S. Luke Beidler, 82, died April 10, 2025, in Philadelphia. He was born July 4, 1942, in Quakertown, Pa., to Stanley and Ethel Beidler.
He graduated from Quakertown High School and Eastern Mennonite College, earning a bachelor’s degree in Bible and biology. He studied international education development/anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh.
He married Dorothy Godshall on June 19, 1965. They served in Vietnam from 1966 to 1975 with Eastern Mennonite Missions. Luke was a beloved English teacher. From 1976 to 1984, they served with Mennonite Central Committee in Kalimantan, Indonesia, in a ministry partnership with PIPKA, the mission agency of Muria Mennonite Church and Indigenous Kantu’ people.
He served for 10 years as mission secretary in Franconia Mennonite Conference. In 1996, he joined a leadership team at Nueva Vida Norristown New Life Mennonite Church, an intercultural, bilingual community. He managed 13 units of affordable housing. He pastored at Methacton Mennonite Church until retirement.
Luke was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012. An avid tennis player and gardener, he lived generously with family and tenants. In March 2024, they moved to Philadelphia to reside with son Ken and family. After a life well-lived, he showed us how to die.
He is survived by his wife; daughter Marta Castillo (Julio); son Ken Beidler (Elaine Shenk); five grandsons; three great-grandchildren; and siblings Edith Freed (Floyd, deceased), Faith Benner (Paul), Hope Brubaker (Roy, deceased), Gloria Bontrager (Joe), Eva Beidler (John Swarr), Rose Yoder (Nelson) and Jewel Byler (David)
