Howard S. Armerding; Ex-President of Gideons International

Howard S. Armerding, 83, three-term president and active member of Gideons International for 49 years. Born in Jersey City, N.J., Armerding was a building contractor in Lynnfield, Mass., until 1960 when a heart attack forced him to switch occupations. He then became a cemetery manager in Wheaton and Zion, Ill. Throughout both careers, Armerding worked for the organization that since 1908 has placed free Bibles in hotel rooms. He was president of Gideons from 1959 to 1962 and a trustee for 19 years. On Aug. 20 in Claremont.