Howard J. Habegger

Howard Jay Habegger was born on September 6,1932 in Berne, IN and died on December 28, 2018 at Schowalter Villa, Hesston, KS.

Howard graduated from Taylor University, IN in 1954 and married Marlene Jane Short on June 11, 1954. He was called to the ministry and studied at New York Theological Seminary and Princeton Theological  Seminary from which he received degrees in Sacred Theology and Systematic Theology. He was ordained in 1959 and became pastor at Grace Mennonite Church in Lansdale, PA. 

Howard served as a missionary under the Board of  Missions of the General Conference Mennonite Church and founded the First Mennonite Church in Bogota, Colombia. He earned his Doctor of Religion degree from The Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA  in 1970 and became the Executive Secretary of the General Conference Commission on Overseas Mission in Newton, KS until 1982.

After two years of teaching in the Bible and Religion Department at Bethel College, KS, he returned to Colombia to pastor the Union Church of Bogota. In 1988, he became the pastor of Silverwood Mennonite Church, Goshen, IN where he served until 1997, then retired to Lake Vista in Hesston, KS.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Lydia (Neuenschwander) Habegger; his parents, Clinton and Elta (Welty) Habegger; and his brother, C. Earl Habegger.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Marlene Habegger; his children and grandchildren: Cynthia (Marcus) Loganbill, Wichita, KS, Christian (Jaimie), Patrick and Genet; Lisa (Blair) Loganbill, Hesston, KS, Alec and Mia; Eric (Lisa) Habegger, Bogota, Colombia, Jeff and Kelly; his sister, Evelyn Beitler, Berne, IN, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held on February 8 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Faith Mennonite Church, Newton, KS.

A Celebration of Life service will take place on February 9 at 2:00 p.m. also at Faith Mennonite Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Mennonite Mission of Colombia or the Schowalter Villa Good Samaritan Fund, in care of Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, 120 E. Broadway, Newton, KS 67114.

Arrangements are by Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, Newton.