The Rev. Craig Dorward

The Rev. Craig J. Dorward of Lebanon entered God's Eternal Kingdom on Oct. 25th after 66 years of dedicated ministry.
Reverend Dorward was the son of the late Jonathan and Helen Dorward of Reading and is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marian, a daughter Kristin Anne Schmidt of Panama City Beach, FL, and son John Stephen Dorward of Malvern, PA. He also has 5 grandchildren, 4 Great-grandchildren, a Brother, The Rev. Dallas Dorward of Cherry Hill, NJ and a sister Anna Smith of NJ.
He was born in Reading and graduated from Shillington High.  After which he attended Muhlenberg College graduating in 1948 and Mt. Airy Seminary in Philadelphia in 1949.  He was ordained in St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Reading in July 1949.  Completed graduate study at Union Theological Seminary, NY and also Yale Univ., as well as John Hopkins Hospital.
His first call was to Grimsville Parish, Kutztown with four parishes (Frieden's Lutheran, New Bethel, Dunkel's, and New Bethel Zion churches) where he served for 6 years.  He then moved to Jonestown with two parishes, Zion and Satazahn's churches for 6 years.  From there he was called to Good Shephard Lutheran in Lenker Manor, Harrisburg.  During his 3 year ministry there, the congregation constructed a new church.  The next call was Bloomsburg at St. Matthew Lutheran where he served for 10 years eventually moving to Lebanon at Zion Lutheran, finishing out his career back in Jonestown.  With 6 parishioners in the ministry and 1 Deaconess, God's work and Pastor's legacy carry on.
Pastor Dorward served on the Boards of the Millersburg Lutheran Home, Spangcrest, Lebanon, World Mission Committee of ELCA and the YMCA.
His hobbies included photography, flowers, and racquetball and travel.  He qualified for the San Francisco, CA and Harrisburg, VA National Senior Olympics and represented Pennsylvania in the National Senior Olympics (racquetball) in LA, VA, KT, and twice in PA.  At vacation time he hosted travel groups to Europe, Scandinavia, Hawaii, Alaska, and several cruises including the Panama Canal.
Christman Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements with the funeral services being held Friday, October 30th at 10:30 in Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lebanon, PA.  Friends will be received prior he service from 10:00-10:30 with a private family internment following the service in Schuylkill Haven, PA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of the following:St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Music Fund, 161 E. Market St. Bloomsburg, PA  17815 or Lebanon Community Library, 125 N. 7th St., Lebanon, PA  17046 .
For more information, to order flowers, or to send messages of condolence, please visit www.christmansfuneralhome.com

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