Death Notices

      For the purpose of keeping people informed, we will be posting death notices of prominent people, "ministers" and former "ministers" of the Worldwide Church of God.

If you have information regarding a
"minister's" death, please
send me an email.

Looking for the Suicides Statistics Page? Go Here.

 

Name

Date of Death

Comments

 

Your minister here

   

Your minister here

   

Your minister here

   

Gene Hogberg

March 10, 2023

Gene Hogberg, longtime servant of the Worldwide Church of God in its editorial and educational arms, died peacefully in the early morning of March 10 at the home of his son Neal in Richardson, Texas. Mr. Hogberg was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara, in April of 2020. Many longtime Church members will remember his name as being intricately involved in the editorial content of the Church’s many booklets and publications. In the late 1950s he developed the News Bureau for the media efforts of the Church, which continued for decades. As well, he regularly contributed to the editorial content of The Plain Truth magazine and The World Tomorrow telecast.

David Meredith

August 27, 2022

Rod Meredith's Youngest Son. From Heart Attack. Age 43. No information if David took the covid-19 clot shot.

Phillip Rice

June 28, 2020

Phillip Rice apparently died on June 28, 2020. He was the son of evangelist Richard Rice, but was a much nicer person than his dad, who was arrogant and egotistical and not at all friendly (in my experience). I met Phil when he came to Fresno in the mid 1980s. He was associate pastor to Glen White and took over the Visalia (California) church, which was a sister congregation to Fresno. Phil’s sermons were refreshing after so much gloom and doom from other ministers we had. He spoke about grace, which no one else ever did, and was actually friendly. People loved him. In spite of all that, he was still a company man and upheld the rigid totalitarianism of Armstrong theology. I could (but won’t) cite half a dozen instances in which he was a complete and total jerk, and yet he still shines above the pack as a caring and (more or less) compassionate minister. Dead of “multiple medical issues”

Molly Antion

April 11, 2020 Molly Antion, wife of pastor David Antion, suffered a stroke on Tuesday, April 7, and died April 11. Molly Antion was the sister of Buck Hammer, who donated the land that eventually became the core of the campus of Ambassador University in Texas.

Don Lawson

March 22, 2019

Don was a old time WCG minister and stayed with the group now known as GCI until his end. Don had three brothers who are/were Church of God, Seventh Day ministers. Bruce Renehan author of "Daughter Of Babylon, The True History of The Worldwide Church of God" relayed what Don's brother Ken told him years ago. Ken said "Years ago my brothers and I could not even visit Don unless he got permission from his superiors in advance."

From GCI's website we read "Don had major health challenges as well. He had a hip replacement surgery many years ago, but it never quite healed properly. He suffered from crippling arthritis and he also encountered liver problems, which required dialysis three times a week, each session lasting up to six-hours long. Don was also battling cancer throughout his body."

Don's wife Sue preceded him in death one month earlier on February 26, 2019.

Al Barr

March 21, 2019

Diagnosed with fungal infection that attacked the nervous system. Cause of death not listed. Press release by Grace Communion International.

Leslie McCullough

March 11, 2019

Leslie Leroy McCullough died on Monday, March 11, 2019 at 1:02 p.m. He was 89 years old.Les was ordained as an elder in Worldwide Church of God in 1962. Les served as president of United Church of God, and retired in 2002. Les later defected to the COGWA cult.

Bill Glover

February 16, 2019 Minister. Graduated from Ambassador College in Pasadena, California with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1957. Worked for the personal correspondence department, answering letters for the WCG. Bill was one of the ministers listed in the Nov. 26, 1973 Worldwide News that defected from the WCG. Read more here AR24 under the heading "Executive Exodus Updated." Dead at the age of 84.

 Chuck Zimmermann

 November 7, 2018

Chuck left the WCG and joined in the United revolt, staying with them until the end. He had retired in 2016 due to health issues after serving for many years as a pastor of various churches throughout the country.

Ken Swisher

July 19, 2018

Born in 1928 in Tuscola, IL, Ken served honorably in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He then served WCG/GCI as a pastor for over 40 years, caring for congregations in Texas and other locations across the country.

