Rev. William F. Rautner

Reverend William (Bill) F. Rautner, 81, of Asbury Heights, Mt. Lebanon, PA, passed away on Saturday, August 11, 2018 in the Asbury Health Center. 

He was the son of William and Esther Rautner, and was born on February 9, 1937 in Pittsburgh, PA.  On December 20, 1958, he married Nancy Ann Bosely, in Tacy, WV; they were married almost 60 years. Devoted father of James Rautner of Sterling, VA, Stephen Rautner of Belington WV and the late David Allan Rautner; brother of Barbara Rautner of Pittsburgh.

Bill graduated from Baldwin High School, after which he worked for Gulf Oil and Allied Electric Supply. Called to ministry, he served a circuit of six Methodist churches in WV while he attended West Virginia Wesleyan College. He then served Franklin Street United Methodist church as assistant pastor. While attending Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC, he was pastor of Deer Park United Methodist Church in Reisterstown, MD.  Following ordination, he joined the Western PA United Methodist Conference, as pastor at Central Highlands UMC.  During his career in ministry, he also served Trinity UMC in Trafford, PA, New Wilmington UMC, Riverview UMC in Beaver Falls, Grace United Methodist Church in Albion, and Madison UMC. Bill was a gifted preacher, a dedicated pastor committed to visitation of the sick and elderly, and a dynamic minister who worked continually to grow the churches he served.

He and Nancy retired in 2000 to Little River, SC, where they attended Trinity United Methodist Church, and where Bill led worship services on occasion.  They moved to Asbury Heights Senior Community in 2016. 

Friends are welcomed to a Memorial Service in the Hickman Chapel of Asbury Heights, 700 Bower Hill Road, Mount Lebanon, on Saturday, August 25th at 2:00pm.  Memorial donations may be made to Asbury Heights at: https://www.asburyheights.org/giving-to-asbury/donate-to-asbury-heights

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