesleyan Practices.
In retirement, Johnnie and her husband John plan to move to North Carolina, where they plan to travel, continue working on their genealogy, and become involved in a local church.
Don Trigg served the congregations of Mt. Zion, Prairie Chapel, Sharon Center, Galion Christ, and Seville UMCs during 41 years of ministry in the East Ohio Conference. Among many highlights of his ministry was a church-sponsored radio ministry that began in 1985 and is still on the air, being a volunteer hospital chaplain, praying with people, helping people in need, and getting AV equipment making it possible to livestream worship services.
In retirement, Don and his wife Ruth will live in Doylestown where they will enjoy time with family, do Conference Historian work, be active in Kiwanis Club, and get involved with the church and community.
Randy Weaver served the congregations of Lakeville, Bigelow, Mansfield Chapel Hill, Madison Chapel Hill, Lincoln Avenue, and Cambridge Christ UMCs during 24 years of ministry in East Ohio. Among many highlights of his ministry was recruiting and developing new leaders, more than 50 professions of faith in three years at Madison Chapel Hill UMC, and 50 newborn babies and 57 infant baptisms at Lincoln Avenue UMC.
In retirement, Randy and his wife Candice will live in Holmesville, where they will travel and enjoy time with family and friends.
Robert Welch served the congregations of Buena Vista, Sugar Grove, East Springfield Christ, and Lakeshore UMCs during 14 years of ministry in East Ohio.
In retirement, Robert and his wife Sara will continue to live in North Ridgeville and he will continue to preach.
Jan Yandell served Briggsdale-Union UMC in the West Ohio Conference, and the congregations of Westfield, Chesterville, Harmony Chapel, Berea, People’s Hope, Euclid East Shore, and Painesville UMCs, serve as a district associate, and start the Nehemiah Mission of Cleveland during 32 years of ministry. Among many highlights of her ministry was building a youth work mission program from 21 to 130 in seven years at UMC Berea, launching Nehemiah Mission, and creating a diverse congregation with a three-part service of choice at Euclid East Shore UMC.
In retirement, Jan and her husband Jim will live in Vermilion where she will write, sit on the deck and look at Lake Erie, play the guitar, take piano lessons, and play with two of their four grandchildren who will only live 15 minutes away.
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