Rev. Karl Adam Gettman

NEWTON FALLS ­ The Rev. Karl Adam Gettmann went home to be with the Lord Saturday, June 24. He was born Sept. 18, 1910 in Milwaukee, Ore., the eldest son of nine children of Adam and Kathryn Gettmann, who later settled in Youngstown. At an early age, he headed west, working his way across the country as a cowboy and ranch hand on various cattle ranches. During the Depression, he joined the C.C.C¹s, where he was a bulldozer operator for the U.S. Forest Service. After marrying Dorothy Mae Charles in 1934, they established a home in the Santa Maria, Calif. area where Karl worked as a roust-about in the California oil fields. During this time, Karl became a born-again Christian and dedicated his life to serving the Lord. He attended seminary at BIOLA University in Los Angeles. Once ordained, he served with the American Sunday School Union in S.E. Colorado. Karl then went on to pastor churches in Harrisburg, Neb., and Hardburly, Ky. He joined the New Tribes Mission in 1952 and with Dorothy and family, served as missionaries in Venezuela and Panama until 1962. After completing his work with the New Tribes, he pastored churches in Nebraska, Iowa and Ohio. In 1997, Karl was bestowed with an honorary doctorate from Marietta Bible College. He remained active in the ministry well into his late 1980s. Mr. Gettmann is survived by his wife of 72 years, Dorothy; four children, MaryEllen (Tony) O¹Neil of San Luis Obispo, Calif., Barbara Jean (Joe) Shelor of Greeley, Colo., Alan Charles (Barbara) Gettmann of Diamond and Karl Richard (Lavonn) Gettmann of Georgetown, S.C; brothers, Bert (Judy) Gettmann of North Jackson and Alvin (Patricia) Gettmann of Fall Brook, Calif.; sisters, Harriet Daugherty of Austintown and Hope (Mert) Bartlemay of Canfield; and was also blessed by 17 surviving grandchildren; and 31 great-grandchildren. Karl was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Homer; sisters, Kathryn Bishop, Ada Marie Zander and Carol Link; a grandson, Karl David Gettmann; a great-granddaughter, Rachel Stern; and a great-grandson, Jesse Broderick. There will be funeral services at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Bailey Road Baptist Church in North Jackson, followed by interment at 3 p.m. at the Center Baptist Cemetery in Cambridge.