NORTH MANCHESTER – M. Alpheus Rohrer, 90, of North Manchester, died at 9:15 p.m. Dec. 26, 2012, in Wabash County Hospital. He was born Jan. 10, 1922, on a farm near North Lima, Ohio, near Youngstown, to Samuel E. and Mary Martin Rohrer. On July 1, 1950, at Pine Creek Church of the Brethren, east of North Liberty, he married Alice Rupel. His father was a dairy farmer and his mother was a homemaker. He had an older brother, Abram, and an older sister, Kathryn. His favorite memory of childhood was making maple syrup. He attended first through eighth grades at the Eureka one-room school in Beaver Township, Mahoning County, Ohio. He graduated from Columbiana High School in 1940. He had many farm chores at home so he had no time for school activities, although he did participate in a spelling bee. From 1946-50, he attended Manchester College, North Manchester. He was in the German Club and worked as a dish washer, using a machine. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education in 1950 and earned a master’s degree in agriculture from Ohio State University and a master’s degree in physics and chemistry from Penn State. He farmed for six years after high school, left for nine years, then came back and taught school as well as farming for a few years. He then rented the fields and continued teaching physics and chemistry for 34 years. He retired in 1988 from South Range High School, North Lima, Ohio. He was a “sea-going cowboy” for the Brethren during January-February 1946, going to Poland. He has been a delegate to Annual Conference eight times, and to District Conference five times. He did a lot of church work, including being the local moderator for five years, a church board member for 19 years and a life deacon for 55 years. He also was a Sunday school superintendent, vacation Bible school teacher, Camp Inspiration Hills committee member for 12 years and a member of the Beaver Township Ruritan Club for 24 years. He was a member of Zion Hill Church of the Brethren, Columbiana, Ohio, attending Manchester Church of the Brethren congregation. He moved to North Manchester Oct. 1, 2010, from North Lima. Their four children are: Stanley (and spouse Drema) Rohrer, Beavercreek, Ohio; Edith Rohrer, Warsaw; Thelma Rohrer (and James Adams), North Manchester; and Norman (and spouse Melinda) Rohrer, San Jose, Calif.; and four grandsons, Scott (and spouse Kaitlin) Rohrer, Todd (and spouse Danielle) Rohrer, Nate Rohrer and Luke Rohrer. A memorial service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Timbercrest Chapel, 2201 East St., North Manchester, with Pastor Karen Eberly officiating. Burial will be in Zion Hill Cemetery, Columbiana, Ohio. A memorial service in the summer at Zion Hill Church of the Brethren will be announced at a later date. Calling is one hour prior to the service Saturday at Timbercrest. McKee Mortuary, North Manchester, is in charge of arrangements. ***** Memorial may be given to Heifer Project International, P.O. Box 8058, Little Rock, AR 72203; or Manchester University, 604 E. College Ave., North Manchester, IN 46962. Condolences may be sent via mckeemortuary.com
