Rev. Lawrence Edward English went to be with the Lord on Saturday, January 15, 2011 at the age of 91.
He was born August 3, 1919, to Loy and Bernadette English in Butler, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Greenville High School, Greenville, PA, and went on to graduate from Holmes Bible College in 1941.
On December 28, 1943 he married Dorothy Pearl Whitley in Bethel, North Carolina, and together they moved to Ashtabula, Ohio where he pastored the Pentecostal Holiness Church for 58 years, retiring in 1999. He served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Pennsylvania Conference of the Pentecostal Holiness Church for 27 years. He volunteered as a pastor at the Ashtabula Country Club Retirement Center. He served as Conference Assistant Superintendent for 4 years. He served on the Conference Board for a total of 41 years.
He worked for the Farmer’s National Bank of Ashtabula for 34 years from 1947 to 1984. His community service involved serving as a councilman on the Ashtabula City Council, serving on the boards of the Ashtabula Mary Chapman Community Center and the Salvation Army. Rev. English will be remembered for his willingness to pray for anyone who was sick in the hospital regardless of their denomination. He gave assistance to the needy and preached salvation to many.
He is survived by his loving wife and lifetime companion of 67 years, Dorothy English; his daughter Donna (Steve) Molnar of North Ridgeville, Ohio, his sons Loy (Alba) English of Overland Park, KS, Rob (Peg) English of Taylor, Michigan, Kim English of Athens, GA, grandchildren Amy (Frank) King, Lori (Matt) Dortch, Heidi (Jeremiah) Yerton, Elizabeth Molnar, great-grandchildren Tyler Robinson, Abby Dortch, Bella Dortch, Sammy King, Jonny King, Ellie Yerton.
Rev. Lawrence English was preceded in death by his parents Loy & Bernadette English and his brother George English.
The family will receive friends at Bernsetin Funeral Home in Athens, GA, from 6-8 p. m. on Thursday, January 20.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a. m. Friday, January 21, 2011, at the Christian Life Worship Center (formerly Tarkenton Memorial Pentecostal Holiness Church) in Athens, GA with the Rev. Mr. Lawrence Pfaff and the Rev. Mr. Brian Williams officiating.
Interment will follow in Evergreen Memorial Park in Athens, GA.
[Editor's comment: It was a great joy for me to have known Lawrence English. He was a gentle man whose life was devoted to his wife, family, and the church. I loved his delightful humor, and he was always an entertaining speaker as he told about his life stories. He loves the railroad. I think he would have made a great train master, or engineer on the railroad. He sang good tenor, and often, he and I would sing, "I've been working on the railroad."
I was amazed to learn that he pastored a Pentecostal Holiness Church, the same one, for 58 years. That must be a record. What's more, he and Dorothy, his delightful wife, were married for 67 years.
Lawrence loved Dorothy and they were always in every worship service as long as he was able to attend. He loved his children, grand children, and great grandchildren.
I for one will greatly miss this great man.]
Posted on
Wed, January 19, 2011
by Hugh Morgan