In Memory - 2003

In Memory......2003

A Service of Committal of Ashes

Lee Ola Foust

Bishop Joseph R. Lance

Anne Elizabeth Herbert

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A Service of Committal of Ashes

A plaque on one of our greenhouses reads:

With the sun on your back for warmth
And the song of the birds for mirth,
You are nearer the heart of God in a garden
Than anywhere else on Earth.

On September 30 this poem was read and our new rose garden was the setting for "A Service of Committal of Ashes" for Clara Ruth Anderson, Lucille Bovet, Leland Dellinger, Reva McNabb, and Thelma Stouffer. The day was much like the poem. We hope the Rose Garden will be used for residents to sit and meditate, to enjoy the roses, or just be outside for the fresh air.

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Lee Ola Foust

December 9, 1905......................................................September 24, 2003

Lee Ola Foust was born in Gibson County, Tennessee, the daughter of John Kelly Foust and Nannie Elizabeth Hester Foust. She attended a community school there, later graduating from high school in Milan, Tennessee. During the following summer at a revival she accepted a call for life service. In preparation, she attended Lambuth College, Jackson, Tennessee, stopping after two years to teach because of lack of funds. She returned and received a BA in 1933. She again entered the teaching field to repay student loans. In 1941 Lee Ola entered Scarritt College and received her MA in 1942. She was commissioned a deaconess in New York by Bishop Moore.

As all her training had been in kindergarten work, she was sent by the Woman’s Division of The Board of Missions to Wolff Settlement in Tampa, Florida. Lee Ola’s other appointments included Whosoever Community Center in San Antonio, Texas, where she helped organize a Cub Scout troop, Wesley Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and Wesley Community Center in Chattanooga, where she worked as a kindergarten teacher. After a sabbatical leave she moved to Wesley Community Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where she changed her work to service for senior citizens. She retired in 1969 and moved to Brooks-Howell Home in 1984. Lee Ola is survived by one sister, Charline.

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Bishop Joseph R. Lance

October 15, 1925.................................................May 28, 2003

Bishop Joseph Rockwell Lance was a native of Merriutt, India, the son of the late Rev. Rockwell Lance and Shrifa Singh Lance. He was the fifth child of eight siblings. His father served forty-two years in the Methodist Church in India. Bishop Lance studied in India in Methodist educational institutions. In 1956 he received his Master of Theology degree from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. Returning to India, he served as the senior pastor of Christ Church, Delhi (India) for eight and one-half years. In 1964 he was elected to serve as the Executive Secretary of the Council of Christian Social Concerns of the Methodist Church in India, in which capacity he served for four years. In 1960 and 1966 he was elected to be a missioner to the UMC in the United States under the Board of Evangelism (Nashville), and traveled for that program in Illinois, Indiana, Texas, and California. In 1968 he was elected on the second ballot as a bishop of the Methodist Church in India and served in that capacity for twenty-two years. He served as a member of the Council of Bishops until the Methodist Church in India became autonomous.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Sushila Lance, in 1993. He is survived by his wife Faye Hackney-Lance, whom he married in 1997. She is the widow of the Rev. E. A. Hackney, and together they served as missionaries in India for twenty-four years.Bishop and Mrs. Lance moved to the United States and settled in Charlotte, North Carolina. In June 2001 they moved to Brooks-Howell Home. On June 24, 2002, Bishop Lance was granted U.S. citizenship. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a brother, the Rev. Charles Lance of Janesville, Wisconsin, two nephews, the Rev. Dr. Samuel R. Chand and Pardheep Dass, both of Atlanta; and four stepsons, Mark, John, Paul and James Hackney. Bishop Lance attended Biltmore United Methodist Church in Asheville. Memorials may be made to Mountain Area Hospice or to Faye Lance for Sat-Tal, India.

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Elizabeth Nowlin

October 15, 1910..................................May 24, 2003

Elizabeth Nowlin was born in Martin, Tennessee, the eldest of two daughters, to Carrie Mae V. Nowlin and Earl B. Nowlin. When she was twelve the family moved to Corinth, Mississippi, Corinth becoming her real home. She attended Mississippi State College for Women, then enrolled in Scarritt college, where she earned BA and MA degrees.

