Rev. David Engelhard, 64, passed away Dec. 22, after a 10-month battle with brain cancer. He died peacefully, surrounded by his family. His funeral was held Dec. 28 at Shawnee Park Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Engelhard was the general secretary of the Christian Reformed Church in North America from 1994 to 2005, guiding the church through some very turbulent years. He left the position in February 2005 after being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.
An editorial in the Grand Rapids Press the day after his funeral noted, “His life of faith could be seen in the way he faced terminal illness. The Rev. David Engelhard lived and died in the grace of the God he served. A better epitaph can’t be imagined.”
