FALL 2023 RETIREE NEWSLETTER

You all have been out and about and busy! Keep scrolling to read about what Missouri Conference retirees have been up to. May these stories provide a bright spot in your day and invite you to connect with one another to continue sharing encouragement and hope.

Benefits Reminder

Do you have a beneficiary named for your Wespath-administered plan benefits? A beneficiary receives your plan account balances after you die or if you cannot be located when a benefit is payable. Naming a beneficiary helps ensure a smooth transfer of your plan benefits to the person (or people), organization, trust or other legal entity you choose.

It’s important to review and update your beneficiaries over time, especially if you experience a life event or a change in circumstances (e.g., marriage, death of a relative, birth or adoption of a child, etc.). The beneficiary rules of Wespath-administered plans are binding and supersede provisions of your will, your divorce order or other wishes. Visit www.wespath.org to read FAQs and update your beneficiary's contact info.

Church Triumphant

Clergy and clergy spouses that have gone on to glory:

Kenneth Joseph Cieslak, May 25, 1949 - Nov. 9, 2022
Michael B. Squires, April 12, 2023
Rev. Elizabeth Ann Freeman, Oct. 10, 1957 - April 24, 2023
Bobby Gene Sides, June 10, 1927 - May 13, 2023
Rev. Debra K. Alumbaugh, Feb. 10, 1951 - June 2, 2023
Rev. Charolette Bassett, Oct. 11, 1942 - June 6, 2023
Etta Mae Mutti, July 16, 1938 - June 7, 2023
Rev. David Norbury, Aug. 12, 1946 - June 10, 2023
Rev. Gary Shoemaker, May 13, 1941- July 6, 2023
Rev. Harry Foockle, June 29, 1939 - July 25, 2023
Rev. James Estep, Feb. 6, 1928 - Aug. 4, 2023
Rev. Robert (Bob) Moger, July 28, 1935 - Aug. 15, 2023
Rev. Jesse Hood, Nov. 6, 1934 - Aug. 26, 2023
Wilma Jarvis, May 3, 1936 - Aug. 28, 2023
Rev. William H. Morehouse, April 14, 1935 - Sept. 27, 2023
Jean Hoak, Dec. 4, 1936 - Sept. 27, 2023
Patsy Allen, Aug. 10, 1929 - Oct. 1, 2023
Sylvia Ireland, July 16, 1953 - Oct. 13, 2023
 

Celebrating the Retiree Class of 2023

In 2018 we began a new Annual Conference tradition of honoring our retirees through a video in which they share their wisdom and insights from decades of ministry. Watch the 2023 video by clicking below or visiting our Vimeo page.

Gleanings From Around the Conference

Jim Dace - Staying Busy in SE Missouri Jim and Doris Dace are still enjoying life in the tine village of Pocahontas in southeast Missouri. They are both active at New McKendree UMC in Jackson where Jim teaches Bible study and Doris sings.

Dee Pennington - Settling Down in Colorado After a year in Florida staying with family and walking the beaches of the Space Coast, I have settled in northern Colorado.

Barry and Kim Freese - Celebrating an Anniversary Kim and Barry Freese celebrated their first wedding anniversary in August in Mason City, Iowa, by staying at the historic Park Inn, the last remaining Frank Lloyd Wright-designed hotel.

Diana Loomis - Loving Life in New Mexico Many of you know that I retired in June 2011 from the Missouri Conference and moved back home to New Mexico to work full-time as the Director of Development/Church Relations at McCurdy School in Espanola, New Mexico.

Bill Koch - Settling in at Ashland Marti and I have retired from UM Nomads and are in the process of settling in Ashland, Missouri, where we are enjoying being near grandkids. By the way, we do have a lovely motorhome for sale.

Ann Mowery - Navigating a Difficult Year 2023 has been a hard year for the Mowery family. On October 12, we lost our daughter Kim Schweig to lung cancer.

Greg Weeks - Traveling Abroad Barbara and Greg Weeks recently returned from a 10-day trip to Ireland. They joined a tour group that traveled from Shannon, down the western coastline and ended in Dublin.

Phil Neimeyer - Enjoying the Lake Life Greetings from up north! We changed zip codes last year when we moved into a new development on the east side of Geneva Lake.

Michael K. White - Serving Part-Time in St. Joseph We are celebrating our first year of living in St. Joseph, and we are enjoying our family here and have just been assigned a part-time charge at Agency UMC

Larry R. Linville - Writing Poetry and Offering Care On June 16th, our 61st anniversary, I was taking Thelma to an appointment and she fell in the garage. She fractured her pelvis.

Stan Lowrey - Volunteering Across the U.S. This year Stan retired for the third time. He had been serving part-time at a couple of small churches but couldn't really commit to them as he felt he should because of all the time we spend away on mission.

Mary L. and Allan Biesemeyer - Baking in Higginsville Allan and I on October 27th celebrated our 66th anniversary. I am totally retired now; however, I do fill in once awhile.

Roger Jespersen - Traveling North, South and East Susan and I are doing well. We had several trips this summer: North to North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin; East to Boston, Maine and the Maritime provinces; South to Orlando.

Gene Hinrichsen - Living in Iowa Bonnie and I are living the dream in Urbandale, Iowa, and all that the area has to offer. The city life fits us well. I am pastoring two churches in southwestern Iowa part-time.

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