 Robert Sayre
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. — The Rev. Dr. Robert D. Sayre, Millersville, Pa., died Friday, May 16, 2008 at Essa Flory Hospice Center. He was 63.
Born Jan. 1, 1945 in Tiffin, he was a son of Corbett L. and Leatha A. (Ranson) Sayre and Gilbert L. Weaver. He married Roma J. Weaver on July 17, 1966 and she survives.
Mr. Sayre also is survived by two daughters, Jennifer F. Croyle, Lititz; and Amanda J. Peiffer, Manheim; four grandchildren, Kayla and Joshua Croyle and Luke and Benjamin Peiffer; three brothers, Conard E., St. Albans, W.Va.; G. Larry Weaver, Galion; and James A. “Jason” Weaver, Las Vegas; a sister, Patricia A. Foutz, Flint, Mich.; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Cecil C.
Mr. Sayre grew up in Bloomville. In 1954, while the Salk vaccine was being distributed, he contracted polio and spent three months in Children’s Hospital, Toledo.
He was a 1963 graduate of Bloomville High School and a 1970 graduate of Heidelberg College. He received a master’s of divinity degree from the Methodist Theological Seminary in Ohio in 1974 and in 1987, received a doctorate in history from Ohio State University, having written a dissertation on early abolitionism centered in Philadelphia. He also attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky.
He worked as a printer’s apprentice in high school and became the managing editor of the Bloomville Gazette in 1971, prior to attending seminary.
Mr. Sayre served United Methodist pastorates in Green Springs, Gambier, Marengo and Fulton; and interim pastorates in New Holland, Marietta and Clearfield United Methodist churches in Lancaster County.
He retired from the Presbyterian ministry in 2002.
He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and had served as chaplain at Camp Donegal, York County, Pa.
In Millersville, Mr. Sayre helped found the Peace Coalition in the 1980s and was an original member of the Commission on Cultural Diversity. He led fellowships with the football teams and directed several Spring Break in Appalachia service programs.
He began teaching in the history department in 1988, teaching Civil War and Reconstruction, the New Nation, African-American history and developed a course in American religious history.
Mr. Sayre had been a board member of the Lancaster Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews and was active in the Lancaster County and Millersville CROP Walk committees. He worked with the Suicide Prevention Task Force in the Penn Manor School District and served as secretary of the Wrightsville ministerium.
He formerly served with the Pennsylvania Commission of United Ministries in Higher Education, the Eastern Pennsylvania United Methodist Conference Committee on Higher Education and the board of directors of the United Christian Center at Ohio State University.
He was a member of the Southern Historical Association and the Pennsylvania Historical Association and was associated with the Historic Wrightsville and its history roundtable.
Mr. Sayre enjoyed researching and writing and had numerous articles published in The Journal of Southern History and recently finished the research and writing of the Wrightsville Presbyterian Church history.
He also enjoyed watching all sports, especially the Cleveland Indians and Ohio State Buckeyes, and playing golf. He was a little league coach and umpire and counseled sport camps in Ohio. He also enjoyed model railroading, music, including singing in a family gospel quartet, Backwoods Brothers Quartet; and Youth for Christ Evangelaires in the 1960s; and was an avid reader.
The funeral is at 10 a.m. Thursday at Wrightsville Presbyterian Church, 205 N. Second St., Wrightsville. Interment will be in Grace United Methodist Cemetery, Millersville. Visitation is from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at Andrew T. Scheid Funeral Home, 320 Blue Rock Road, Route 999, Millersville; and one hour before the service Thursday at the church.
Memorials may be made to United Campus Ministry, Millersville University, PO Box 1002, Millersville PA 17551; or the Robert D. and Roma J. Sayre Award for Excellence in American History Scholarship in care of Sovereign Bank, 519 Leaman Ave., Millersville PA 17551.
(Back to List)
|
| Jeremy Brown
NEVADA — Jeremy K. Brown, Bucyrus, died at 2:20 a.m. Friday, May 16, 2008 in Marion County due to injuries sustained in a car accident. He was 22.
Born Oct. 15, 1985 in Marion, he was a son of Chris Brown and Tamara Volkmer.
He is survived by his father; a grandfather, Orville Rhoden, Bucyrus; a stepbrother, Mason Thomas Volkmer, Ashland; a stepsister, Stevie Lynn Volkmer, Ashland; and aunts and uncles Chuck and Ramona Wurm, Bucyrus; Crystal Leitzy, Bucyrus; Derryl Keatting, Nevada; Jamie Postell, Bucyrus; Bruce and Barbara Rhoden, Florida; Ernest and Kathryn Hunsicker, Morral; and Glenn and Carol Rhoden, Virginia.
He was preceded in death by an uncle, Keith Allen Rhoden.
Mr. Brown was set to earn his high school diploma from Mansfield City Schools this month. He worked in maintenance at the Bucyrus YMCA.
He was a member of Lincoln Avenue Church of Christ, Bucyrus, where he was active in church functions.
Mr. Brown enjoyed music, especially the production side; his dog, Clincher; sports and activities at the YMCA; and spending time outdoors. He was a Ohio State University Buckeye fan.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Lucas-Batton Funeral Home, Nevada, with the Rev. Preston Mackell officiating. Burial will be in Nevada Cemetery. Visitation is from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Jeremy K. Brown Fund in care of Lucas-Batton Funeral Home, PO Box 98, Nevada OH 44849.
(Back to List) |
