Dan Betzer on the blessing of Heritage

Dan Betzer, one of the most recognizeable people in the Assemblies of God, has served as pastor of First Assembly of God (Fort Myers, Florida), since 1987. He is also the assistant district superintendent of the Peninsular Florida District of the Assemblies of God.

He followed C. M. Ward as speaker on the Assemblies of God’s flagship radio program, Revivaltime, broadcasting from 1979 to 1995. Our younger readers will know him as the voice behind the Dan and Louie Bible stories that they grew up with.

He currently hosts “ByLine with Dan Betzer,” a two-minute program heard weekdays on radio stations nationwide. He also hosts the 60-second weekday ByLine Television commentary, which is aired around the world on over 900 television stations. Here is a reprint of his “ByLine” radio message from July 17th.

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“ByLine with Dan Betzer” Program # 3597
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
“The Blessing Of Heritage”
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Hello again, this is Dan Betzer. In our fellowship, the Assemblies of God, we have a periodical called Heritage. To us nostalgic types, the magazine is a blessing. We read stories and see pictures of the great men and women of the past who shaped our fellowship, heroes in the truest sense of the word. I think I have every issue ever printed. They are bound in huge volumes so they are easy to pick up and read.

Dorothy Ward (1909-2007), widow of C. M. Ward, passes away

Dorothy M. Ward, the widow of Revivaltime speaker, C. M. Ward, passed away on April 17, 2007 at the Bethel Retirement Center in Modesto, California, at the age of 98.

Born on April 3, 1909, in Kansas City, Missouri, she was the daughter of Charles and Hazel Hymes. She met C. M. Ward one summer when he was preaching at Ottawa, Kansas, where she lived. They were married in a double wedding ceremony on December 25, 1929, at Ottawa, Kansas, along with Dorothy’s sister who married Leonard Palmer.

Dorothy Ward assisted her husband as he pastored and evangelized in Canada, taught at North Central Bible College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and pastored again at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Bakersfield, California from 1945-1953. Then came the move to Springfield, Missouri, where Dr. C. M. Ward became the well-recognized voice of the Assemblies of God Revivaltime radio broadcast for 25 years.

She and Dr. Ward moved from Springfield, Missouri, to Scotts Valley, California in 1973, when he was appointed president of Bethany Bible College (Bethany University) until 1978. In 1990 they relocated to Modesto, California, where they resided at Bethel Retirement Center. Dr. Ward preceded her in death on July 12, 1996.

In 1937 one of Dorothy’s sisters-in-law died, leaving a child behind. The Wards became parents to the young girl, now Martha Jane Sherburne of Florence, Oregon. Dorothy is survived by her daughter Martha Jane; four grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Ruth Williamson. She is also survived by two sisters-in-law, Barbara and Ruth Hymes; several nieces and nephews; and her devoted friend and caregiver, Ethylene Shannon.

A memorial service was held on April 24th at Bethel Church in Modesto. A final memorial will be held in Springfield, Missouri, on May 11, at 1 p.m. in the chapel at Greenlawn Funeral Home North, with burial to follow in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, where she will be laid to rest alongside her husband, C. M. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the C. M. Ward Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 7937, Stockton, CA 95267.

Additional information can be found at Assemblies of God News Service, the Santa Cruz (CA) Sentinel, April 22, 2007, and the Springfield News-Leader, May 8, 2007.