wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Bob Van Marter, longtime church leader, dies

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #7625 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Bob Van Marter, longtime church leader, dies
03133
March 11, 2003

Bob Van Marter, longtime church leader, dies
 
by John Filiatreau 

LOUISVILLE - Robert G. Van Marter, a layman who served as stated clerk of
Olympia Presbytery for 18 years and of the Synod of Alaska-Northwest for 10
years, died on March 10 at his home in Tacoma, WA. He was 84.
	
Van Marter was born in the eastern Washington farming community of Lind. He
had little formal education beyond high school, but was a voracious learner.
He grew up during the Great Depression, and moved to Tacoma with his new
wife, Edna, just before the outbreak of World War II. 
	
The Van Marters were members of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Tacoma for
more than 60 years. He was an ordained Presbyterian elder for more than 55
years.
	
Van Marter joined the Army Air Corps in 1943 and, as a B-17 bombardier, flew
33 missions over Germany from a base in southern England. After the war, he
went to work as an electrician for Tacoma City Light, where he remained until
his retirement in 1976.
	
The great love of his life, other than his family, was the Presbyterian
Church. First elected as stated clerk of Olympia Presbytery in 1964, he
served in that position until 1982. The next year he was elected stated clerk
of the Synod of Alaska-Northwest, where he served two five-year terms. In
1986 he was appointed to the General Assembly Nominating Committee by
then-moderator Benjamin Weir; he served in that capacity for five years.
	
The cause of death was pancreatic cancer, diagnosed in September.
	
In addition to his wife of 62 years, Van Marter is survived by a son, Jerry,
the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s coordinator for news services; two daughters
- Carolyn Hinkle, a Presbyterian elder and the spouse of the Rev. Richard
Hinkle of Terrace View Presbyterian Church in Mountlake Terrace, WA, and
Lindy Edwards of Kirkland, WA; a sister, Betty Lou Larsen of Tacoma; and
seven grandchildren.
	
A memorial service has been scheduled for March 15 at Bethany Church.

*** For instructions on using this system (including how to UNJOIN this
meeting), send e-mail to mailrequests@ecunet.org
------------------------------------------
Send your response to this article to pcusa.news@pcusa.org

------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send an 'unsubscribe' request to

pcusanews-request@halak.pcusa.org