Rev. Dr. Donald E. Warth

Rev. Dr. Donald E. Warth, 76, of Punta Gorda passed away January 10, 2009. He was born June 9, 1932 in New London, Iowa to Albert and Martha (Douglass) Warth. Donald graduated from Coe College with a BA in Philosophy and Religion; he continued his education at McCormick Seminary in Pastoral Theology and received his Doctorate of Ministry in Community and Communication from Eden Theological Seminary. He spent many happy years serving as a Presbyterian minister to churches in Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio. He retired in 1996 and moved to Punta Gorda, Florida in 1998 from Zanesville, Ohio. Always active in the communities where he served, Donald was an organizer, officer, and Executive Director of the Zanesville (OH) Habitat for Humanity, a board member of the Muskingum Valley Red Cross, served as State President of Coalition for Campus Ministry to Community Colleges, as well as Volunteer Emergency Room Chaplain and on-call chaplain for Bethseda Hospital. He also enjoyed serving with the Stephen Ministry, several Ministerial Alliances, numerous positions within the Presbytery, and being a part of church handbell choirs. His hobbies included writing poetry, painting and working with art glass. He will be greatly missed by his wife of 18 years, Darlene Skiby Warth; sons, Paul (Mary) Warth, Mark (Cheryl) Warth, Matthew (Kristen) Warth and Jeffrey Skiby (Erling Wulff); daughter, Laura (Robert) Somerville; sisters, Joyce Beardsley, Carole Ann (Richard) Fogle, Janet Scott; brother-in-law, Clarence Beardsley and seven grandchildren. Donald was preceded in death by his first wife, Joyce and sister, Joan Beardsley. A celebration of Donald's life will be 9:00 am, Friday, January 23, 2009 at First Presbyterian Church in Port Charlotte. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity P.O. Box 496088, Port Charlotte, FL 33949; First Presbyterian Church, 2230 Hariet St, Port Charlotte, FL 33949; or charity of your choice. To express condolences to the family, please sign the online guest book.