John Emery Kyle went to be with his Lord and Savior on Thursday, September 24, 2020. John was born in San Diego, California on July 7, 1926.
John served his country during World War II, joining the U.S. Navy the day after his high school graduation in 1944. After training in Hawaii, he sailed to Iwo Jima where he landed on the third day of the invasion, February 21, 1945. Following the surrender of Iwo Jima, he was selected from his division to return to the United States for officer training at Oregon State. It was there that he met his wife, Lois Ellen Rowland. They were married June 8, 1947.
Following graduation from Oregon State University in 1950 John worked as a produce buyer and executive for the Safeway Stores Inc. When John and Lois were 33 years old, they began working with different Christian ministries. John graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, in 1961 and spent the next three years in Hazard, Kentucky, as the pastor of the Hull Memorial Presbyterian Church. While in Hazard, John and Lois felt the Lord’s call to missionary service, and in 1965, sailed with their four children to Manila, Philippines, to serve with Wycliffe Bible Translators.
In 1972 they returned to the United States, and in 1973 John became the first coordinator of Mission to the World with the newly formed Presbyterian Church in America. John served from 1973-1977 and again from 1988-1994.
In 1979 John and Lois moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where he served as a vice president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and as the missions director, conducting several Urbana Mission Conventions. He served as an ambassador of world missions as the senior vice president of the Evangelical Fellowship of Missions Agencies from 1994-2005.
John’s love for the Lord and his passion and love for the peoples of the world was the defining characteristic of his life.
During his retirement John continued his focus on world evangelization with the Senior Leadership Exchange and sat on various boards, including Transform World Connections and Proclaim Hope! Throughout his years of service John touched many lives as a strong voice for world missions. John and Lois were residents of Monroe, North Carolina, since 2002, where they were faithful members of Church of the Redeemer. John’s love for the Lord and his passion and love for the peoples of the world was the defining characteristic of his life.
John was preceeded in death by his parents, John and Agnes Kyle, his sister, Irene Mae Stockton, and his beloved wife of 73 years, Lois Rowland Kyle (June 20, 2020). John is survived by his four children: Arlette Kyle (Ian) McGrigg of Waxhaw, NC; Jayson (Maureen) Kyle of Franklin, TN; Marcus (Beth) Kyle of Gainesville, GA; and Darlene Kyle (David) Navis of Georgetown, Cayman Islands. He and Lois were blessed with ten grandchildren: Jonathan McGrigg, Miriam McGrigg (William) Crespo, Jennifer Kyle Walsh, Amy Kyle (Keith) Case, Jeffrey (Mary Elizabeth) Kyle, Ashley Kyle (Mike) Troxell, Christopher (Tania) Kyle, Andrew Kyle, Kyle (Kirsten) Navis, Nanda Navis (Brian) Freeman and thirteen beloved great-grandchildren: Atalee and Gianna Crespo; Riley, Cara and Anna Walsh; Harper, Kaila, Maddie, Lily and Watson Case; John David Kyle; Dixi Troxell; and Vigo Navis.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, September 26, 2020 at 2:00 PM at Church of the Redeemer, 1001 Redeemer Way, Indian Trail, NC 28079. In light of the current restrictions due to COVID-19, social distancing will be practiced and face masks will be required.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made to Wycliffe Bible Translators, P. O. Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862.
Interment will be at Salisbury National Cemetery in Salisbury, NC at a later date.
Online Condolences may be made at www.gordonfuneralservice.com