Rev. Aaron G. Hastie Jr.

October 29, 1937 - December 11, 2021

Rev. Aaron G. Hastie Jr., age 84, of Berwick, passed away on Saturday, December 11, 2021, a patient of the Geisinger Medical Center, Danville. He was born on Friday, October 29, 1937 in Pittston, a son of the late Aaron G. and Pauline D. (Lutz) Hastie. He was raised in West Pittston as a youth a member of First Presbyterian Church, Pittston, a graduate of West Pittston High School, Wilkes University, and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. From his seminary experience as a member of the first class of students of the new United Presbyterian Church in the USA (a merger of the United Presbyterian Church of North America and the Presbyterian Church in the USA) he was introduced to the marvelous variety of personal Christian faith experiences. Ordained to the Gospel Ministry, May 16, 1963, he served medium size congregations in Pennsylvania from the Bethlehem Larger Parish (Washington Co., PA), Geneva Larger Parish (Centre Co., PA), First Presbyterian Church, Berwick, and Orangeville (PA) Charge United Church of Christ retiring from service as pastor on November 1, 2002. Believing the Church is the critical piece for Christ's mission in the world. His service to his denomination included leadership of presbytery and conference committees involving pastoral oversight, teaching faith, evangelism, stewardship and world mission. Knowing every Christian has to have the sense of Christian vocation whatever his/her work in the world, his congregational leadership included awareness and empathy for the family, work, and community responsibilities of the people. He was a board member of the Berwick Area Schools, United Way, and the Salvation Army. Realizing each congregation has a distinctive Body life of Christ, he was always an active and involved member in many Christian organizations and ad hoc groups, ministeriums, prayer gatherings, volunteer hospital chaplaincies, and the Town Hill WCTU. Always willing to join with others in partnering in common effort to more closely approximate God's purpose for this world. On May 25, 1963, Rev. Hastie married his loving wife, the former Janice MacDonald. He was a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who led the maintenance of the church as the body of Christ with a welcome for all people regardless of their human condition. He served the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the United Church of Christ congregations in PA with last pastorate being the Orangeville Charge UCC (Orangeville, Zion, and St. James Churches). In his retirement, Rev. Hastie became a member of The First United Church of Christ, Nescopeck. In addition to his parents, Rev. Hastie was also preceded in death by a sister, Irene Knorr. Survivors include his beloved wife of 58 years, Janice Hastie of Berwick, a daughter, Suzanne C. Hastie and husband Mark Tobin of Allentown, a son, Aaron Paul Hastie and wife Wendy of Frederick, MD, five grandchildren: Abram Hastie, Elizabeth Hastie, Rachel Hastie, Jordan Hastie, Ben Tobin, and a sister, Barbara Bonita of Plains. A time of visitation for family and friends will be held on Saturday, December 18, 2021 from 9:00 am to 10:00 am at The Stone United Methodist Church, 300 Stone Church Road, Berwick. Funeral services will begin on Saturday, December 18, 2021 at 10:00 am at The Stone United Methodist Church with Rev. Carol E. Coleman of The Wyoming United Methodist Church, officiating. Graveside committal services will immediately follow in Memorial Shrine Cemetery, 1831 West 8th St., Wyoming, PA. The family respectfully requests that masks be worn inside during the viewing and funeral times. The Allen Funeral Home, Inc., 745 Market at Eighth Streets, Bloomsburg is honored to be serving the Hastie family. Memorial contributions in Rev. Hastie's name are suggested to: The Salvation Army, 320 West Second St., Berwick, PA 18603.