Death of Russell Standish

[Larry Lyons]

The news is quickly getting around that Russell Standish was killed today in Australia in a head on car crash. He was riding as a passenger, and was said to be on his way to a preaching engagment, I believe in Midura. His death has been confirmed by a spokesperson at Hartland who said that his bro. Colin and Hal Mayer are on the way there.

Here is a link to the story, but no names are given.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/02/2234226.htm

His Bio on Wikipedia has already been updated.

I believe he is numbered among the faithful watchman on the walls of Zion of which there are all too few.

[Mimi]

Oh! I am so saddened to hear this. What a loss!

[LindaRS]

It is indeed a loss. But for Brother Standish the fight is now over. He will be missed.

[LindaRS]

Hartland Institute has placed the following of their website:

Dr. Russell Standish Passes Away
We express our sorrow and sympathy for the family of Dr. Russell Standish, who was killed this morning, May 2 2008, in an automobile accident in Australia. This is very difficult time for Dr. Russell's family, as well Dr. Colin Standish and his family. Please remember them in your prayers. The ministry and person of Dr. Russell Standish will be greatly missed.

We will share more details as they become available.

Cliff Cocks, friend of Pastor Russell Standish, was also killed in the automobile accident. Please remember the Cocks family as well as the Standish family during this time of grief and sorrow.

I believe that one son, James Standish, is with the PARL, and son Dr. Timothy Standish, is with the Geoscience Institute.

[Sister Marie]

What a loss. God has blessed us through the years with the faithfulness of these brothers. We need to pray for these families. Yes, for him the fight is over, for us, it is just beyond.

[LindaRS]

I got the Adventist Today newsletter today which had a paragraph about Dr. Standish's death. It also gave the links to the news article from AU and a nicely written account at the Progressive Adventist blog. But sadly, for a man who gave his life to the church, not a single acknowledgment or announcement can I find at an official SDA website (AR, ANN). 

Mildura Independent Online

Progressive Adventist

[Mimi]

Could it be that his teachings and very life was a standing rebuke to the fallen leaders among us?

[Mimi]

Just got this from Elder Colin Standish:

 

Dear Friends,

 

I arrived safely in Australia, Monday with Hal Mayer. Hal is busy seeking to help in the arranging of the funeral service. It is very difficult for me. I am staying in Glenice’s home with other relatives. Everywhere I go I think of our times together. I need much prayer to get through the eulogy.

 

The service is to be given by pastor Chester Stanley, the President of the South Australian Union, a former student of mine at Avondale College who made our home his second home. It will be a very large funeral. People will be here from four continents, including Europe and Asia. Glenice has received into the hundreds of messages from all six inhabited continents. The funeral will be held on Friday afternoon in the large Lillydale SDA Church, but we are expecting a big overflow crowd into the large hall where the service will be relayed by closed circuit TV. He will be buried in the Lillydale Lawn Cemetery in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. 

 

The coroner is still holding Russell’s body and we don’t know when we will have it, so the service on Friday may just be a memorial. Victorian law is very strict re: identification, and though his face is apparently not damaged, they have to identify him through forensic means such as dental records or DNA testing. This can take time, and is very inconvenient for the family. This is not a mystery murder investigation.

 

Thank you for your condolences and prayers.

 

May God bless you,


Colin Standish

 

For details on the funeral, please click on:

 

http://enews.remnantherald.asn.au/Funeral.pdf

[Elizabeth]

"Dr Russell Standish had caught a commercial flight from Melbourne on Friday afternoon and arrived at Mildura Airport around 4.20pm. He was met there by 78 year old Irymple man Cliff Cocks, who is listed as a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Mr Cocks was the driver of the car which cut across the path of a vehicle being driven north along Benetok Avenue around 5.25pm. He was the local person who died instantly in the accident.
Dr Standish generally made two or three trips to Mildura each year and these were sponsored by Mr Cocks, who also was part of a ministry group which holds meetings of conservative theology at the Anglican Church Hall at Red Cliffs.

The Red Cliffs group has around 10 members, all also being members of the main Mildura Seventh Day Adventist Church.. Dr Standish (pictured) was to speak at a private meeting at the home of Dany Wilson at Sunnycliffs on the Friday and then at a 10am gathering the next morning at Red Cliffs meeting at 7pm. http://www.milduraindependent.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3370&Itemid=54

[LindaRS]

The Adventist Review has posted a few paragraphs about Dr. Standish's death here

[Mimi]

Another update from Elder Colin Standish:

Dear Friends,

 

Russell’s funeral will be conducted at the Lillydale Church, Friday 1:00 p.m. (Thursday evening at 11:00 p.m. Hartland time). His interment will take place an hour earlier, at the Lilydale Lawn Cemetery as a small, privet event. This is because of the earliness of the beginning of the Sabbath hours.

