Guy S. Edmiston Jr.

The Reverend Dr. Guy S. Edmiston, Jr., 89, passed away in the early hours on April 18, 2026 in the Holy Spirit Hospital, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. He was born March 12, 1937 in Lancaster, Pa. to the late Guy Shannon and Sarah Margaret Good Edmiston, and grew up in Elizabethtown, Pa. He is survived by his son, Dr. David N. Edmiston and his wife Kathy of Mechanicsburg; daughter, Laura Ryman of Mount Jackson, Virginia; grandchildren Dennis Edmiston (Bree), Derrick Edmiston, Kristina Edmiston, Hannah Ryman, Nicholas Ryman, and Sarah Ryman, and great-grandchildren, J.J. and Tatum Edmiston. In addition, he is survived by his wife of the past 10 years, Karen Wright, and her daughter Virginia Border (Scott), grandsons Evan and Will Border, and her mother Ginny. Guy is preceded in death by his wife of more than 50 years, Barbara G. Edmiston, sister Margaret P. (Pettie) Edmiston, son-in-law Paul J. Ryman, and Karen’s daughter Rachel. Guy’s education includes a Bachelor of Arts from Gettysburg College, 1959, a Bachelor of Divinity from The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, 1962, a Master of Sacred Theology from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, 1975, a Master of Arts (History) from Penn State University, 1979, an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Susquehanna University, 1982, and an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Gettysburg College, 1990. Aside from role of son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather, Guy was known as Pastor, Reverend, and Bishop. He was ordained in the Central Pennsylvania Synod of the United Lutheran Church in America in 1962, beginning a long and accomplished career as a Lutheran Pastor. Following his graduation from The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in 1962 he served as Mission Developer and First Pastor of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1967 he became Senior Pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pa. where he served until 1970. He served as Senior Pastor at Lakeside Lutheran Church in Harrisburg, Pa. until his election as Secretary of the Central Pennsylvania Synod, Lutheran Church in America, in 1977. He served in that role for 10 years until being elected as the first Bishop of the newly formed Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1988, “retiring” in 2001. Following his retirement as Bishop, Guy continued to serve in a part-time position at Trinity Lutheran Church in Camp Hill, Pa. He ended his “work” there in 2019, but as all pastors know, once a pastor always a pastor. During Guy’s “working” years, he served on numerous Boards and committees, often as chair. Those Boards include Board of Directors for Dauphin County Homes of Retarded Citizens, Board of Directors Lancaster Growth and Development Center, Board of Directors- Lancaster County Drug and Alcohol Education, Board of Pensions LCA, Board of Directors- Ecumenical Communities, Board -New Hamilton Community Development Corporation, and Chair of the Greater Harrisburg Area Religious Coalition. He served as a delegate to conventions and assemblies, including international, traveling in official capacity to Brazil, China, Rome, Southeast Asia, Switzerland, and Tanzania. On one of these trips, we fondly remember him sharing that he was presenting a cow to a community! In Rome he had an audience with Pope John Paul II. Of particular note, he served on the Board of Trustees for his alma mater Gettysburg College for 10 years. His accomplishments as Pastor, Secretary, and Bishop, from ordination to “retirement”, are extensive and novel-worthy. In addition to his work with the Church, Guy served as President of two school Parent’s Associations, volunteered as a teacher’s aide, citizen advocate, and little league softball and tee ball coach. He loved dogs, and eventually cats. Bismark (a boxer), St. Andrew (a Saint Bernard), and Antigone (aka “Tigi”, a poodle mix), were faithful companions over the years. And then came the cats, initially acquired by his children: BooBoo, Rudyard, Toby, and lastly his beloved Chloe. He loved the ocean and beach. For a time, he was a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. He enjoyed yearly trips to the beach with family, where he fished, crabbed, chased ghost crabs at night, and built sandcastles with his children and grandchildren. He loved a fine seafood dinner by the water. He also relished his time at the family cabin, which he helped to build and finish more than 50 years ago. He enjoyed time reading on the deck, roasting marshmallows over the fire, cooling off in the creek, and spending tv-free time with family. Guy enjoyed many years of travel, from month-long drives across country to see the National Parks, camping, and domestic travel, to international travel all over the world. He was fond of reading and classical music and enjoyed many performances at the church and the symphony. He led an adventurous, full, purpose-filled life, dedicated to his family, God, and ministry. He will be missed by a multitude - family, friends, and those he touched through his guidance and generosity. “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” A service of remembrance will be held Saturday, May 9, 3:00pm at Trinity Lutheran Church, Camp Hill, Pa. Visitation will be at 1:00PM. Memorial contributions may be made to the Rev. Guy Edmiston Fund for Leaders Endowment or Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church. Checks for either designation may be mailed to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut Street, Camp Hill, PA 17011. Please make contributions by June 15, 2026.

Guy S. Edmiston Jr.

March 12, 1937 - April 18, 2026