Edward Henry Wichern, Jr
Greenville Herald Banner
Sunday, Feb 11, 2007
Edward Henry Wichern Jr. was born Sept. 25, 1918, in Euclid, Ohio, and died Feb. 5, 2007, at his home where he had resided since moving to Greenville in 1967.
He was married to his wife of 57 years, Bettilu Roper, on Sept. 16, 1949. His parents were Jessie Josephine Horsburg and Edward Henry Wichern Sr.
After high school in Ohio, he received his B.A. degree from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill., and then received his Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1944.
Ed was one of the original founders of Young Life, an international youth ministry and pastored in Dudman Springs, Mo., before becoming pastor of Carbondale Community Church, Tulsa, Okla., in 1954. He moved to Texas and became president of Through the Bible Publishers in 1962. He was also president of Evangelical Projects, a video teaching ministry of his father’s-in-law, Dr. Harlin Roper, pastor of Scofield Memorial Church in Dallas. He served on the original advisory board of the Hope Center of Greenville.
Three brothers, Phil, Carl and Homer Wichern, preceded him in death.
He is survived by his wife; two children, Karalu Wichern Pope and husband Keith and David Edward Wichern and Jennine Kennedy; grandchildren Elias David Pope and Amy Pope and Levi Keith Pope and Jessica Pope; and great-grandchildren Haley Elizabeth Pope and Jackson Miller Pope.
Burial was Saturday in Dudman Springs, Mo. A memorial service is scheduled at 2 p.m., Feb. 18, at Aldersgate Church in Greenville where he taught Sunday school for 24 years. Edward’s brother-in-law, Rev. David Roper, Rev. Chuck Ballard, Rev. Ralph Anderson and Rev. Jerry Speight will officiate.
Memorial gifts in his memory may be sent to Greenville Christian School, 8420 Jack Finney Blvd., Greenville, TX 75402.
Elaine Nall Bay
