ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Births
• Weddings
• Anniversaries
• Obituaries
• Tribute: Irene Schnippert

Births

Jesse and Lisa (Essex) Velasquez of the Garden Grove, California, congregation are thrilled to announce the birth of their first child, daughter Chavonne Lauren. Chavonne was born on Nov. 10, 2005, in Murrieta, California, weighing 7 pounds 13 ounces and measuring 19 inches long. Proud grandparents are Alfredo and Esther Velasquez of Norwalk, California, and Larry and Gayle Essex of Percival, Iowa.

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Samuel Jorgensen was born on Nov. 4, 2005, weighing 7 pounds 13 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. He is the first child of Dan Jorgensen and Nancy Binos-Jorgensen of the Boise, Idaho, congregation.

Samuel is the 10th grandchild of Robert and Susan Jorgensen of the Boise congregation and the 28th grandchild of Eduardo and Alicia Binos of the Baguio City, Philippines, congregation.

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Mike, Sarah (Vreeland), Joshua and Katie Hauck of the Chicago, Illinois, congregation are thrilled to announce the birth of David Thomas Hauck. David was born three weeks early on Feb. 20, 2006, weighing 6 pounds 13 ounces and was 20 inches long. Big brother and sister are a tremendous help and are loving their new brother. David is welcomed by grandparents Tom and Pam Vreeland and Bill and Helen Hauck, along with many aunts, uncles and cousins.

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David and Carolina Clark of the Garden Grove, California, congregation are very happy to announce the birth of twin girls, Karen Lee and Kathleen Sophia Clark on March 1, 2006. Karen weighed 4 pounds 8 ounces and measured 17 3/4 inches and Kathleen weighed 5 pounds 3 ounces and measured 18 inches long. The twins are the first two grandchildren for Ada Velazco of Lima, Peru, and the sixth and seventh grandchildren of Roland and Dianne Clark of Valley Center, California.

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John and Lisa (Browning) McKinney of the Portsmouth, Ohio, congregation are very pleased to announce the arrival of their first child, Seth Thomas. Seth was born on Feb. 10, 2006, weighing 7 pounds 13 ounces and measuring 21 1/4 inches long.

Seth was joyfully welcomed to the family by very proud first-time grandparents Wally and Sharon Browning of Vancouver, Washington, and Wanda and Tom McKinney of Vanceburg, Kentucky. Aunts Esther and Cindy McKinney and Uncles Matt McKinney and David Browning are extremely taken with the new member of the family, who has everyone wrapped around his little finger.

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Weddings

Tim and Brenda Robinson of Salem, Oregon, and Bruce and Sandy Koester of Portland, Oregon, are pleased to announce the joyous marriage of their children, Sabrina Faye Robinson and Carl Calvin Koester. The wedding was held on Jan. 15, 2006, at the McMinnville Grand Ballroom in McMinnville, Oregon. The sister of the bride, Jamie Robinson, was the maid of honor, and Glenn Koester, the brother of the groom, was the best man. Other attendants included Monica Morales, Debbie Werner, Jake Neiffer and Brian Wineland.

Carl currently attends OSU as an engineering graduate student and Sabrina works as a marketing coordinator for RE/MAX 2000 in Corvallis, Oregon.

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Roger and Grace DeVenny of Swoope, Virginia, and Daniel and Karen Lovegrove of Churchville, Virginia, would like to announce the union of their families by the marriage of Matthew Alan DeVenny to Amanda Danielle Lovegrove on July 17, 2005.

The wedding took place at sunset under a gazebo facing the mountains in the Shenandoah Valley. Mark Winner performed the ceremony at Matthew's childhood home. It started out cloudy and misted through the ceremony, and afterwards became a downpour. Then the clouds opened up, and the last rays of the setting sun gave us a rainbow.

Danielle's maid of honor was Tasha Harner, a childhood best friend. Bethany Morris, a dear friend of the bride, and Sarah Jo DeVenny, a new sister, were bridesmaids. Matthew's best man was Chris Stewart from Michigan. Samuel Lewis Cook II, Matthew's brother, was a groomsman.