Commissioned a deaconess in 1946, Elizabeth was employed by the Methodist Board of Education until her appointment to Centenary Methodist Community Center, Nashville. She worked as a group worker until becoming Executive Director in 1950.
During Sabbatical in 1954-55 she earned a Masters of Social Work degree from Tulane University. She returned to Centenary until 1971, when the three United Methodist Centers (Bethlehem Center, Wesley House and Centenary) were combined. She then became the first Director of Social Service and Social Work at McKendree Manor, a United Methodist Conference retirement home in Hermitage, Tennessee. She served there until 1986.

One of Elizabeth’s greatest pleasures at Centenary was the involvement in the education of students from Scarritt, Vanderbilt University, Peabody College and the University of Tennessee School of Social Work. She also traveled for the National Division, The General Board of Global Ministries as a consultant to community centers. She was an active member of West End United Methodist Church while living in Nashville. In January 1995 Elizabeth joined the Brooks-Howell Home Family. She was a member of Groce United Methodist Church. A sister, Frances Nowlin Russell, preceded her in death. She is survived by a nephew, Roger Russell, of Booneville, Mississippi, and a niece, Carolyn Harrison, of Montgomery, Alabama.

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Simmone Van Ooteghen

December 23, 1927..........................................May 4, 2003

Simmone Van Ooteghem was born in Antwerp, Belgium, to Charles and Mariette Van Ooteghem. She was raised in a Methodist home, her parents being members of the Methodist Church in Antwerp. Her father was a police officer and her mother was at home, raising the family. She completed her elementary and secondary education in Antwerp, partly during the German occupation in Belgium, which made the school years challenging for both students and teachers. After the war Simmone moved to Zurich, Switzerland to study to become a registered nurse. She completed her training in Bethanien, a Methodist Deaconess hospital. Feeling a call to go into the mission field, she furthered her studies in tropical medicine in Antwerp. Later she received a BA in Religious Education at Scarritt College.

She was sent to the Belgian Congo in 1950 by the Women’s Division of Christian Service. There she was the only missionary in charge of seven rural dispensaries, to which she traveled by any means available. She served there until 1960 when political conditions made it necessary for her to withdraw from the field. She had hoped to return one day, but the deep wish never materialized. In 1960 she moved to Tampa, Florida. From 1960 to 1993 she continued her nursing career in Tampa and Brooksville, Florida, working in hospitals and doing community nursing. Patients really loved her and always asked to be nursed by her. Her parents and brother followed her to the United States in 1964. Simmone became a resident of Brooks-Howell Home on April 27, 1999. She is survived by a brother, John, of Atlanta, Georgia and a sister, Monique Bessems, of Ontario, Canada.

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May Louise Titus

November 30, 1909........................March 22, 2003

May Titus was born in Peru, New York, the daughter of the Rev. And Mrs. Home F. Titus. She had one sister, Julia. May attended Syracuse University and graduated from Hartford Theological Seminary in 1932. Later she did graduate work at Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University. She served as Director of Christian Education at First Methodist Church, Schenectady, New York, from 1933-1943, and then at First Presbyterian Church, Poughkeepsie, New York, from 1943 to 1946.

In 1946 May moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she served on the staff of the Interboard Committee on Missionary Education, with special responsibility in the missionary education of youth. In addition to serving on the staff of Youth Caravan Training Centers, she served in the leadership of the Youth Fund/Mission Teams from 1965 to 1974. She participated in study-travel seminars for youth in India, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the United States. During sabbatical leave in 1961 she visited twenty-three countries, giving special attention to denominational and ecumenical work. She served in youth leadership conferences in India and Indonesia for the World Council on Christian Education. After retiring in 1973 she was active in the Nashville chapter of the United Nations Association and in West End United Methodist Church.

In October 1995 May and Lucille Bovet, her house mate of forty years, became residents of Brooks-Howell Home. Lucille died in June 2002. May was a member of Groce United Methodist Church and Berry Temple United Methodist Women. She is survived by several cousins, including Nancy Kirch of Brevard, North Carolina. Memorial gifts may be made to Berry Temple United Methodist Women, Groce United Methodist Church, Fellowship of Reconciliation, or Brooks-Howell Home.

