Paul Herbert Eldridge, 94, former president for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Asia-Pacific region, passed away last week after a long illness.

Eldridge died Thursday, February 12 at the retirement home in Southern California where he lived with his wife Evelyn.

Eldridge was a pastor, teacher, and administrator during his 40 years of service with the Adventist church. During World War II, Eldridge and his family spent three years in an internment camp in the Philippines before they were rescued by American soldiers and sent back to the United States.

After the war, Eldridge left for Japan where he spent 20 years as a missionary. In 1966 he was elected president of the Far Eastern Division (now the Northern Asia-Pacific Division and the Southern Asia-Pacific Division) of the church, headquartered in Singapore.

After Eldridge retired in 1975, he served on a voluntary basis as an associate pastor, lecturer, and church administrator. Eldridge’s first wife Retha passed away in 1990. He married Evelyn Davies in 1991.

Eldridge lived in southern California for the past 17 years. Survivors include his wife Evelyn, of Loma Linda; six children; 19 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Norma.

A memorial service will be held March 21 at the Cortner Funeral Home chapel in Redlands, California, United States.