Gareth Stoltzfus Scholarship Fund

Music was Gareth’s life-long interest. As a two-year-old, he played records by the hour and pretended to direct the music he heard. He enjoyed singing with his family, and at a young age could carry the alt line quite well. During the time the family lived in Goshen he enjoyed going with his parents to concerts at Goshen College.

When his family moved to Goshen from Alaska for five years, Gareth attended Bethany Christian.High School. While in high school,he sang in a men’s quartet and the high school chorus. Gareth enrolled in Goshen College with m usic as his major. He sang in different Goshen College choruses and made voice his priority.

After graduation in 1969, he did two years of alternative service in a hospital in New York City. He took advantage of his location by joining the New York Choral Society and also sang countertenor in St. John’s Cathedral Choir.

In 1971, he enrolled at Emory Riddle Flight School in Daytona each, Florida, where he acquired his Commercial, Instructors and Multi-Ei pilots ratings. He did not forget his singing. While he was in school there, a Presbyterian church hired him to sing for their worship services.

Following this flight training, Gareth moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where he worked at several flight-training school. After several years he was appointed FAA Flight Examiner, an examiner who tests pilots before they receive their specific ratings.

In addition to his job, he again participated in singing groups. He joined the Anchorage Community Chorus, a madrigal group and the Alaska Chamber Singers. He also participated in several operas and occasionally sang solos in the choruses.

His other interests included enjoying the outdoors- -camping, hunting and fishing–and reading books and magazines. He loved to be with family and cared a lot about people. He was patient and gentle, enjoyed children, and was always willing to listen to friends who came to him for help.

He gave Goshen College credit for much of his musical ability, and for this reason his parents, Mahion and Hilda Stoltzfus, his sisters, Guenn Martin, Ruby Nofziger, Melody stoltzfus Chesley and his brother, Karl Stoltzfus, established the Gareth Stoltzfus Memorial Scholarship.