Paul Heist

Rev. Dr. Paul W. O. Heist, 98, of Cadiz, Ohio, formerly of Martins Ferry, Ohio and Quakertown, PA., died Wednesday, April 23, 2003 at Harrison Community Hospital, Cadiz. He was born July 8, 1904, in Scranton, PA, a son of the late William S. And Carrie Ozias Heist. Rev. Heist was named the Valedictorian of the class of 1926 at Muhlenburg College in Allentown, PA. He also was graduated from the Philadelphia Seminary and received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Thiel College. He was first called as associate pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Johnstown, PA. Rev. Heist served the majority of his ministry at St. John's Lutheran Church in Martins Ferry, Ohio, where he was pastor for forty one years. He served as chairman of the Ministerial Examining Committee of the former Pittsburgh Synod and was Parliamentarian and member of the Executive Committee of the Ohio Synod of the Lutheran Church in America. Following his retirement, he returned to Eastern Pennsylvania, where he was a visitation pastor for Trinity Lutheran Church in Perkasie and Trinity Lutheran Church in Quakertown, PA. In recent years, he was an active participant in a Bible study group at the Presbyterian Church of Cadiz. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Snyder Heist in 1994. Surviving are his daughter Nancy and her husband, Jonathan Kirkland, and two grandchildren, Andrew Wilson Kirkland and Carolyn Leigh Kirkland, all of Cadiz. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, Martins Ferry. Rev. Peter Pilger and Rev. Dr. William Hudson will officiate. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery, Martins Ferry. Calling hours are Friday from 2-4 and 6-8 at Heslop Funeral Home, Martins Ferry. Memorial Contributions may be made to St. John's Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 399, Martins Ferry, Ohio 43935 or to Harrison Community Hospital, 951 E. Market St., Cadiz, OH 43907.