William and Mary Dike
Submitted by Scott Billhartz
It was in Professor Nell Oppitiz’s sociology class that Bill Dike ’54 met Mary Hurt ’54 on the campus of McKendree College. Bill was a commuter student and Mary lived in Clark Hall.
After a courtship that included peanuts and Coca-Cola at the school canteen and numerous trips to the O’Fallon Dairy for ice cream, Bill and Mary were married on May 23, 1952, and their marriage was blessed with two daughters and a son. After working odd jobs and serving churches in Beaver Creek, Hopewell, and Mt. Carmel, Bill felt a further calling to the ministry. They decided to make their first of many moves so he could attend Drew Theological School in New Jersey.
Upon completing his Master of Divinity degree, Bill became an Ordained Elder in the United...