Charles Boyer Shenk, age 97, of Columbus, Ohio, died July 4, 2026, at home. His passing came on the 250th anniversary of the United States, accompanied by the sound of fireworks. A memorial service will be held at Columbus Mennonite Church on September 20 at 3 p.m., with visitation beginning at 2 p.m. A reception will follow.
Born December 5, 1928, in Norfolk, Virginia, to Coffman and Retta (Boyer) Shenk, Charles dedicated much of his life to mission service with Mennonite Mission Network (formerly Mennonite Board of Missions). Together with his wife Ruth, he served as a missionary in Japan for 37 years. Their work centered on church planting and leadership development: they helped establish three churches on the northern island of Hokkaido and played a key role in training Japanese pastors. In their final decade in Japan, they lived in Tokyo and collaborated with the Japan Anabaptist Center and several Mennonite congregations.
His son Steven Schenk shared,
“I think Dad’s sense of humor got him through the challenges of cross-cultural situations. He often joked about how — as he and Mom prepared for overseas service — he prayed that God wouldn’t send them to a cold climate, a difficult language, and a completely unfamiliar culture. Well, God gave them all three!”
Charles grew up in Takoma Park, Maryland, and later in Biglerville, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Eastern Mennonite High School in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he met Ruth Frey of Archbold, Ohio. They married on June 19, 1949. The couple attended Eastern Mennonite College, then lived in Scottdale, Pennsylvania, before Charles worked in his family’s chicken-processing business in Biglerville. A clear call to overseas mission led the family to Goshen, Indiana, in 1955, where Charles completed his undergraduate degree at Goshen College and began graduate studies at Goshen Biblical Seminary. In 1957, he was ordained to the ministry at Bethel Mennonite Church. That same year, the family sailed to Japan.
After two years of language study in Tokyo (where their son Ken was born in 1959), the Shenks served in multiple locations across Hokkaido. Their children attended local schools before transitioning to boarding schools and U.S. colleges. Throughout their decades of service, Charles and Ruth returned on several furloughs (later called North American assignments) for church speaking, family visits, and further study at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, where Charles earned his Master of Divinity degree.
The Shenks retired in 1994 and settled in Columbus, Ohio, becoming active at Columbus Mennonite Church while continuing to connect with Japanese residents in the area. They later moved to Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community in Harrisonburg to support Ruth’s health; she passed away on September 10, 2005. Charles returned to Columbus in 2006. On February 24, 2007, he married Elizabeth (Liz) Avendano, a friend from their Columbus church. They shared 19 happy years together, including two meaningful return trips to Japan.
Charles will be remembered for his warm, easygoing spirit, quick sense of humor, love of photography and sushi, deep commitment to his church community, and progressive values. He cherished family gatherings at Laurelville Retreat Center, enjoyed nice cars since his first Studebaker, and had fond memories of playing with his school band on the White House lawn for President Franklin Roosevelt. Shortly after World War II, he volunteered with other Mennonites and Brethren to deliver horses to war-torn farms in Poland.
Charles is survived by his wife Liz; children Steven (Karen) of Harrisonburg, Va., Gloria (Howard) Good of Lititz, Pa., Barbara (Dannie) Otto of Urbana, Ill., and Ken (Natalie) of Findlay, Ohio; 10 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife Ruth, parents, and brothers Stanley and Martin.
Burial will be in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Memorial contributions may be made to Ohio’s Hospice or to the charity of your choice.
