Mardelle A. Stanger

August, 23, 1913 - October, 23, 2007

Wilmore: Mardelle Amstutz Stanger, widow of Dr. Frank Bateman Stanger, late president of Asbury Theological Seminary, died Tuesday evening, Oct. 23, at Wesley Village in Wilmore, after a brief illness. She was born Aug. 23, 1913, in Kidron, Ohio, the second of six children to David N. and Elda G. Amstutz and attended the public schools of Kidron and Orrville, Ohio. A 1935 graduate of Asbury College, she taught school for two years in Orrville. Married in 1937, she was her husband’s partner in ministry, first, in the New Jersey Methodist Conference, from 1937 to 1959, and then as the wife of the executive vice president (1959-1962) and president (1962-1982) of Asbury Theological Seminary.

Some years following Dr. Stanger’s retirement from the presidency of the Seminary, she moved to the Kentucky Methodist Conference retirement community of Wesley Village, where she resided until her death. Mrs. Stanger was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her parents-in-law Francis A. and Sarah B. Stanger, two sisters Lucille Fraser, of Shell Point Village, Florida, and Arlene Stokes, of Taejon, Korea, a brother Dwight Amstutz, of Shell Point Village, a niece and two brothers-in-law. She is survived by a daughter Marilyn S. Woodruff and son in law John H. Woodruff, of Bloomington, Illinois, a daughter Jane L. Stanger, of Lexington, a son Frank B. Stanger, Jr., Lexington, a grandaughter Jennifer L. Woodruff Tait and grandson-in-law Edwin R. Woodruff Tait of Huntington, Indiana, a grandson Jonathan S. Woodruff and granddaughter-in-law Melissa R. Woodruff of Falls Church, Virginia, a great granddaughter, Catherine E. Woodruff Tait, of Huntington, Indiana, two sisters Dorothy Falkenberg and Elaine Turner of Shell Point Village, two sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law, and a number of nieces and nephews, as well as great nieces and great nephews.

Funeral services will be held in Estes Chapel on the campus of Asbury Theological Seminary at 2 PM on Mon., Oct. 29, preceded by visitation with the family, beginning at 1 PM at the Chapel. Burial will be in Blue Grass Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Stan Beck, Alan Beuscher, Stephen Seamands, John Woodruff, Jonathan Woodruff. Honorary bearers will be Gaylord Caswell, Charles Crouse, Dr. Thomas Coburn, Jack Cunningham, Dr. Dale Dunkelberger, Art Fleser, William Jackson, Charles Killian, Eugene Rasmussen, William Savage, and Fred VanTatenhove. Hager & Cundiff Funeral Home in Nicholasville is in charge of arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to the Frank Bateman Stanger Chair of Pastoral Care and Counseling, Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Ky. 40390, or to the Galilean Children’s Home, PO Box 880, Liberty, Ky. 42539-0880. The family wishes to express their gratitude to the administrative staff, caregivers, and many friends at Wesley Village for their loving support throughout Mrs. Stanger’s years there.

Funeral Information

Family will receive friends 1PM Mon. at Estes Chapel

2 PM Monday, Oct. 29, Estes Chapel, Wilmore, Ky.

Bluegrass Memorial Gardens