 

We have been delayed because of the very strict rules at the Victorian State Coroners office. They do not accept physical identification of the body. They accept dental x-ray identification, but Russell has had no dental records since his return to Australia in 1992. Thus they require DNA tests which would normally require 5 days. His three sons gave DNA samples; they would not accept DNA from me, even though I am an identical twin. If Russell’s sons would not have personally urged the officer they would not have released Russell’s body until after Monday next week. They had not even conducted Russell’s autopsy by Wednesday, which is mandated even though there was no suspicion of foul play. Timothy, being a geneticist was able to negotiate because he knew that DNA tests could be completed in a few hours

            We expect a very large funeral. The Lilydale SDA church is a large church, but they are also setting up seats in the churches large hall and the service will be relayed through closed-circuit TV.

            The Baptist church across the road has agreed to the use of their parking lot to accommodate the overflow of vehicles expected. People are coming from many parts of Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Vanuatu, because of the uncertainty for days as to when the funeral will take place the Rose family, who are planning to come from England, could not come.

            The service will be conducted by Pr. Chester Stanley, the president of the Australian Union Conference. He was a student at Avondale College, when I was chairman of the Education Dept. (1965-1969). He made our home his home. He was also well known to Glenice and her family. The service is to be digitally recorded; DVD of the funeral will be available.

            I solicit your prayers for the family members- at least 50 of them are expected to attend, and some of them are not practicing Seventh-day Adventist. I need special prayer that I will hold up when I give the eulogy. Glenice is doing well considering the circumstances. Her family has been a great help and comfort to her, but the real challenge will come when the folks leave, please pray for her.

 

Yours in the Blessed Hope,

 

Colin Standish

[Sister Marie]

Dear Friends of Freedom:
I write this update with a heavy heart. A little over a week ago, my father, Dr. Russell Standish, was killed in an auto accident. On Friday we buried him in Melbourne, Australia. He was the patriarch of our family, a spiritual giant with a heart of gold. He served as a medical missionary for decades in Asia, giving his very best years in sacrificial service out of love for others and God. He also had the courage to stand up for his convictions, no matter the consequences. He was, in all, a very rare man.

He had a great love for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and for the God we serve. I am looking forward to a new world in which we have eternity together with our Heavenly Father. Please keep my family in your prayers as we mourn this terrible loss.

Your Invitation to Capitol Hill

It is hard to turn the corner to talk about the future, but we must. Thus, I want to remind you of our upcoming religious liberty events on Capitol Hill from June 12 - 14. Our registrations are up 50% from last year, and last year registrations were up over 80% from the year before. That is a short way to say that, under God's grace, our annual events are growing rapidly.

We are currently preparing for you to arrive in Washington, DC. We are in the process of setting up appointments for our attendees with U.S. Senators and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and their staff, setting up activities, planning our gala dinner, and ensuring everything is in place for an outstanding Sabbath series.

This is our final call to those who don't want to miss out. Visit www.religiousliberty.info/article.php?id=11 to learn more and print the registration form.

Conclusion

This is an extremely difficult time for our family. And yet we know we are not alone. We live in a world in which pain comes to all of us. But we are not without hope. Not only do we hope for eternity with God, but we also hope that through His power, we can do our small part to make this world a little bit better. Our religious liberty mission is one way to do that.

May God bless you,

James Standish

[Sister Marie]

[Mimi]

Dear Friends,

 

Thank you for your kind words concerning Russell’s death. It has been the toughest test of my whole life, even tougher than the death of my beloved mother from a sudden heart attack at 61 years old in 1974.  There is something different in the connection of identical twins even above that of other siblings. Of course we realized that one day we would be separated by death, and as we have aged this reality became more obvious, but neither of us ever spoke of this separation being the result of a tragic accident. He was a wonderful brother.

 

From 1967, more than half of our lives, we lived on different continents yet that bond was never broken. Though he had gained great honors academically and as a physician, he remained humble and surrendered his life, above all else, to Christ’s service and ministry to mankind. I do take comfort in the blessed hope that we will be reunited soon, if I remain faithful to my Lord and Savior, which I have committed to do.

 

Russell’s funeral was very large. For me to present the eulogy was only possible by the sustaining grace of God. Many who were present and others have asked for the DVD of the funeral. The DVD is available from Hartland Media Services. The cost, including shipping, is $14.95 in the US and $16.95 international.  If you are interested in ordering a copy, call 1-800-471-1512 or you can order it online at www.egntv.com. 

 

Russell had 9 manuscripts uncompleted at his death. I am putting aside my goals for primary authorship of other themes to prioritize the completing of Russell’s primary book authorship. I am going to do all to raise the funds to print and publish them. It will cost scores of thousands of dollars.

 

May God bless and may we share eternity together with our Redeemer.

 

Yours in the blessed hope,

 

Colin Standish

[Kevin Hellerud]

I just read this post and I want to express my condolences to the readership here and others blessed by his ministry