Ira Frank Lydic

Rev. Dr. Ira Frank Lydic, 82, of Tucson, Arizona, formerly of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, passed away on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. The younger son of James Hylton and Della “Viola” (Palmer) Lydic, Ira was born on March 21, 1942, in Spangler, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from Juniata College in 1964 with a B.A. degree. In 1967, he graduated from Bethany Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree and in 1981 with a Doctor of Ministry. His doctoral dissertation “The Pastor as Servant in a Healing Community: a Model for Sharing Pastoral Authority” laid the foundation for his personal, caring approach to supporting church and community members alike. Ira retired in June 2023 following more than five decades as a pastor, serving five congregations in the Church of the Brethren denomination and two in the United Methodist denomination, most recently for 22 years at Donaldson United Methodist in Donaldson, PA and St. Paul’s United Methodist in Pine Grove, PA. (His last sermon can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/cGSSZd7Sw9k).

A loving husband, father, grandfather and caring friend to many, he will be remembered for his optimism, kindness, and humor. Ira will be dearly missed by all who were blessed by his life. Ira married Marilyn (Stalnecker Dissinger) Lydic on May 1, 1999, promising her at least 25 years of marriage, which they celebrated two weeks ago in Tucson. In addition to his wife Marilyn, Ira is survived by his daughter, Suzanne Panferov Reese, and her husband Walter Reese and their children, Kathryn Panferov, Anna Panferov, Lillian Reese, and Winston Reese. Just last July, Ira and Marilyn bravely moved across the country into a house across the street from the kids in Tucson, Arizona, where they enjoyed family dinners together with all the kids and were blessed with a closeness of family life. Ira was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Arthur “Eugene” Lydic, his stepson, Alan Dissinger, and his son-in-law, Dmitri Panferov.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 PM on June 9 at St. Francis in the Foothills in Tucson, AZ, and a memorial service will be planned in early August in Pennsylvania.

Donations to honor Ira can be sent to support Pastor Lydic’s last congregation at: St Paul’s United Methodist Church, PO Box 68, Pine Grove, PA 17963 or to St. Francis in the Foothills, his new church family in Tucson, AZ, where he served as a trustee, at https://www.stfrancisinthefoothills.org/giving.