John Richard "J.R." Burkholder

John Richard (J.R.) Burkholder, Goshen, IN, died at the Gables of Greencroft Healthcare on December 20th. He was 91. Burkholder was born December 19, 1928, in Lancaster, PA to Clarence and Blanche (Herr) Burkholder. He graduated from East Lampeter High School in 1946. Following high school he attended both Eastern Mennonite College (VA) and Goshen College (IN). In 1952 he married Susan Elizabeth Herr, who survives him.

He is survived by five children: Kelli (John) King, Lissa (Alex Baró), Samuel (Christine Wirkkala), Rebecca (Blaine Derstine), and Peter (Shannen Hill); eight grandchildren: Jacob and Suzanne King, Elizabeth Miller-Derstine and Caleb Derstine, Lucas and Hans Wirkkala Burkholder, and Jonah and Linus Burkholder; and two great-grandchildren: Rivers and Sage King. J.R. was the eldest brother to Harold, who died in 2009, and Charles, surviving.

Burkholder was baptized as a teenager into Mellinger’s Mennonite Church in Lancaster, PA. His interest, love, and faithfulness to the Mennonite Church was based on his childhood experiences at Mellinger’s Church and the Mennonite community there. He was ordained to the ministry in the Mennonite Church in 1954.  He and his wife, Sue, served as missionaries to Brazil from 1954 to 1957.

In 1955 he completed a Bachelors of Divinity at Goshen Biblical Seminary (now Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary) and later earned a Ph.D. in Religion and Society from Harvard University. He assumed leadership roles in several congregations and worked and did staff or committee work for various church-related agencies.

Known later in life as J.R., he taught 22 years at Goshen College, followed by teaching at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (Elkhart, IN), the Latin American Biblical Seminary (Costa Rica), and the University of South Africa. His teaching fields included social ethics, peace and conflict studies, church history, and theology. He led study groups to Central America and Ireland.

Burkholder served as director of the Dallas Peace Center (1982-84), board member of Christian Peacemaker Teams, and was a member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation National Council (1966-1972). He and Sue were involved with many other local and national peace and justice initiatives, including weekly community peace vigils in downtown Goshen.

Burkholder, an influential ethicist and peacemaking advocate, presented dozens of papers at academic conferences, published numerous articles in academic journals, and co-authored several books. In 2010, a collection of some of Burkholder’s works on pacifism, public witness, patriotism, Mennonite ethics, and healthcare were published as Prophetic Peacemaking: Selected Writings of J.R.Burkholder . Editor Keith Graber Miller says these writings and academic presentations were “reflections on faithful living, relevant for future generations of peacemakers.”  He was an active participant and contributor to the mid to late 20th Century movement in Mennonite peace theology, from nonparticipation in war to active witness for peace and justice.

Burkholder’s interest in aviation and early ambitions to become a pilot spurred him to take flying lessons and culminated in his own solo flight. But running became his passion during the 70s and 80s, and he enjoyed running with his Goshen community friends. In recent years he picked up his teenage love of science fiction and mystery novels, and he continued to be a faithful fan of the Goshen College basketball team (just as his father was) into his 90s.

J.R. and Sue have been longtime members of Assembly Mennonite Church. Visitation will take place at the church, 727 New York St. Goshen, IN, on Friday January 24 from 4-7 pm. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, January 25 at 11 am.  His body was donated to the Indiana University Medical School. Burial will be at a later date at Violett Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Clarence and Blanche Burkholder Scholarship Fund at Goshen College at www.goshen.edu/give or to Mennonite Central Committee at https://donate.mcc.org/ . Yoder-Culp Funeral Home is assisting with the arrangements. Online condolences may be shared at www.yoderculpfuneralhome.com