A special mention is given to Colleen Winner, Jami Cook and Elisha Kennebeck for their assistance in the preparations for the wedding.

The couple now resides in Fairfax, Virginia, and attends the Columbia, Maryland, United Church of God.

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From the moment they met, it was a beautiful thing. They knew someday, they'd hear wedding bells ring! Lora Opal Wenzel and Chad Aaron Mortier are pleased to announce that they were united in marriage on Dec. 17, 2005, in Brillion, Wisconsin. The ceremony was performed by Michael Hanisko.

Chad is the son of Donn and Alice Mortier and Lora is the daughter of Leonard and Kathryn Hatter. The couple now reside in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and attend the Oshkosh, Wisconsin, congregation.

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Richard and Teeka Glasgow of Garland, Texas, and Dennis and Paula Hughes of Arp, Texas, are delighted to announce the union of their children, Chelsea Brianna Glasgow and Eric Christopher Hughes. They were wed on Dec. 18, 2005. Chelsea's bridesmaids included Kristina Joyner, Laura Richey, Brandy Damour and Alissa Hughes; Eric's groomsmen included Andy and Sam Hughes, Dan Richey and Justin Glasgow. The couple have made their home in Richardson, Texas.

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Dan and Barbara Anderson of Phoenix, Arizona, and Jim and Joan Tuck of Brentwood, California, would like to announce the marriage of their children, Melanie Leah Anderson and Stephen Michael Tuck.

The wedding took place on Dec. 23, 2005, under warm sunny skies in Chandler, Arizona, with nearly 200 in attendance. The groom's father, Jim Tuck, performed the ceremony.

Bridesmaids included Jodi Cox (Anderson), Paola Atallat and Meredith Black; and the groomsmen were Shaun Tuck, John Anderson and Jonathan Tuck. The couple reside in Queen Creek, Arizona, and attend the Phoenix East congregation.

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Jerry Wayne Wright and Frankie Lee Unzicker were married on Feb. 26, 2006. They reside in Neosho, Missouri, and attend the Joplin, Missouri, congregation.

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Anniversaries

The Columbia, Maryland, congregation recognized Wayne and Jean Diggins for 50 years of marriage on their wedding anniversary, Feb. 25, 2006.

Their example of commitment was cited in the sermonette delivered by one of their "godly offspring." Fourteen members of the family attended the service with Wayne and Jean, including some of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

They have been members of the Church since 1968 and have six children, 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Everyone enjoyed cake and ice cream after the service.

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Ron and Loretta (Haines) Woodbridge of the Wichita, Kansas, congregation, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Dec. 19, 2005. Their children and grandchildren hosted a reception in their honor Dec. 18, which was attended by many of their friends and family despite very wintry weather. The Woodbridges were also honored by the congregation with flowers for their anniversary and cake and punch at the January potluck and Bible study.

Ron and Loretta were high school sweethearts and were married Dec. 19, 1955. They have six children and their spouses: Kristy and Kent Foraker, Don and Nancy Woodbridge, Kathy and Curt Schellenger, Karen and Dave Fergen, Tom and Susan Woodbridge, and Ronda and David Garden. They have also been blessed to have15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The Woodbridges were called into God's Church in 1971 and Ron was ordained as an elder in 1993.

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Obituaries

David A. Goodrich, 73, died Feb. 24, 2006, at his home in Berwick, Maine, after a long battle with two types of lymphoma.

He was the eldest of four siblings, born July 23, 1932, to Marion M. and Wilmer W. Goodrich. His two brothers and his sister predeceased him, as did his second child, Israel.

He was baptized in 1968, a third-generation member of God's Church, as was his sister.

He lived on his farm in Berwick all of his life, mastering many skills in the Yankee tradition. He was a truck driver for some time and became a master mechanic, repairing automobiles as well as heavy equipment. He was known locally as a talented gunsmith. He was also a logger and even built his home from wood harvested from his property.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, June Chase Goodrich; three daughters, Esther Puffer and her husband, Adam, of Berwick; Garnet Tritt and her husband, Don, of Naples, Florida; and Sunshine Goodrich of Berwick; a devoted son, Seth, also of Berwick; many nieces and nephews and cousins; and one aunt, Ethel McMullen, who is a member in the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, congregation.

