William Regier

William H. Regier, 91, entered heaven on Friday, November 13, 2020.  

He was born on November 8, 1929 to George and Mary Regier on a farm near Inola, Oklahoma.  During his childhood years Bill’s father was pastor of the Eden Mennonite Church . Bill quickly learned the privileges and sacrifices that came with ministry!  If there was a heavy snowstorm Saturday night they would get up early Sunday morning, hook up a wagon to a team of horses in order to arrive at the church in time to warm up the building for any other brave souls!

On Sunday afternoons the family would gather around the radio to listen to Christian programming. One Sunday when he was about 12 years of age, after listening to the Old Fashioned Revival Hour, Bill put his trust in Christ as his personal Savior. 

He graduated from high school in 1947 from Oklahoma Bible Academy.  With a desire to serve the Lord he then enrolled at Grace Bible Institute in Omaha, Nebraska.  At Grace he was given many opportunities to develop his gifts and talents in practical Christian service.  Bill had a great love for music and especially enjoyed singing in a traveling quartet that represented the school.

While at Grace a girl by the name of Dahna Koehn from his home state of Oklahoma captured his attention.  On July 18, 1952 they were married at the Grace Mennonite Church in Enid Oklahoma.  Shortly after their wedding, they moved to Wichita, Kansas, to help found and pastor the Berean Bible Church.

They applied and were accepted by UFM to serve as missionaries in Brazil, and sailed from New York by freighter in the spring of 1957.   Bill and Dahna enjoyed twenty fruitful years of ministry in Brazil serving in various capacities: church planting, teaching in Bible Institute and seminary, and ministry by boat to churches and towns along the Amazon River.

When they retired from missions work they moved to Elbing, Kansas where they could finish raising their family and so their children could attend Berean Academy. Bill served a couple of years at Newton Bible Christian School and subsequently worked a variety of jobs.  His special joy continued to be in ministry and he loved to preach in local churches that were without a pastor. At last count he had filled the pulpit in at least 28 area churches!

Bill leaves behind his wife of 68 years, Dahna of Newton; children Len and Janet of Newton, Linda Renander and Jim of Omaha NE, Loren and Robyn of Hampton GA, Larry and Roxane of Sharpsburg, GA, Lyle and Michelle of Newnan, GA; ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Henry and Dan, and his sister Freida.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Saturday (November 21, 2020) at the Newton Bible Church.

The service will be live-streamed from the Newton Bible Church Facebook page or navigate to videos at https://facebook.com/newtonbiblechurch/

Private family interment services will be held prior to the services in the Fairmount Township Cemetery near Elbing, KS.

There will be no visitation or viewing.

A memorial has been established with the Newton Bible Church and the Newton Presbyterian Manor, contributions may be sent to Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, 120 E. Broadway, Newton, Ks. 67114.

Arrangements are by Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, Newton, Ks.