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Mattie Lou Summey

December 8, 1914........................February 9, 2003

Mattie Louise Summey was born in Henrietta, North Carolina, to Edgar Graham Summey and Jonnie Webb Summey. She was the middle child of eight. When she was three, the family moved to Race Path, North Carolina, and she graduated from Cliffside High School. Her lifelong longing to become a teacher was fulfilled after she finished training at Asheville Teachers’ College and began teaching upper grades in the heart of the Linville Mountains and in her home county.

Those years convinced Mattie Lou that she would like to go to graduate school and become better able to help others. She received a master’s degree in social work and Christian education at Scarritt College and was appointed to Wesley Community House in Louisville, Kentucky. She was commissioned a deaconess in 1946. In 1950 it became imperative that she work closer to her ill parents. She accepted a teaching position at Spartanburg Methodist College. She taught psychology, teacher training courses, and was director of religious and social activities. In 1952 after her father died it was necessary for her to live at home. She was granted "leave of absence" from the Woman’s Division, and returned to teaching in public schools until an opportunity came to become Director of Christian Education at First United Methodist Church, Forest City, North Carolina, her home church.

Mattie Lou became a permanent resident of Brooks-Howell Home in 1992. She was a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. Survivors include brothers Mark Summey and John Summey, sisters-in law, and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to Brooks-Howell Home, The American Heart Association, or The American Cancer Society.

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Thelma Mary Stouffer

March 15, 1917...........................January 10, 2003

Thelma Stouffer was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, to John and Mary Stouffer, the first of four daughters. The family was active in the life of the church and in high school. Thelma committed herself to deaconess service. She graduated from National College in 1940 and was commissioned a deaconess at the Board of Missions meeting in Cleveland, Ohio in 1943.

Her appointments included serving Washington Square Methodist Church in downtown New York for two years. She was then appointed to Broadway Temple in 1942. She was Director of Christian Education, but often called on to assist the minister. During her twenty-six years there the area underwent a major change in the ethnic makeup to a predominately Hispanic population. This necessitated development of a ministry for the people, including learning Spanish.

Thelma was next called to serve in the Mission Personnel office at the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries. She served there until her retirement in 1983. Upon retirement, she was invited to serve as a volunteer chaplain three days a week at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. She served there eight years.

Thelma moved to Brooks-Howell Home on February 15, 1997. She was a member of Haywood Street United Methodist Church.

She is survived by a sister, June S. Marsden, of Winston Salem, North Carolina, and a number of nieces and nephews.

Memorial gifts may be given to Brooks-Howell Home for use in special programming.

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Marion E. Gruver

January 16, 1915..................December 1, 2002

Marion Gruver was born an only child to Fred and Myra Gierkey in Le Porte County, Indiana. Growing up on a large farm, she attended Union Mills School, graduating in 1934. She was active in 4H, doing sewing and food preparation. After graduation, Marion worked at a filling station-restaurant which was on the main road to the west and to the World’s Fair in Chicago. That was where she met Paul, the son of the station’s owner. They began dating, i.e., going to church choir practice. They were married July 4, 1936. They lived in Union Mills several years and had two children, Loretta, born December 18, 1937, and Howard, born September 16, 1939. Her husband’s work took them to South Bend and then to Elkhart, Indiana.

Marion was wife, mother, and taxi driver as her children grew up. She was a member of Calvary United Methodist Church in Elkhart for fifty-six years. During that time she was president of the United Methodist Women three different times and a circle leader for many years. After Loretta felt God’s call to be a missionary and went to Liberia in February 1964, they kept in close touch, writing to each other every week for many years, until war broke out in December 1989, and mail service was disrupted. Marion led an effort in her local church to make baby packs, rolled bandages, knit bandages, scrub suits, etc., for the hospital at Ganta Mission where Loretta worked. She and her husband were privileged to visit Liberia in 1973. Paul died in 1988. Since Loretta always made home headquarters during furlough, it seemed very natural for Marion to join her in moving to Brooks-Howell Home October 1, 1999. She later joined St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.