David was a constant inspiration through his many years of dedicated attendance at Sabbath services and through his years of dealing with his cancer. He will be greatly missed and lovingly embraced when we see him again in that great resurrection.

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Kenneth C. Herrmann died March 23, 2006, in Richardson, Texas, at the age of 82. He was one of the early students of Ambassador College in Pasadena, California. In 1953 he became a member of the faculty, becoming registrar, head of the admissions committee and a teacher of German, astronomy and geology at the Pasadena campus till 1972. Mr. Herrmann was the editor of the Ambassador College yearbook, The Envoy, in the early years of the college, and he also was a pioneering programmer for the early punch card addressing system used by the then Radio Church of God to send out The Plain Truth and other correspondence.

In 1972 Mr. Herrmann was transferred to the Big Sandy, Texas, area where he and his family have lived since that time. He contributed to various teaching needs during the summer programs in Pasadena as well as at the Big Sandy campus until the campus closed.

He was born on a dairy farm in a German-speaking community in the Colby, Wisconsin, area in 1924. His parents were children of German immigrants, and he spoke German as a child.

Mr. Herrmann first heard The World Tomorrow program while he was working as a farmhand in Nebraska. He drove out to Pasadena in 1948 thinking that, if Mr. Armstrong was telling the truth, "It would be worthwhile to go out and check this man out." He ended up enrolling in Ambassador as the only new student to arrive in time for the beginning of the second year of the college, until he was joined by brothers Raymond and Marion McNair. One of his earliest memories of Mr. Armstrong was being taken grocery shopping by him when he first arrived in Pasadena.

In 1952 Mr. Herrmann married an Ambassador coed who was from the Little Rock area of Arkansas, Elise Bernard (who died in 1997).

Mr. Herrmann wrote many articles for the early Plain Truth and Good News issues including articles about creation and God's sacred calendar. His 1967 master of arts thesis was titled "Calendar and Eclipse Interrelationships."

Kenneth Herrmann's interests, besides astronomy and geology, covered a wide field including mathematics, linguistics, ancient history and genealogy. He enjoyed camping, hiking and hard physical work—a reflection of his farm background.

He was known as an interesting conversationalist who enjoyed teasing people with ideas in order to get them to think outside the box. His employees remember him as a good boss and an easy man to work for.

He is survived by three siblings in Wisconsin and five children, Susan and Brenda, who live in Ohio, and Karl, Peggy and Edith and their spouses who live in Texas; three grandsons, a granddaughter and a great-grandson.

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Fred D. DeMaestri, 47, died Dec. 6, 2005, during a work-related incident as a truck driver. Fred was a dear friend to many in the Spokane, Washington/ Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, congregation who got to know him in the short time he was with us.

Fred was born May 12, 1958, in Detroit, Michigan, to Donald and Mary Lillian (Chiochety) DeMaestri. After graduating in 1976 from Stevenson High School in Livonia, Michigan, he worked in the Lavonia area for several years as cement finisher and truck driver. In the winter of 1982-83 Fred moved to Alaska and worked for several years as a truck driver on the North Slope before moving to Spokane in 2003 where he worked at another truck driving job until his death.

What drew Fred to the Church all started about five years ago when his mother was in a doctor's waiting room one day. There she found a Good News magazine. Mrs. DeMaestri liked the magazine and sent subscription cards to each of her sons and daughters. Fred was still working on the North Slope when he received his card and sent it in. After this Fred started receiving the magazine and some tapes from the Church.

Fred's friends remember when he first attended the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene services in his blue jeans about 21/ 2 years ago. He also started listening to local sermon tapes, which he would take with him when he went back to work in Alaska. As God was drawing Fred closer and closer to the Church, he knew he would have to quit his job to keep the Sabbath. After the conclusion of his job in Alaska, Fred moved to Spokane permanently and attended services regularly. Fred was baptized in February of 2004. Fred was inquisitive about the Bible and asked many questions. He was concerned about making the right choice according to God's law.

