Fetter, C. Willard

C. Willard Fetter (1914-2002) American minister, was a fully connected clergy member in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Evangelical United Brethren, and United Methodist Churches. Fetter's parents, Harry C. and Fanny Eck were living in Manheim, Pennsylvania, when Willard was born. After graduating high school in 1931, Fetter attended Lebanon Valley College and graduated in 1935. In 1934 he became a probationary member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. He received full membership in the Virginia Conference in 1941. While serving a poor, rural circuit in the mountain region of West Virginia, he married Grace Hockley of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. By 1938, Fetter entered Bonebrake Seminary and graduated in 1941. Otterbein University awarded Fetter an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1957. Fetter later served churches in Akron and Dayton, Ohio with his longest pastoral ministry at Dayton First Church from 1959 to 1979. In addition to his ministerial duties, in 1944 Fetter had a special appointment as Director of War Services for the Church Federation of Dayton. Although Fetter retired in 1979, he continued to preach occasionally while living in Michigan and Florida. C. Willard Fetter died on July 2, 2002.