Fred Gaston

Reverend Fred Gaston, age 89, of Mansfield, died Saturday, March 13, 2004, at his home following an extended illness. In the early morning hours, Fred was gently enfolded in the arms of God, from whence he had emerged on October 24, 1914, in Tranquility, Ohio to a union of James Homer and Dora Elizabeth Florea Gaston. Fred was an avid traveler and had served during WWII with the U.S. Navy with the Seabees at Pearl Harbor in the Pacific Theatre from 1943-1945. He graduated from Seaman High School, attended the University of Cincinnati School of Engineering; graduated from Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan Phi Beta Kappa, and graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary in Westminster, Maryland. He was ordained an Elder in the Methodist Church in 1948 in Lakeside, Ohio. Rev. Gaston was pastor of Bethel Methodist Church in Pennsylvania, then Denton Methodist Church in Denton, Montana, followed by Columbia Falls Methodist Church in Columbia Falls, Montana. He became a member of the East Ohio Annual Conference. He was Associate Pastor at 1st United Methodist Church in Mansfield from 1961-1967. He was the founder of Canton Inner City Ministry in Canton, Ohio, served at Amsterdam United Methodist Church in Amsterdam, Ohio, as well as the Director of the Urban Mission in Steubenville, Ohio. He had retired from the ministry in 1980. He was a member of Mansfield Ministerial Alliance Association, Golden Heritage Member of the NAACP, Chairman of the Commission on Archives and History of the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, member of the Mayor's Commission on Human Relations in Mansfield, and member of Adams County Historical Society.

He is survived by his wife, Violet Wetzel; a son and daughter-in-law, Rev. Dr. Warren Campbell-Gaston and Katherine Campbell-Gaston of Willoughby, Ohio; son, Daniel Wetzel of Goodland, Florida; two daughters and a son-in-law, Jane Wetzel Jako of Mansfield; and Andrea and James Holmes of Ocoee, Florida; and five granddaughters, Tanya and Mario Fierro of Fremont, Ohio; Tara Gaston and Courtney Baker both of Lakewood, Ohio; Lauren Baker of West Hollywood, California; and Sarah Jako of Mansfield; two great-grandchildren, Hope Fierro and Nicholas Fierro, both of Fremont; a niece, Robin Gaston of Evanston, Illinois; and special caretaker, Evelyn Paullin of NCO Hospice. He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Margaret Elizabeth Armbrust Gaston; a great-granddaughter, Kaitlyn Fierro; and a brother, Myron Wallace Gaston.

Memorial services will be held, Saturday, March 27 at 3:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 12 N. Diamond Street, Mansfield, with calling one-hour prior to the service at the church, officiated by Rev. Charles Tobias and Rev. Dr. James G. Skinner, Assistant Bishop of the East Ohio Conference. Wappner Funeral Directors assisted the family with arrangements. Fred's body was donated to the Ohio State University Department of Anatomy. His cremains will be buried at a later date in Tranquility, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to UNICEF or First United Methodist Church in Mansfield.