It did not take long for Fred to befriend the entire congregation and fit right in. He was always there to help set up and take down. There was never a dull moment with Fred. He had a magnetic personality, and his enthusiasm to serve God stirred up the congregation. Fred had a tender heart and everybody loved him. He had neighbors who loved him also; even the kids called him Uncle Fred.

During the week he looked forward to the Sabbath and meeting with the brethren. One thing that Fred longed for was a family relationship that he found in the Church. He told several of the brethren the Sabbath was definitely the high point of the week for him. We all miss him greatly and look forward to the time when we will see him again in the resurrection.

A special memorial service was held in honor of Fred on Dec. 10 by the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene congregation. Mark Mickelson conducted the memorial services and said that it was one of the hardest memorial services he has had to give. You can get the services by going to UCG-Spokane.org, click on "Sermon and Bible Study Archives," then scroll down to "Sting of Death," Dec. 10, 2005.

Survivors include his mother, Mary Lillian DeMaestri of Livonia; brothers, Darin DeMaestri of Fullerton, California, and Randy DeMaestri of Taylors, South Carolina; sisters, Donna Minor of Yorba Linda, California, and Nina Hildebrandt of Detroit. Fred's father died in 1999.

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Berneice Fuller, a member of the Ocala, Florida, United congregation, died Feb. 24, 2006. She was 96.

Berneice, or Grandma Fuller as she was affectionately called, was a member of God's Church for 22 years. Eleven of those years were spent in the Tampa, Florida, congregation. She also attended in Lakeland and briefly in Ocala until ill health prevented her from attending.

She always spoke of how meaningful her first Feast was to her. Soon after attending it with her daughter and grandchildren, she was completely healed of chronic asthma.

She is survived by a daughter, Dolores, and four grandchildren who are Church members living in Ocala. She is also survived by five other grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and many nephews and nieces. A memorial service was held for her on the Sabbath of March 4. Richard Thompson officiated at the service and grandson Chris Westrick gave the eulogy.

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Laura Thompson, 81, died March 3, 2006, in Brookings, South Dakota, after an extended battle with congestive heart failure. Mrs. Thompson was baptized in 1973, and was a member of the UCG-Watertown, South Dakota, congregation.

Mrs. Thompson was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband Glen, seven brothers and sisters and one grandchild. She is survived by six children, 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

She was born Dec. 16, 1924, in Chicago, Illinois, to Antonio and Vincenza Di Domenico. She was married and had four children in Chicago. In 1965 Laura married Glen and moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with her four children. There they were blessed with two more children.

Laura and Glen were active in the Church and community. They enjoyed entertaining the brethren and provided thousands of meals for friends and relatives over the years. Always proud of her Italian heritage, Laura enjoyed sharing Italian foods and music and stories of her family.

She gave clothing, meals, money and her love to those who had less. She served on a literacy council and, as a mentor at the local grade school, taught reading skills to many students, in addition to visiting prisoners. She took in children, fed and clothed them and taught them a better way of life. Later in life, some of these children returned to thank her. Laura Thompson served and sacrificed for many people during her life, and she will be dearly missed.

She was a faithful and loyal member, with an unwavering conviction. Her large family and many friends gathered to pay their respects at her funeral on March 7 in Sinai, South Dakota. Her pastor, Mitchell Knapp, officiated.

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Eddie W. Jackson, 78, passed away March 11, 2006, at his home in Post Falls, Idaho. Eddie was born April 21, 1927, in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Eddie served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He worked in construction, was a long-haul truck driver, and retired from the State of Idaho.

Eddie had a great sense of humor. He had a special love for children and young people. His hobbies included hunting, camping, fishing, traveling and spending time with family and friends. He belonged to the United Church of God and was baptized in 1988. He worked with the Youth Opportunities United group years ago, and twice a year the Y.O.U. cleaned up along the highway. On those times Eddie and his wife, Tiny, took their motor home and cooked breakfast for the group. Eddie remembered those as special times.