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Eunice Olene Civils

October 16, 1931......................December 16. 2002

Olene Civils was born in Kinston, North Carolina, to Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Civils. She joined an older brother, Thomas, who died in 1993. Olene received her elementary and secondary education in Kinston and went on to Eastern Carolina University, where she majored in chemistry and biology.
She worked one year as a chemist before attending Scarritt College, where she received her MA in Christian Education. From 1957-1984 she served as Christian Educator in the South Carolina Conference, in Spartanburg Central, Greenville Buncombe Street, Myrtle Beach First, Florence Central, and Greenville Trinity churches. Olene was commissioned a deaconess in The Methodist Church in 1958 at the Woman’s Assembly in St. Louis.

In 1985 Olene graduated from Duke Divinity School with a Master of Divinity degree, and was ordained an elder. She served as pastor at Bethel in Walterboro, Wesleyan Memorial in Chester, and Bethel in Rock Hill. She retired in 1996. Following retirement she lived in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, serving as associate pastor three years at Hibben United Methodist Church. Olene was active in and an officer of the Deaconess Association and on the National Committee of deaconesses. She was also active in Christian Educators’ Fellowship on the local, conference, and jurisdictional levels. She became a resident of Brooks-Howell in October 1999. She is survived by a niece, Darlene Burnette of Kinston, NC. Memorial gifts will go to the Brooks-Howell Chapel fund.

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Twila Nadine Hahn

February 6, 1918........................December 18, 2002

Twila Hahn was born in Bayard, Ohio, the daughter of Karl and Ethel Hahn. Her father was a farmer and the family was active in Bayard Methodist Church. She received her elementary education in Bayard, graduating in 1936. She graduated from business school and from Moody Bible Institute, and received her Bachelor of Theology degree from Cleveland Bible College in 1944. Later she studied at Scarritt College and received BS and MS degrees in Education from Peabody College for Teachers. Twila read of the need for workers at Navajo Methodist Mission School in Farmington, New Mexico. She applied, was accepted, and moved there in August 1944. From 1953 to 1954 she taught kindergartners and first graders at Bisti (NM) Methodist Mission School. She was commissioned a deaconess on January 20, 1956.

In 1975 Twila went to Harwood Girls’ School in Albuquerque, New Mexico for two years. She returned to Farmington after the school closed. In the 1980's the Navajo Nation was offered the use of part of the campus for its school, Navajo Academy. After two years the mission school was closed and the students taken into Navajo Academy. It was a period of change and some tensions as new relationships were worked out between the Mission Board and the Navajo Nation. Twila faced many challenges. In 1991 the Academy closed and a reorganized school, Navajo Preparatory School, was opened. Because of cancer surgery, Twila had to retire in 1991, but continued to live in Farmington until moving to Brooks-Howell Home in August 1997. She is survived by a sister, Theda Huff of Salt Lake City, and a brother, Wendell Hahn of Piketon, Ohio. She was a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Asheville. Memorial gifts may be made to Brooks-Howell Home for needs of residents.

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Anne Elizabeth Herbert

January 30, 1897...........................December 28, 2002

Anne Herbert was born in Florence, South Carolina, the fifth child in a family of six girls and four boys. Her parents were Rev. Walter I. and Mrs. Constance Furman Herbert. Her father was a minister in the SC Conference for forty-eight years. Anne graduated from high school in 1914, and received an AB from Lander College in 1917. She taught in public school and Lander College until she entered Scarritt Bible and Training School in 1919. She was there until 1921. In 1925 she received a Diploma in Nursing from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.

Having been active in Epworth League and with her mother’s help as South Carolina Conference Woman’s Missionary Society president, Anne entered full time missionary service in 1925, sailing to Shanghai, China. There she and several other missionary nurses were instrumental in starting nursing classes for Chinese students at Margaret Williamson Hospital School of Nursing. Anne and the nursing staff taught the Chinese student nurses practical things in nursing as well as medical subjects. Her teaching was in Chinese after one year of language study. She returned home in 1943 and lived in Sumter, South Carolina from 1947 to 1960. She received a MS in Nursing from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio in 1947. Unable to return to Board of Missions of China after the war, she left for Hong Kong in 1961 to do health work under the the church. Anne retired in 1965, living in Sumter and later in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She moved to Brooks-Howell Home on September 1, 1989. She is survived by a number of nieces and nephews, including David and Dorothy Herbert and Hughes Roberts, all of Asheville.

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