Bill Lanpher's Obituary
Bill W. Lanpher
June 29, 1933 – January 27, 2026
Bill Lanpher was a man of God. At 16, he gave his heart to Christ and by God’s grace never wavered in his commitment to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Born in Bernie, Missouri, Bill was the son of a farmer. In the middle of the Depression, 1935, his family moved from Missouri to Michigan so his dad could find work. His father was thankful to find a job as a factory worker in Pontiac. After high school, Bill pursued his education, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Bible/Theology at the Missionary Training Institute (Nyack College) in 1955. Next he attended Wayne State University and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education (1956). Then he completed a Master of Arts in Educational Administration (1956-58) at Michigan State. Much later in life, he earned a Doctor of Ministry at Drew University (1977-84). On August 28, 1954 he married his college sweetheart and the love of his life, Janice Mae Thornhill. They originally planned to serve as Christian & Missionary Alliance missionaries in Vietnam, but after the death of their first son in 1957, the Lord led them down a different path as pastor, national worker, and eventually college president. During 40+ years of ministry with the C&MA, Bill and Jan served in pastorates in Lansing (1956–1959) and Pontiac, Mich. (1959-1961), Wheeling, https://W.Va. (1961–1963), Toledo (1963–1967), and Cleveland, Ohio (1967–1969). In 1969 Bill was invited to the C&MA national office to become the Assistant Vice President for Church Ministries. They moved to Nyack, NY with their two boys and were valued members of Simpson Memorial Church. In 1985, Bill was called to St. Paul Bible College in St. Bonifacius, Minn., as Vice President of Student Development and later as President for ten years. Jan served there as Financial Aid Director. It was under Bill’s leadership that the college’s name was changed to Crown College. Bill was also a member of the Board of Managers for the C&MA (1988-94). After Bill and Jan retired from Crown College, they continued to serve the Lord together at Trinity College of Florida, where Bill was President for seven years. They moved to Shell Point Retirement Community in 2000 and commuted to Trinity College until 2005. In 2000, he began serving on the Board of the Evangelical Christian School in Ft. Myers, eventually as chairman. His time on the Board brought him much joy. Bill and Jan were married for 69 wonderful years. They were an example to all who knew them of a godly marriage and enduring partnership. Their names just flowed together - Bill and Jan. As Jan declined in her later years, Bill was her faithful companion who cared for her with great love and patience. It was a privilege to watch him love her well. Bill is survived by his son James (Lisa), daughter-in-law Linda, grandchildren Gordon (Noelle), Jon (Jordan), Christa, and Weston (Courtney) and six great-grandchildren (Megan and Anna, Savannah and Charlotte, Abby and Camden). He was predeceased by his wife Janice and sons Timothy and David. Together Bill and Jan impacted the lives of many for the kingdom of God.
A celebration of life of Bill and Jan is being planned for May 2026 at Shell Point’s Village Church. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be sent to the Lanpher Memorial Scholarship at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, MN.
“. . . blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him” Jeremiah 17:7. Dad trusted in the Lord and has now entered his eternal reward
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