He was preceded in death by his wife Beverly Jean Battles Swisher, and is survived by his two sons, Kenneth Swisher and Timothy Swisher

Bruce Renehan

July 12, 2018

Many Painful Truth readers may remember Bruce Gordon Renehan as the author of The Daughter of Babylon, an unpublished work that nevertheless was read by many on the internet and shed a brilliant light on the corruption of the WCG. Mr. Renehan died on July 12, 2018 at his home in Tehachapi, California. He was 67. More by Mr. Renehan HERE.

Michael Huse

June 13, 2018

Son of Oliver and Billie Kaye Huse (see below). Michael was so distraught over his father Oliver's death that he didn't know how to handle it, so Michael took his own life. At the request of the family, the Memorial Service for Oliver has been postponed indefinitely and will not be held at the Christian Biblical Church of God. Michael was 52 years of age.

Clarence Oliver Huse

June 8, 2018

Clarence was a AC graduate, elder and previous employee of the Worldwide Church of God in the Purchasing Department. After his retirement Clarence and his wife, Billie Kaye, continued to live in their home in Pasadena. Clarence loved gardening and grew vegetables and flowers which he love to photograph. Clarence was 82 years of age.

Carlton Smith

January 16, 2018

Retired WCG/GCI pastor Carlton Smith has died. Carlton graduated from Ambassador College in Pasadena, CA, in 1956, where, as a student, he participated in two U.S. baptizing tours. Carlton then pastored WCG congregations in Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington and California. He was a combat veteran who served in the Army during the Korean War from 1950 - 1952.

Ian Boyne

 

 

Dec.18, 2017

Having had only recently suffered a series of heart attacks, Ian had to be readmitted to the hospital this last weekend. The official cause of  death has not been listed at this time but we suspect Mr. Boyne suffered a fatal myocardial infarction that took his life.

He was host of Profile and Religious Hardtalk, aired on Jamaica (TVJ), as well as a columnist for the Sunday Gleaner.

From the Jamaica Observer: "The highly respected and internationally acclaimed journalist whose career in all facets of media spans 30 years, was most known for his personality television series Profile — the longest running seasonal show on local television. It features successful and remarkable personalities, many of whom overcame significant hardships. Profile celebrated 30 years this March, earning Boyne many accolades, including congratulations from Prime Minister Andrew Holness who said it was admirable that the programme, which represents “the power of good journalism”, was still on air when internationally, successful programmes rarely surpass 25 years."

In his last year, Ian spoke about reforming Armstrongism, quoted in a article at Banned byHwa "Could a wider grasp of theology and philosophy actually lead one to recognize some of the strengths of Armstrongism --certainly in comparison with orthodox Christianity--while acknowledging its obvious and dastardly elements?"

Ian was pastor of Church of God International in Jamaica.

R.I.P.

Burk McNair

December 5, 2017

He attained the ‘rank’ of evangelist in the Worldwide Church of God (as did his brother Raymond), and he was a pastor with UCG until his retirement in 2002. Two other brothers, Marion and Carl, were also WCG ministers.

Marion McNair

Oct. 6, 2017

Marion was a evangelist who left or was disfellowshipped (I have read it both ways so I don't know for sure) Anyway he is one of those who tried to expose the church and teachings of HWA in his book "Armstrongism Religion or Ripoff" Marion's wife Deloyce died August 20, 2017 in Florida. Link

William Dankenbring

August 29, 2017

Dankenbring was a prolific writer who promoted conspiracy theories while he was in the WWCG. For his efforts he was given the boot.
Congestive heart failure, renal failure.

Allie Dart

August 14, 2017

From Wes White, August 9th: “I am sorry to announce that Allie Dart passed away this morning at 8:52, listening to Ron's sermon, ‘A Good Marriage’.”
Allie Dart was the wife of Ron Dart who died January 23, 2016.
From cancer.

Art Mokarow

 

July 27, 2017

“Although the Mokarow family has been reluctant to confirm the news, Dave Havir believes that Art Mokarow of Montgomery died on July 27."

