Newell John Wert

Newell John Wert, age 90, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on May 25, 2017. He was born on October 10, 1926, in West Lawn, Pennsylvania, to Paul R. and Laura I. (née Boyer) Wert, both deceased. He was preceded in death by an older brother, Gerald Paul Wert, a retired Presbyterian minister, Gerald's wife, Ruth Elizabeth Wert (née Lily); a younger brother, Lenwood Boyer Wert; a daughter, Libbie Louise, a graduate of the University of Cincinnati DAAP, a son, Newell John, Jr, and a step-grandson, Jordan Olin-Hitt. He was married in 1947 to Leona. M. King, and they had three children, Susan Elizabeth (James Mossman) Wert, Newell John Wert, Jr. (deceased), and Libbie Louise Wert (deceased). He was divorced in 1976 and married Donna June (nee Taylor) Hitt in 1980 (deceased). Three children entered his life through marriage, Kevin Jonathan (Jill) Hitt, Michael Regan (Jennifer) Olin-Hitt, and Lisa Ann (Don) Hartman. There are seven step grandchildren, Drake and Abigail, children of Kevin; Samuel and Lydia, children of Michael; Collin and Darah, children of Lisa, and Taylor, a son of Lisa's husband, Don, by a former marriage.

Newell graduated from William Allen High School, Allentown, PA, in 1943. Newell held a B.A. from Albright College in Reading, PA which he earned upon graduation in 1947. Newell also earned a Master in Divinity in 1950 from the Evangelical School of Theology in Reading, PA, (now United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH), and a Ph.D. in 1958 from Boston University. He served three pastorates, Emanuel Evangelical Church in Catasauqua, PA, from 1943 to 1947, Trinity Evangelical United Brethren Church in Schuylkill Haven, PA, from 1947 to 1951, and United Congregational Church in East Providence, R.I., from 1951 to 1954. In 1954 he became Assistant Professor of Sociology at Otterbein College in Westerville, OH. In 1957 he became Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics at United Theological Seminary, and in 1963 he became Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs of United Theological Seminary. In 1966 he was awarded a Faculty Fellowship by the Association of Theological Schools and studied for a year in Geneva, Switzerland. He was a United Methodist delegate to the World Council of Churches' first World Conference On Church and Society in Geneva, Switzerland.

His book, "Dimensions of Decision", was published in 1967. He retired in 1992 and continued for an additional year in the same position. He returned to United Theological Seminary as Dean and Vice President for two years in 1997 to 1999. From 1992 until 2002 he served as a volunteer faculty in the School of Medicine at Wright State University. In his thirty-two years on the faculty of the seminary he held numerous positions in theological education, as well as in the community and with the city of Dayton. Newell was an avid woodworker and enjoyed sailing and spending time with his grandchildren and family.


His memorial service will be held in Sulphur Grove United Methodist Church in Huber Heights, OH, with Rev. Thomas Mellott preaching on Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at 4:00pm. A visitation will be held prior to memorial service, from 2pm - 4pm. Funeral arrangements will be made by Newcomer Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio.