Earle Stine's obituary, Mt. Morris, Genesee County, Michigan

SUBMITTER: Peter Wilfred Stine
EMAIL: Stine@Faith.Gordon.edu
DATE: Sep 06, 1999
SURNAMES: Stine, Smith, Best
THE OBITUARY OF EARLE JOHN STINE--Methodist Minister

Earle John Stine was born on June 9, 1904 inWhitesburg in
Genessee County, Michigan,the onlychild of Arthur Stine and Maisie Smith.
Whenhis father died in 1913, Earle went to live with is maternal grandparents,
George and Eva Smith first in Flint, and finally in Mt. Morris. He attended
highschool in Mt. Morris where he made a name as a fine basketball player.
After one semester at Ypsilanti Normal, he came hometowork at Genessee
Motors and than at the Buick where he again made a reputationon the basketball
floor.
On April 2, 1931, Earle married Ione Best of Birch Run and they had three
children: Earle Jr. February 21, 1932--Frances May February 13, 1935--Peter
Wilfred June 27, 1939.

In 1930, Earle had gotten a job in the electric shop at Dow Chemical in
Midland and moved his family to the Freeland/Laporte area. Around 1938
the Stine parents experienced a strong religious conversion and in 1943,
felt called to Christian ministry, moved to Chicago for Bible school training.

The Chicago training ended in 1947 and Earle moved his familyto a series
of small West Michigan towns where he wa appointed Pastor: Barryton (1947-49),
Burnips (1949-53),Marion (1953-58), Newaygo (1958-64) and Ionia Circuit
(1964-67). Upon their retirement, they moved to University Park, Iowa to
help out at Vennard College, a reincarnation of the Bible college they
had attended in the 40s. Ione Best Stine died in her sleep on October 13,
1975 and Earle Stine died at the St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma
on January 3, 1980. Their children are professionals--two physicians and
a college professor--who testify to their parents' love of God and their
father's folksy and personal style of ministry The Stines are buried in
the Tanner Cemetery near Belsay Road outside of Mt.Morris.


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