Reverend John Robert Boggs Jr., 91, of Winona Lake, Ind., passed away at 4:17 a.m. on Wednesday, June 19, 2013, at Lutheran Hospital of Fort Wayne, Ind.

He was a United Methodist minister, starting his ministry with the church in 1944 and retiring in 1992. He pastored in Ohio, North Dakota and Indiana. He started a live nativity at his church in Parker City, Ind., in 1960 that later moved to the local public school. In the early 1980’s, a granddaughter participated in the nativity, however, the ACLU had stopped this practice and a younger granddaughter was not allowed to participate.

Rev. Boggs also started a soup kitchen in Elkhart, Ind. He was a resident of Kosciusko County, Ind., moving here in August 1987, and attended Atwood Christian Fellowship Church in Atwood, Ind. In his lifetime he was able to travel to the Holy Land five times, and once to Russia.

He was born on April 13, 1922, in Bremen, Ga., to John Robert Boggs, Sr. and Lola Gertrude (Posey) Boggs. On July 10, 1943, he was married to Maxine Ratcliff who preceded him in death in May 2000. He remarried on March 31, 2001, to Jodie (Miller) Kreider, who survives in Winona Lake, Ind.

He is also survived by two daughters: Carol (James) VanPelt, Redkey, Ind.; Barbara (John) McMunn, Lambertville, Mich.; two step-daughters: Gerry (Elmer) Compton, Silver Lake, Ind.; Ronda (Steve) Gaston, Stedman, N.C.; six grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; and his sister: Martha Schaffer, Lancaster, Ohio.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, one son, one daughter and nine sisters.

His visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 23, at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, Warsaw, Ind. Funeral services will follow at 4 p.m. in the funeral home and be officiated by Pastor Jerry Kissinger. Burial will follow at Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Memorial donations may be directed to the Gideons International, Warsaw/Winona Lake Memorial Bible Chairman, P.O. Box 766, Winona Lake, IN 46590-0766 or to the Warsaw Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1257, Warsaw, IN 46581-1257.