Pastor Florence Udell's Obituary
AURORA - Florence Arlene Udell, Pastor and Founder of HIS Ministry, became Our Gift to God on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at her residence in Aurora, Ohio, when God called her name and reached down and took her Home to Himself. Pastor Udell was God's Gift to Us on January 30, 1921 in Akron, Ohio, the daughter of the late Roy and Laura (Wehnes) Treesh. Pastor Udell held Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in sociology and secondary education from Akron University and taught almost 20 years in the Akron Public Schools. Her life took a change of direction one day when a friend asked her to take her to a Kathryn Kuhlman service in Butler, Pennsylvania. She didn't understand a word said that day, but what she felt in that service was different from any church she had ever been in. She began to attend services every week and little by little she came to be a Christian, and as she sought the Lord, He met her one night in a very special, personal way. After that glorious experience, Jesus became her life. Her passion became prayer and Bible study and serving the Lord. The following year she quit her teaching job and enrolled in Malone Bible College in Canton, Ohio where she received her Bachelor of Theology degree in 1954 and was ordained by the American Evangelical Christian Churches on June 20, 1954. She held services in a small town in Pennsylvania and also in Findley, Ohio, returning to teaching and for almost 20 years she taught school while actively serving the Lord. On November 22, 1961, she married Les Udell, and they faithfully served together in the ministry of Kathryn Kuhlman where she led the Teenage Choir and directed the Sunday school activities. Pastor Udell was asked to teach the Bible in a home in Aurora, Ohio, and on Monday, June 8, 1970, the Bible Study began with 9 people. It quickly grew and they had to find a new meeting place. One evening, a small group asked her to begin Sunday morning services. Up until that time she had never thought of pastoring full time. It meant leaving behind the seniority as a public school teacher, the salary, and the retirement; yet she knew if she did not go through this open door, she would go no further in her service for the Lord. She made the decision to go through this newly opened door, and HIS Ministry was born in February of 1972 when the first Sunday morning service was held. As the congregation grew, it became apparent that God wanted a sanctuary where He could dwell among His people. Pastor Udell followed God's leading as He opened other doors and construction began on a new church. It was built pay-as-you-go by the labor and love of the congregation. During the early years of the Ministry, Pastor Udell had a radio ministry. The 30 minute program aired 5 days a week on WSLR in Akron, WTOF in Canton. Pastor Udell was also on stations in Pittsburgh, West Virginia, and Florida. HIS Ministry has always been an in depth teaching ministry with the emphasis on living the Word, and her life has been an example of that. This June will be 40 years since the little Bible Study in Aurora began. For 40 years, Pastor Udell has faithfully given her all as their pastor. Pastor Udell is survived by her nephew Wilton (Bonnie) Treesh, Jr. of Cuyahoga Falls; her nieces Patty (Dick) Tweedy of Stow, Roberta (Lyle) Ferriera of Tallmadge, Florence Ann Clark of Florida and Judith (Dennis) Lee of Canal Fulton; 3 great nieces and 7 great nephews; her very special friend of 60 years, Joy Fotta of Portland, Oregon and her loving and devoted church family. She was preceded in death on January 6, 2007 by her husband Leslie E. Udell and her 4 siblings; Wilton Treesh, Sr., Lowell Treesh, Velma McQuaid and Pauline Moreland. Those who knew and loved Florence would like to extend their great appreciation to Odyssey Health Care Hospice for the tenderness, comfort and professional care that they provided to her within her residence. Calling hours will be Sunday, May 9, 2010 from 3:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M. at HIS Ministry, 3051 State Route 82, Aurora. Her Coronation Service will begin at 5:00 P.M. Jim Atkins, who grew up under her teaching at Miss Kuhlman's, will be officiating the service. Pastor Udell will be laid to rest beside her husband Les at Westlawn Cemetery in Mantua Township on Monday, May 10, 2010 at 10:00 A.M.Processional to the cemetery will form at HIS Ministry church at 9:15 A.M. In lieu of flowers, memorials in her name are suggested to her church. Arrangements are being made by the Green Family Funeral Home & Crematory Service in Mantua. Pastor Florence A. Udell's Coronation Service Your browser doesn't support this video format! $(document).ready(function(){ flowplayer("vidplyr1", "/tools/flowplayer/flowplayer-3.1.2.swf", { clip: { autoPlay: false, onStart: function(clip) { stopBGMusic(); } } }); });
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