Reverend Irvin Gerald Steiding

Reverend Irvin Gerald Steiding died on February 11, 2023, at 1:55am.

He was born the son of Gerald E. and Evelyn (Herman) Steiding at a tenant house on the Weber Farm property near Oakland, MD, November 29, 1932.

At an early age, the family moved to Piedmont, WV, where he attended grade and high schools and graduated from Piedmont High School, Class of 1950.  As a teenager he  accepted the Lord as his personal savior.

After his high school graduation, he was employed for a year at the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Co., Luke, MD.

Feeling called to the ministry he then enrolled at the Zion Bible Institute, E. Providence, RI, where he graduated in 1954, being one of his graduating class speakers.

He then became an evangelist for one year waiting for his future bride Maxine Louise Bernard to graduate.  After Maxine’s graduation the couple was married, June 18, 1955, at the First Assembly of God, Westernport, MD.

Rev. Steiding was granted his first preaching license with the Potomac District Council of the Assemblies of God, in 1954, and was granted full ordination in 1958.  In July 1955, he was elected to serve as the pastor of the Sand Flat (now Lakeside) Assembly of God, near Deep Creek Lake, MD, a position he served until 1960.  He was then elected to be the pastor of the First Assembly of God, Lynchburg, VA, where he served for 8 years.  Then in 1968-1973 he served as pastor of the First Assembly of God, Bristol, VA.

In 1973, Rev. Steiding was elected to serve as the District Superintendent of the Appalachian District Council of the Assemblies of God, with its headquarters located in Beckley, WV. At the time of his being chosen he would be the denominational leader of the Assemblies of God churches and ministers in most of the state of West Virginia and all southwest Virginia, with 73 churches and 123 ministers.  During his tenure of serving as the Superintendent of the Appalachian District a net total of 30 new churches were added to the District so that when he concluded his leadership as District Superintendent there were 103 churches in the District and 203 ministers and missionaries.

Known for his outstanding preaching and leadership, while serving as District Superintendent, he served as a member of the Board of Administration and Board of Directors of the Southeastern College (now University), Lakeland, FL.  He also served for approximately 10 years as Secretary of the College.  In 1979, the College awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree.  He was also elected for two terms as a member of the National Home Missions Board of the General Council of the Assemblies of God.  He was also chosen to be a member of the Assemblies of God Spiritual Life Committee for two terms and a member of the Charismatic Resource Committee. 

Still, further during his tenure as District Superintendent, he served in the leadership of the development of the Assemblies of God Headquarters and Activities Center located at Ghent, WV.  He also organized the Appalachian Teen Challenge with its headquarters located at Athens, WV.  Led in the forming of the campus ministry (Chi Alpha) on the VPI campus, Blacksburg, VA.  Served in leadership in the Appalachian District’s adopting a ministerial training program called the Appalachian District’s School of Ministry (AD-SOM).

His ministry involved ministering in District Council Conventions throughout the United States, along with camp meetings and overseas.

Following his leadership as District Superintendent he was then elected by the Assemblies of God General Council in 1998 to the position of Honorary General Presbyter.

In 1998 he was invited to serve as interim and then pastor of the Faith Assembly of God, Lothian, MD, a ministry he served for 8 years (1998-2006).

Returning to his home in Beckley, West Virginia, in 2006, he now became semi-retired in the ministry, however, he chose to be semi-retired in secular employment.

He is survived by many friends and colleagues from his 58 years of full-time ministry.  He was also loved and respected by his many friends he made in semi-retirement employment.

Maxine, his beloved wife, paid her tribute the night of his homegoing: “Irvin was a devoted and loving husband to me.  He also was a loving father, and a man his children could look up to with respect for his life.  All were afforded time together and each alone the night of his passing.  Holding strong to his faith in God and looking forward to being with his Lord and Savior in the last breaths of his life.  He also appreciated and loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and treasured time he got to spend with them.”

“Truly a great man has fallen but his testimony lives on.”

Rev. Steiding is survived by his wife of 67 years, Maxine Louise (Bernard) Steiding.  Two daughters, Sandra Louise (Mark) Barth, Richmond, VA, and Carole Joy (Steve) Webb, Springfield, MO.  Two sons, Stephen Irvin (Cherie) Steiding, Beckley, WV and Gregory David Steiding, Beckley, WV.  One brother, David Lee (Linda) Steiding, Westernport, MD, one sister Lois Virginia DeRito, New Haven, WV; 10 grandchildren Alexandra (Sean Mueller) Barth, Denver, CO, Jordan (Ashley) Barth, Manassas, VA, Catherine Barth, Santa Barbara, CA, Justin Barth, Richmond, VA, Elisabeth (Rick) Maitra, Fairfax, VA, Zachary Steiding (Ashleigh), Beckley, WV, Nathaniel (Taylor) Steiding, Ghent,WV, Adair (Jason) Koontz, Oshkosh, WI, Elijah Webb, Springfield, MO, and Eden Joy Webb, Springfield, MO. Seven great-grandchildren, Chandler Koontz, Isabella Koontz, Landon Koontz, Hazel Mueller, Eleanor Mueller, Thea Steiding and Myla Steiding.  He was preceded in death by his parents Gerald Everett and Evelyn Amelia Steiding and two brothers Paul Kenneth Steiding and Perry Keith Steiding.

Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, February 17, 2023 at Calvary Assembly of God, 319 Sunset Drive, Beckley, WV. Friends may visit with the family from noon to 2:00 p.m. prior to the service.

Calfee Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements and online condolences may be directed to www.calfeefh.com

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Appalachian Ministry Network – Missions Department at www.appag.net

A service and interment will be held at 1:00pm Saturday February 18, 2023, at the Lohr Cemetery, Swanton, MD.

Revelation 17:14

“And they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”