“Grandpa”
Born September 24, 1926, in a partial log farmhouse in Todd County, Minnesota. The parents
were William and Olga Crider who were farmers. Don helped on the farm until he went away to
college, September 1944.
Education
Graduated from Bertha High School in 1944. There were 21 in the graduating
class. Got an A.A. from Wessington Springs Junior College in South Dakota, 1946, then
continued his education with a B.S. from Greenville College, 1953 in Illinois. He graduated from
Asbury Theological Seminary in 1957 with M.Div., later got an M.Th. from Fuller Theological
Seminary in the area of missiology.
Family
Married Caroline Davis June 18, 1948. Two Children David and John. There are seven
grandchildren, Donald (DJ) Crider, Candice Crider, Jesika Gosswiller, Alexandria Crider, Logan
Crider, Christine Crider, and Tristan Crider. Donald was blessed with 14 great-grandchildren.
Ministry
Served 17 years as a pastor in Minnesota and California for the Free Methodist Church.
Appointed to the first church in 1946, at the young age of 20 years old. He served 23 years as a
missionary in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Ministered to black miners in the gold and coal
mines in South Africa. Taught and distributed Bibles and basic Christian literature. Also taught
in Bible Schools training African pastors. Re-opened Wesley Bible College in Zimbabwe after
the war in that country. Also co-authored a book with an African pastor to help train African
pastors by the extension method.