From COGNews: After almost 19 years [1979] a whistle blower in The Headquarters Building informed the government that the 280 Million Dollars they received each year was being misappropriated. When the District Attorney and the judge came to investigate the accounting books, the employees arm-chained themselves and created a blockade, so they could not do an inspection of the books. Both Art and his wife, who worked at Headquarters, saw this display and gave them their two weeks notice that day.

During the thirty or so years after leaving the ministry Art did not affiliate himself with any church or denomination and studied the Bible on his own. He didn’t communicate with anyone in WCG and they spread the word he had died. In fact, many members who left WCG (on principle) were rumored to have died also. After the company [that he had formed] was sold, Art began writing books. The sale afforded him to send The Word of God, free of charge, without accepting any donations.

Rod Meredith

May 18, 2017

Possessing the skill of persuasion and following in the steps of his mentor Herbert W. Armstrong, Meredith spent his career promoted HWA’s fallacies on television, in sermons, and magazine articles. For decades, his fear mongering and pronouncement of events that never materialized, gave him a reputation of being a false prophet. Never having repented from his crimes against God and mankind, we anticipate that Rod’s next waking moment will find him roasting in the lake of fire he so rightfully deserves. Dead of cancer at 86.
(In lieu of flowers or donations to the LCG, you can donate HERE to support the Painful Truth's important work.)

Gavin Rumney

Dec. 16, 2016

Gavin Rumney died on the 16th of December, only 17 days after writing:
“This is likely, highly likely, to be the final Ambassador Watch or Otagosh posting."

Mr. Rumney exposé of corruption and abuse in the leadership of the corporate offshoots of the WCG never gained him favor with those he wrote about. One exception was Ian Boyne who wrote: “I feel a great sense of loss at Gavin’s passing. I am not one of the ‘thousands’ who have freed themselves from Armstrongism as a result of Gavin’s prodigious work, but I have benefitted from his fine intellect, penetrating analyses and sharp wit (of which I have been a victim!) Gavin wrote, in my estimation, without malice. As someone still involved in Armstrongism, I disagreed, of course, with his conclusion that our theological system was hopelessly flawed, but had no disagreement with him about the corruption, immorality, and oppression which have characterized our movement. Gavin was like the Old Testament prophets who inveighed against the debauchery corruption and sins of God’s people, ancient Israel. We must not slay messengers, but heed them. Gavin was well-read, theologically sophisticated and philosophically aware. He was generally fair. He believed in giving voice to all. Little did I know when he wrote his last blog and mentioned his health challenge that the end was so imminent. I shall miss him and mourn him.”

 From a New Zealand obituary page we read:
"Mr Rumney was my favourite teacher. He read us stories and was really kind. It's really sad. All of his students will definitely miss him. Thinking of his family at this time."  —Matthew Love

 Another: "I was a colleague of Gavin's at Conifer Grove School. Gavin was a gentle, kind and caring person. These qualities reflected his teaching style and children enjoyed being in his class. He was a loyal staff member - a quiet, but always supportive friend to his colleagues. I was shocked to hear of his passing, and offer my condolences to Gavin's family at this sad time. May you be comforted to know that he will be remembered by his teaching fraternity."  —Linda Ross

 In April of 2016, Gavin settled the question that many had concerning Bob Thiel. Did he possess an actual degree from an accredited University? It seems not. You can read about it HERE. 

Dead from cancer.

George Witt

May 29, 2016

Philadelphia Church of God "minister" that told a PCG family to leave its disabled child at the mall so someone else could take care of it, has died.

A letter at the Exit and Support Network states: "I was once told by a minister in PCG to "get rid of" my mentally handicapped son with cerebral palsy or don't return. He told me to put him in some facility, or if I couldn't afford that, then take him somewhere that he would not know and abandon him in the mall or somewhere that people were. He said someone would find him and put him away, and that I was to turn and not look back, and just leave him there!"

Lowell Blackwell

May 26, 2016

He was Dean Blackwell's brother.  He had been a roughneck in the Texas oilfields, an engineer for Boeing Aircraft in Kansas as well as a partime police officer there.He attended Ambassdor and was ordained a minister, serving in several churches before returning to engineering.  He re-entered the ministry in 1995 before permanently retiring in1998. From cancer.

