Benjamin Jacob Liebelt, 97

Benjamin Jacob Liebelt, 97, died Jan. 30, 2021, at his home in Libby. He was born Feb. 16, 1923, in Cleveland, N.D., to Carl and Christine Liebelt. On Aug. 27, 1944 he married Annabell Grace Saby and had a son, Lonny Gary, and a daughter, Linda Ann.

After graduating from Union College in Lincoln, Neb., Ben entered the ministry for the Seventh-day Adventist church. He pastored 14 different churches in Kansas. He then worked in the Colorado Conference as Sabbath school secretary and in home missions, personal relations, temperance and communications. Following this, he transferred to the Southern Union in Atlanta, where he directed Sabbath school, religious liberty and ASI. The next call was to the General Conference in Washington, D.C., where he was the associate secretary of the Sabbath School Department. This responsibility included many trips around the world to encourage Sabbath schools of the Seventh-day Adventist church everywhere.

After eight years he became president of the Wyoming Conference and then president of the North Dakota Conference. Lastly, he acted as church ministries director of the Mid-America Union before retiring, giving 43 years of service to the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

He is survived by two sisters, Olga Hieb and Delores Miller; a son, Lonny Liebelt; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m., Feb. 7 at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Libby. Arrangements are by Schnackenberg Funeral Home in Libby. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.schnackenbergfh.com.