February 3 Today in OPC History

On February 3, 1939, Russell Piper was ordained by the Presbytery of California and installed as pastor of Westminster Church, Los Angeles. Born on a farm in Lenark, Illinois, on October 4, 1906, Mr. Piper contracted tuberculosis as a child. His mother prayed that if God spared her son, he would become a minister. Mr. Piper kept that promise and faithfully pastored Orthodox Presbyterian congregations in Los Angeles (1939 – 43), Bridgewater, South Dakota (1945 – 57), Alexandria, South Dakota (1945 – 52), Lincoln, Nebraska (1957 – 1974), and Ronan, Montana (1974 – 86).

In 1935, Mr. Piper married Hazel Lucille Zeigler, and they were blessed with three children, Barbara, Dale, and John. Both his son-in-law, Rollin Keller (married to Barbara), and his grandson Calvin Keller followed in Piper’s footsteps as ministers in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. On November 3, 2006 at the age of one hundred years old, Mr. Piper went to be with the Lord.

Picture: Russell, Lucille, Barbara, Dale and John Piper in 1949 in front of Trinity OPC, Bridgewater, SD.