Roger Van Abels

May 16, 2016

He was a minister in Worldwide Church of God / Grace Communion for over 40 years. He was moved to Louisville in the early 90s and became known as The Hatchet Man due to cutting off anyone who didn't agree with the changes... firing his associate and putting out large groups of people at a time.

Robert Ardis

March 17, 2016

A false prophet who left PCG around 1997 and formed his own group called Church of God's Faithful goes to his reward where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. At age 84.

 Almon McCann

February 4, 2016

Vietnam vet who witnessed the true horrors of war. Founder of the Ex-Christadelphians group. Former WCG member and webmaster of the former Painful Truth forum for many years. Almon was known to many as "Corky' on a variety of blogs within the anti-armstrong movement. His wit and 'in your face' approach will be truly missed.  

On the Ironwolf  website he writes "My mother died the same year that I joined the Christadelphians (1978), from refusing an operation that would have saved her life, thanks to "God’s Ministers". I had to preside over the grave side service myself – God’s Ministers were too busy to make the 120 mile trip from Little Rock to Helena, Arkansas. My mother’s name was Lorene Miller (in case anyone remembers)."  ~From cancer.

Ronald Dart

January 23, 2016

From T-cell lymphoma. For many years, Dart was GTA's right hand man. From AR-61 we read "Dart is a skilled writer and effective preacher. Author David Robinson used to frequently say, for instance, that of all the ministers WCG produced, Dart may have been the best at educating his listeners." More HERE.

Mark Salyer Manning

Jan 31, 2015

Former WCG minister, Mark also authored some articles here  at
The Painful Truth.
He passed from this life on the last day of January 2015, just four weeks shy of his 70th birthday. Mark was a decent fellow who was loved by many who came in contact with. His outspokenness will be missed!

Bob League

 January 8, 2015

Enforcer for the LCG. Last project for Meredith was to "weed out" dissenters. From 'Banned by HWA': 'Mr. League even went so far as to say that if he were to call a member in the middle of the night and ask them to drive circles around the block for 4 hours, they should obey without asking questions.' Dead at 82 from multiple organ failure.

John Halford

October 23, 2014

Minister in Grace Communion International, formerly the Worldwide Church of God. Editor of Christian Odyssey, a GCI Grace Communion publication. Cancer.

Shirley Hammer Armstrong

October 16, 2014

Wife of Garner Ted Armstrong, the disgraced splinter cult leader of the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association, Intercontinental Church of God and Church of God International.  Shirley was of the Hammer dynasty who provided much of the property and money for Big Sandy to be developed.

Bernie Schnippert

Sept. 10, 2014

Bernie Schnippert passed away last night about 7 PM as he was sleeping. His wife Arlene wrote “I wanted to let you all know that Bern passed away about 7:00 pm this evening. He was asleep and it was very peaceful. His months and years of suffering are now over and he can be at peace.” Bernie had prostate cancer and resided in Bend OR. In a article on the GCI website, he spoke of his greatest contribution saying:  “The most important contributions that I feel I have made to the church are the successful sales of the Big Sandy and Pasadena campuses during a critical period in the church’s spiritual journey and establishing a sound employee retirement plan."

John Ross Schroeder

March 8, 2014

United Church of God. Senior writer for the "Good News" publication. Apparently he lost consciousness, fell and hit his head on March 4th. John previously had a couple of stents inserted to treat narrow/weak arteries. Age unknown at this time.

Ray Wooten

Feb. 9, 2014

Wooten helped found the United Church of God in 1995 and left that organization because he believed it departed from the founding principles. He operated United Christian Ministries since 1995. The UCM corporate entity has been dissolved.

Leroy Neff

January 28, 2014

Ambassador Class of 1959; Long-time treasurer in the WCG. Evangelist. Headed the WCG's Divorce and Remarriage Evaluation Committee. In later years he was affiliated with the UCG, and then the COGWA. At the age of 90.

Buck Hammer

Nov. 15 2013

Brother-in-law to Garner Ted Armstrong. Much of the land on which AU sat on was previously owned by the Hammer family, a once wealthy East Texas clan that became involved with the Herbert Armstrong ministry and in the 1950s deeded the land over to the then Radio Church of God. Heart Attack.

