wfn.org | Wicke, Oldest Bishop, Dies

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3362 notes).

Note 3361 by UMNS on Jan. 6, 1997 at 16:33 Eastern (2792 characters).

SEARCH: Lloyd C. Wicke
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Thomas S. McAnally                     7(10-21-71B){3361}
         Nashville, Tenn.                           (615) 742-5470

Lloyd C. Wicke, United Methodism's
oldest bishop, dies Dec. 29 at age 95

                 by United Methodist News Service

     Bishop Lloyd Christ Wicke, 95, United Methodism's oldest
bishop, died Dec. 29 in Columbus, Ohio.
     Of the 117 active and retired United Methodist bishops in the
United States, Wicke was the last elected during the decade of the
1940s.
     He chaired the Methodist committee that drew up the proposal
leading to the church's merger in 1968 with the Evangelical United
Brethren Church.  During the uniting service in Dallas, Wicke
clasped hands with EUB Bishop Reuben H. Mueller across a table
bearing the plan of union, and said, "Lord of the Church, we are
united in Thee, in Thy Church and in the United Methodist Church."
     The words were repeated in turn by two children, two
adolescents, two adults, six clergy representing the two churches
around the world, and finally 1200 delegates from 50 countries,
who stood and joined hands as they voiced the declaration.  
     Wicke was born May 22, 1901, in Cleveland, son of John and
Katherine Christ Wicke.  He received a BA Degree from Baldwin-
Wallace College, Berea, Ohio, in 1923.  He served two years in the
Central German Conference at Terre Haute, Ind., and Chili, Ohio. 
He earned his BA and PhD degrees from The Theological School at
Drew University, Madison, N.J.
     During his last year of seminary, Wicke served East Side
Terrace Church in Paterson, N.J.  Following his ordination, he
joined the Newark Annual Conference where between 1926 and 1941 he
served churches in Lafayette, Alpine and Leonia. He was
superintendent of the Jersey City District from 1941 to 1943 and
was then appointed to Mt. Lebanon Church in Pittsburgh.
     He was elected bishop at the Northeastern Jurisdictional
Conference in 1948 and assigned to the Pittsburgh Area.  In 1960
he was assigned to the New York Area where he served until his
retirment in 1972.
     Wicke was president of the churchwide boards of Church and
Society and Global Ministries and was president of the Council of
Bishops 1964-65.
     He married Gertrude Jane Allen of Waterville, N.Y. in 1924.
She died in 1978.  In 1979 he married Eunice LeBourveau Ensley,
widow of Bishop F. Gerald Ensley.
     Wicke is survived by his wife, Eunice, two daughters, seven
grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, four stepchildren and 11
step-grandchildren.
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