Russell Roth Krabill, 88, of 1801 Greencroft Blvd., died at 9:25 a.m. July 16, 2005 at Greencroft Healthcare where he had been a patient for the past three weeks. He was born in Brighton, IA on July 5, 1917 to Mary Ann (Roth) Krabill and Elmer Krabill. He married Martha Elizabeth Hiestand on August 30, 1947. She survives along with a daughter Mary Ann (Dennis) Hollinger of Camp Hill, PA, and a son James Russell (Jeanette) Krabill of Elkhart; five grandchildren; and a brother Murray Krabill of Fredrickstown, Ohio. He was preceded in death by a brother Maurice Krabill. After teaching in Iowa public schools for four years Krabill graduated from Goshen College with a B.A. degree in science education in 1943, followed by a Th.B. in 1946. He was manager of the Gospel Bookstore (now Provident) in Goshen from 1945-54. He was ordained to the Christian ministry on August 5, 1945 and has pastored four Mennonite churches in Elkhart County, IN over a 50 year period including Locust Grove, North Goshen, Prairie Street and Holdeman. Krabill has been active in the Indiana-Michigan Conference serving as a member of the Executive committee from 1956-76, and was for 12 years Conference President. He served for 20 years on the Bethany Christian High School Board. In addition he chaired the Leighton Ford Area Crusade in 1970-71. He has also served on a number of church-wide boards and committees including the Mennonite Publication Board, Commission for Christian Education, Board of Congregational Ministries, and Region IV Coordinating Committee of the Mennonite General Assembly. He has also written Sunday School and Vacation Bible School curricula for Herald Press along with numerous devotional guides for the Rejoice magazine. He is author of Beginning the Christian Life, an instruction book used by the denomination for catechism classes with new Christians. Later in life Krabill served as an Overseer in the Indiana-Michigan Conference, as Conference Historian, and as President of the Indiana-Michigan Anabaptist Historians. He remained active at Prairie Street Mennonite Church until his death