Bryce G. Clark

May 12, 2013

Bryce was a resident of Eugene, Oregon. Broke from the Church of God the Eternal and formed a new organization called the Bethel Church of God.

Dennis Luker

March 14, 2013

President of United Church of God, Cancer.

Clint Zimmerman

August 28, 2012

Minister from the old WCG. His original profession was in the chiropractic field.

 Jack R. Elliott

 July 24, 2011

AC's former dean of students and psychology instructor. Founder of the Spokesman Club. Wrote "The Truth About Masonry"-Published in 1961 by AC.

Charles Hunting

Nov. 11, 2011

Four years ago his health began to decline and he eventually needed kidney dialysis. Charles was admitted to hospital in early November, and a few days before he died was moved to a hospice. CFH died in his sleep, and was buried in the Department of Veterans Affairs Sarasota National Cemetery.

David A. Hoover
"Ben Ariel
"

March 27, 2011

Author of "Beyond Babylon." David was an avid admirer of Herbert Armstrong and promoted the religion with rank vigor. Hoover was also a suspect at one point in his life for plotting to blow up the Al-Aksa Mosque. David was infected with the HIV virus.

Lester McColm

January 2, 2011

Once described as "the worst of the lot" McColm stayed loyal to the Tkach regime after the doctrinal changes. Dead at age 85 of heart-related complications.

 Art Gilmore

 Sept. 25, 2010

At age 98. For decades was the announcer for The World Tomorrow on radio and many other audio-video projects for the old Worldwide Church of God.

Dibar Apartianre

Dec. 8, 2010

Apartian was one of the original 'evangelists,' the highest rank in the hierarchy of Herbert Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God. For decades, he also taught French at the old Ambassador College Pasadena, California campus. He was responsible for the French language work in the old WCG, the now defunct Global Church of God, and the Living Church of God. He also handled other aspects of Church Administration in and out of the USA for the LCG.

Richard H. Sedliacik

Dec. 23, 2010

Responsible under Herbert Armstrong for the writing and editing of the Ambassador College Correspondence Course lessons.

Peter Whitting

May 1, 2010

Born June 4, 1946, Adelaide, South Australia - died May 1, 2010, at his home in Pikesville, Md. No cause of death listed.

Dorothy Armstrong Mattson

May 10, 2010

Herbert W. Armstrong's daughter.
David Robinson's book
Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web  exposed absolute shocking allegations about the incestuous relationship between Armstrong and his daughter.
Herbert Armstrong never issued any statement discounting the charges of incest, nor did Stan Rader. Dorothy Mattson, Herbert Armstrong's daughter, never came forward to deny the allegations. And Garner Ted Armstrong had also refused to deny the charges.
Died after a long illness. Mrs. Mattson was 89 years old. Survived by her husband Vern Mattson.

William D. Gordon

Aug. 11, 2009

Bill served as a ministerial trainee in Bakersfield, California, until he was given his first pastorate in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1970. He also pastored four other churches: Duluth, Minnesota; Joplin, Missouri; Independence, Kansas; and Cookeville, Tennessee, before retiring in 1991. Of complications from surgery.

Raymond McNair

 


 

Carl McNair

 

October 11, 2008

 


 

April 14, 2004

 

TEMECULA, Calif. -- Raymond F. McNair, 78, died Oct. 11, 2008, in Southern California. According to early reports, Mr. McNair, a 1953 graduate of Ambassador College, Pasadena, and an early evangelist in the Radio/Worldwide Church of God, died after an illness that had lasted about two and one half years. He had suffered with prostate cancer.


He was a pastor rank minister while he was in the Milwaukee area back in the early 1980's. He became a leading minister in the Global Church of God after he was disfellowshiped by Joe Sr. Cancer.

Besides Raymond, Carl's other brother Marion McNair was a member of the Worldwide Church of God who attained to the highest rank of Evangelist back in the 1950's and was author of "Armstrongism Religion Or Ripoff"

Fred Brogaard

June 22, 2008

Husband of Betty Brogaard. Fred, as a WCG pastor, oversaw churches in Tacoma, Seattle, Olympia, and Sedro-Wooley, WA.

