Walter J. Drudge

Walter J. Drudge, 83, of Goshen, died Friday afternoon, March 3, 2006, at Greencroft Healthcare.  He had been in declining health the past couple years.   He was born July 26, 1922, in Markham Ontario, Canada, to Menno and Emma (Reesor) Drudge.  On August 16, 1952, in Dakota, Illinois he married Mildred B. Shoemaker.  She died July 10, 1997.   A 1952 graduate of Goshen College, Mr. Drudge, worked at Oaklawn for 30 years as a Psychiatric Social Worker and then in private practice for one year before retiring in 1995.   Mr. Drudge graduated in 1954 from the University of Tennessee with a Masters in Social Welfare.  He earned his Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.  He had also worked at King’s View Psychiatric Center in Reedley, California; Adams, Newsom and Morrow in Wichita, Kansas; and Prairie View in Newton, Kansas; before moving to Goshen in 1964.   Mr. Drudge was a member of College Mennonite Church.  He cared for the flower bed at Shanklin Park along Plymouth Avenue for a number of years.   He is survived by three daughters, Carolyn (Tom) Strnad of Wolcott, Connecticut, Myrna (Martin) DeAgostino of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Judy Engel of Berlin, Massachusetts; two sisters, Ann Smith of Kitchener, Ontario and Elsie Nighswander of Stouffville, Ontario; and a brother, Norman Drudge of Markham, Ontario.   He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred; and two brothers, Albert and Fred Drudge.   Friends may call 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., Monday, March 6, at the Koinonia Room at College Mennonite Church.   A family prayer service and burial will be held 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 7, 2006, at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home.   A 4:00 p.m. memorial service will be held at the College Mennonite Church on Tuesday, March 7, 2006.  Rev. Firman Gingerich and Rev. Klaudia Smucker will officiate.   Burial will be in Violett Cemetery.   Memorial contributions may be given to Mennonite Central Committee.