Obituary of Rev. Byron Withenshaw

WITHENSHAW, Rev. Byron – At Bluewater Health on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at the age of 87. Beloved husband of Doris (nee Moulton) for 61 years. Dear father of Douglas, Banff, Dorothy (Mike) Fyfe, Sarnia, Arlene (Dave) Duckert, Sarnia and Barbara (Peter) Graham, Thamesford. Loving grandfather of Ashley and Stuart Withenshaw, Bob (Alison) Schmalz, Stephanie (Derek) Bridgman and Julianne (Adam) Jefferson, Katie and Jackie Duckert and Jake, Allyson and Amy Graham. Great-grandpa of Adele, Laura and Marissa Schmalz. Brother of Margaret McKerracher, Wallaceburg and Olive (Donald) McBride, Florida. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews. Predeceased by parents Joseph & Zepha Withenshaw and brothers Raymond, Harry and Robert. Byron served with the R.C.A.F. during W.W.II. as a Wireless Air Gunner. He was an alumnus of U.W.O. and of Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky. In his early years, Byron pastored in Hamilton and then became President of Lorne Park College. He and the family moved to Galt (Cambridge) in 1965 where he taught at G.C.I. for 13 years. After moving to and pastoring in Winnipeg for 5 years, Byron came to Sarnia. He was the associate pastor of the Sarnia Free Methodist Church, retiring in 1990. For many years Byron was a chaplain at the Sarnia Hospitals, a spiritual director with the Cursillo Movement and also worked at McKenzie & Blundy Funeral Home during his retirement. Friends will be received at the McKENZIE & BLUNDY FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTRE, 431. N. Christina St., Sarnia  on Monday from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. The family will also receive friends at the church on Tuesday from 11 a.m. until 12 noon. The funeral service will be held at New Horizons Church (corner Maxwell & Russell) on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 12 noon followed by a reception. Interment Dresden Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy, friends who wish may send memorial donations to Gideon’s International, 501 Imperial Rd. N., Guelph, N1H 7A2 or the Ontario Heart & Stroke Foundation, 714 London Rd., Sarnia, N7T 4Y1. Messages of condolence and memories may be left at www.mckenzieblundy.com     A tree will be planted in memory of Rev. Byron Withenshaw in the McKenzie & Blundy Memorial Forest. Dedication service Sunday, September 16th, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at the Wawanosh Wetlands Conservation Area