Orlin Grabbe

March 15, 2008

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Orlin_Grabbe

John Kennedy

2006

John Kennedy, former pastor of Pasadena West PM, and most recently pastor in the Maine congregations, died as a result of, I think, prostate cancer. 

It's sad, really.  This was a guy that ... I dunno, on the one hand I liked him because I don't think he ever actually drank the Kool-Aid, but at the same time, he encouraged (almost) everyone else to go ahead and take a big gulp.  I was one of the ones that he never pushed the Kool-Aid on, though.  I think that he expected I would wind up like him - a minister, cynical, etc.  

He died sometime in 2006, I can't remember when.

Art Docken

3/29/06

Based on testimonials from some WCG survivors, Mr. Docken was a rarity in WCG -- a minister who actually cared about his flock.

Herman L. Hoeh

11/21/04

Benson and Stabler would love this guy!  Widely described as the "architect" of church doctrine, "Doctor" Hoeh spent much of his life preaching against the evils of masturbation, yet reportedly had secrets of his own. Oddly, after nearly half a century of designing and preaching Armstrongism, Hoeh apparently had no trouble turning his back on it when the Tkach empire flushed it down the toilet.  To his credit, he didn't start his own mini-cult

David Jon Hill

11/24/2003

Hi!  I haven't seen a notice on your website re: David Jon Hill's death which occurred in November, 2003 (you may have posted it, however, and I might have missed it--even though I frequently check for new material from you).

Anyway, if you and other readers are interested, you could go to Ken Westby's website at:  http://www.godward.org.

Jon Hill was in the process of writing a 4-part historical/autobiographical article for Westby's ACD magazine, but only completed 2 before he died

 

Floyd Lochner

10/23/2003

Longtime Church of God member Floyd Lochner, 91, died Oct. 23, 2003 at his residence in Oxford. A former member of the WCG and Global Church of God. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Oklahoma and his doctorate in education in 1969 from Ambassador College. Dr. Lochner's funeral was Nov. 2 at Washburn McReavy Chapel in Edina, Minn., with son Otto of the United Church of God and son-in-law David Harris of the Church of the Eternal God officiating.

Garner Ted Armstrong

9/15/03

What can we say? An icon has passed?

Becky Rush

8/2/03

You probably never heard of Becky Rush; she was one of the "little people".  A survivor of the WCG, she found The Painful Truth and joined the PT Forum, where she captured our hearts.  Of all the names listed on this page, her name is easily the most important.  We wouldn't trade one Becky for all the snakes in Pasadena.  Becky Rush was precious.  If there really is a heaven, Becky is the only person on this page to get in...and she didn't have to pass through a metal detector to do it.  We still miss her.

Dean Blackwell

4/14/03

Dean Blackwell, died at about 8:30 a.m. this morning, as a result of his recent strokes.

Howard Clark

10/14/02

Howard Clark passed away at age 72.  Clark was so badly crippled by a hand grenade in the Korean War that he could move nothing but his little finger.  He recovered so completely that the only indication of an injury was a slight limp when he walked.  He was a dynamic speaker and had a wonderfully deep voice when leading songs.

Gerald Waterhouse

9/4/02

Left speechless

Stanley Robert Rader

7/2/02

Stanley Rader Assumes Room Temperature!

Eugene Noel

April 12th 2002

UCG pastor Eugene Noel died this morning (Friday, April 12) at the James Cancer Hospital at around 8:00 A.M.

Bill McDowell

January 2002

 

Raymond Cole

9/25/01

Mr. Cole had suffered nearly complete paralysis and general deterioration of health following a stroke several years ago. He was receiving extensive therapy for this in his home, but apparently to no avail.

Ernest Martin

1/16/02

Apparently, he'd had a heart attack some days previously, had come out of hospital, and was sitting at his computer the other day, and collapsed with a massive cardiac.  Whatever one thinks of Martin's theology, he must be admired for standing on principle. He was one of the first to leave when the cult refused to correct doctrinal error.

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