Floyd M. Barden

Floyd M. Barden

27 November 1884 - 20 November 1974
Conference Cane: 1974
Age at death: 89 years, 11 months


Rev. Floyd M. Barden

The Rev. Floyd M. Barden, 89, of Casco Township, South Haven, died November 20, at South Haven. Mr. Barden was born November 27, 1884, in Casco Township. He was a 1903 graduate of South Haven High School and a 1908 graduate of Michigan State University. He taught a horticultural course at Michigan State in 1916, served as township clerk and supervisor and was a charter member of the Allegan County Farm Bureau, serving as County Farm Bureau president for several years. Floyd Barden was named with the first class of Master Farmers of Michigan.

At the age of 53, upon the sudden passing of his local pastor, he received the call to the ministry. In 1938 he became pastor of the West Casco United Brethren Church, and in 1938 he was appointed pastor of the Chapel Hill, Naomi and Union churches of Sodus and Pipestone townships. During these years he was active in the Berrien County Council of Churches and Christian Endeavor. He served as treasurer for the Conference of the former United Brethren Church, and on the church union committee that served during the uniting of the Evangelical and United Brethren conferences.

In 1957 he retired and returned to Casco. He was an active member of the Casco United Methodist Church and helped lead in the uniting of churches there and the building of the new Casco United Methodist Church. He was often called upon to preach in his home church, and he did so as recently as September 1974. At the Annual Conference of the West Michigan United Methodist Church meeting in June 1974, he was given the Conference cane, as the oldest living minister of the Conference.

Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Jesse Fleming; two sons, Ben and Donald Barden, Casco; and a sister, Mrs. Clinton Waller, Wyoming, Michigan. Grandchildren include: Karl Barden and Tom Fleming, Casco; Mrs. Michael Merchant, Pennsylvania; Ann Fleming, Bellflower, California, Floyd Fleming, Kalamazoo; Mrs. James Shomkwiler, Lansing; and Rev. George Fleming, Turk Lake, Greenville. Funeral services were held November 23 at the Casco United Methodist Church. Rev. George Fleming, Dr. Stanley Forkner, and Rev. Adam Chyrowski officiated. Floyd Fleming rendered special music, and Richard Barden played the organ. Burial was in the McDowel Cemetery.

- West Michigan Annual Conference minutes of 1975, p. 214

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