Pastor Joel D. Stauffer, 71, of Lightstreet, Pa., died unexpectedly Tuesday afternoon, May 9, 2017, at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.
Born August 9, 1945 in Bloomsburg, he was a son of the late Paul and Marian (Mataya) Stauffer. He and his wife, Pamela (Broadt) Stauffer, celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary on April 10.
Joel was a 1963 graduate of Bloomsburg High School and a 1969 graduate of Johnson Bible College, now known as Johnson University. He also earned his Master’s degree from Kentucky Christian College.
His ministry spanned 52 years and he had served churches in Owensville, Ind., Stillwater and Derrs, Pa., Elizabethton, Tenn., and Sweet Valley, Pa. He was currently the pastor of the Wilkes-Barre Church of Christ.
He was currently serving as chaplain for the PA State Police (Shickshinny Barracks) and had also been a police chaplain while living in Tennessee. He served as a trustee for Camp Epachiseca and on the Council of 70 at Johnson University.
His hobbies included hunting, sports and gardening. He especially enjoyed spending time with his eight grandchildren, Lukas, Jacob, Rachel, Cordell, Peyton, Macie, Boden and Jubilee.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, Pam, are his four children, Kim Y. Heggenstaller and her husband, Wade, of Benton, Jeffrey D. Stauffer and his wife, Tara, of Bloomsburg, Mark E. Stauffer and his wife, Kate, of Dallas, and Justin P. Stauffer and his wife, Holly, of Elizabethton, Tenn.; his eight grandchildren; a brother, Steven Stauffer and his wife, Sue Ann, of Ringtown; and a sister, Penny Bardsley, of Bloomsburg.
Funeral services will be held Monday, May 15, at 10 a.m. at Stillwater Christian Church, 39 McMichael Street, Stillwater. Interment will be in the Stillwater Cemetery. A viewing will be held Sunday from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Stillwater Christian Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to Johnson University, 7900 Johnson Drive, Knoxville, TN 37998 or to Camp Epachiseca, 23 Zaners Bridge Road, Stillwater, PA 17878.
Arrangements are under the direction of the McMichael Funeral Home, Inc., Benton. For online condolences or for additional information, please visit our website: www.mcmichaelfuneralhome.com