Eddie was preceded in death by his parents and brothers John and Carl. Survivors include his wife, Tiny, at home in Post Falls; sons Ron, Mark, Stacy and Randy; daughters Karen, Evelyn, Sally, Toni and Julie; 12 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services were held March 15 at the Yates Funeral Chapel at Hayden Lake, Idaho, with pastor Mark Mickelson officiating.

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Bion Munson Baker passed away at home Feb. 4, 2006, at the age of 83. He was born in Saginaw, Michigan. He was the eldest son of Asa and Lela Baker. He served his country during World War II as an airplane mechanic and later became a salesman. He was baptized in 1955 and attended Church of God congregations in Grand Rapids, Flint and Lansing, Michigan.

Surviving are his wife of 40 years, Alvera Louise (Walker) Baker; son Aaron (and Lori Carignan) Baker of DeWitt, Michigan; and daughter Sharon (and David) Fitch of Lansing; and his seven grandchildren: Sebastian, Clay and Forrest Baker; and Andrew, Mariah, Caleb and Katerina Fitch. His sister, Ilene, and brother, Gale, preceded him in death.

A memorial was held Feb. 25 hosted by the local Lansing congregations of the United Church of God, Living Church of God and Church of God Fellowship with over 200 in attendance. During the service, family and friends shared memories of his love of family, God's Word, laughter, music and travel.

In his 50 years in God's Church, he served God's people in many ways, including chauffeuring more than 27 people (some for years) to and from church services, as well as being an enthusiastic song leader, giving sermonettes, being a member of choirs and various singing groups and playing his baritone in church bands. He was an avid reader of the Bible.

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Tribute: Irene Schnippert

Irene Schnippert, wife of deceased elder Bernard W. Schnippert, died peacefully on May 22, 2005. She was born on Aug. 15, 1921, the third child of Amelia and William Welch. She grew up in several towns in a small perimeter in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area, including Mt. Lebanon, where she later raised her family.

In addition to her studies at Mt. Lebanon High, she completed a certificate in cosmetology and received a beautician's license. Her brother Dave remembers that growing up she was "awfully pretty." In addition to playing the piano, she enjoyed roller-skating and riding motorcycles!

She continued this adventurous life when she met Bernard Francis Schnippert at the airport, where he took her for a ride in his Piper Cub, a small, single-engine airplane popular at the time. She married her soldier sweetheart on March 22, 1943, in a simple planned elopement.

She spent nine difficult months thinking herself a widow when Bernard was a prisoner of war in Europe. After his release, they built a home in Mt. Lebanon and had two children, Karen Irene and Bernard William. Later on, she and her husband were baptized into the Church of God.

For years Irene assisted with food preparation and service for Spokesman's Clubs and potlucks. She later helped her husband perfect his sermonettes by listening and giving constructive criticism. In 1993 she and Bernie celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Most of all she is remembered as a homemaker and family person. Irene was never employed after marriage, but for many years she gave permanents to relatives and Church friends. She enjoyed baking more than cooking, making delicious pies of every variety and the most mouth-watering cream puffs. After the children left home, Irene learned to sew, making nearly all of her clothes. She always thoroughly enjoyed cleaning and kept the home to a standard of perfection. Her role of helpmeet to her husband was a pleasure for her.

At his death in October 1998, some of the light seemed to go out of her life, and her health declined. She is survived by her daughter, Karen, of Glendora, California; son, Bernard, of Bend, Oregon; brother, Dave; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

—Karen I. Lavaty and Bernard W. Schnippert

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Announcements: Members are welcome to submit announcements of the births, engagements, weddings, significant anniversaries (25, 40, 50, 60, etc.) and obituaries in their families. Please include a self-addressed envelope if you would like photos returned. Most items are 50 to 100 words and should not exceed 250 words. Please e-mail (preferred) or give them to your local pastor to forward to United News.