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Salzburg, Austria
MB pastor passes


Marvin Schmidt, a well-known Mennonite Brethren pastor in Canada and the United States, suddenly went home to be with the Lord on May 25. Marvin and his wife Eunice were on a long-planned holiday and ministry trip to Europe. While in Salzburg, Austria, Marvin passed away from heart failure in the home of MBMS International missionaries Richard and Hazel Funk. After a day of relaxing and sightseeing, he collapsed while getting ready for bed. Paramedics arrived within minutes, but were unable to revive him.

Marvin was born in Oklahoma in 1936. He and Eunice met and were married while attending Tabor College, in Hillsboro, Kan. After pastoring in the US, the Schmidts came to Canada with their three children in 1973 to pastor Lendrum MB Church in Edmonton. They later pastored Millwoods MB Church in Edmonton, Red Deer (Alta.) MB Church and South Langley MB Church in Langley, B.C. Five years ago, they retired to Pender Island, B.C. Since last fall, the Schmidts had been serving as interim pastor couple at Saanich (B.C.) Community Church. Marvin had also served the Alberta MB Conference in several capacities and had chaired the General MB Conference Board of Resource Ministries.

In his shirt pocket, Marvin carried the quotation “The measure of life is not in the quantity of days lived, but in the quality of love given”, as well as the title of the next book he wanted to read: Out of Poverty and Into Something Better.

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Last modified July 10, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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