SAMUEL S. EMERICK of Port Charlotte, Fla., 96, a retired Elder of the Indianan Conference, died Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 at Port Charlotte, Fla. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012 at South Port Square Town Hall, 23023 Westchester Boulevard in Port Charlotte. Survivors include: three sons, Craig (Trudy) Emerick of Dallas, Texas, John (Elaine) Emerick of Fort Wayne, Ind. and Stephen (Debbie) Emerick of Centerville, Ohio; seven grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Mattie Lou “Patsy” Emerick who died in 2010. Emerick served Indiana churches at Philadelphia/Maxwell, Mitchell Street in Kendallville, First in Wabash, Decatur, First in Bluffton. From 1957-1973 he was Director of the Yokefellow Institute in Richmond, Ind. Following a year at the Eli Lilly Foundation in Indianapolis, he served as an adjunct professor at United Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. Upon retirement in 1979, he moved to Port Charlotte where he served on the staff of the Port Charlotte UMC. Emerick was the first President of the Board of Habitat for Humanity International. He was instrumental in establishing the Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity. Memorial contributions may be made to Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity, 1750 Manzana Ave., Punta Gorda, FL 33950.
