The Seventh-day Adventist who was the first president of the church’s Taiwan Union Mission and who led the then-Zambesi Union in Africa when the former British colony of Rhodesia became the independent state of Zimbabwe has passed away. H. Carl Currie, 90, died Saturday, January 3, from complications following hip surgery. Since 2000, he and his wife had resided in Yuciapa, California.

During his 50 years of denominational employment, Currie served the Seventh-day Adventist Church on four continents. He served largely in China, also spending time in the United States, Bermuda, Singapore, and Africa.

After graduation from college in Massachusetts he was immediately chosen by the church’s mission board to go to China. He and his wife, Eva, were 21. They spent their first seven-year term of service in China during World War II, moving 10 times between 1941 and 1948, often evacuating just ahead of Japanese advances into China.

From 1949 to 1954, and again from 1960 to 1966, Currie was president of the Taiwan Mission. He also served a short stint as president of the Southeast Asia Union Mission in Singapore.

During his 14 years in Africa, Currie led the church through years of the countries struggle for independence transitioning from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe. This was followed by five years as chair of the East Asia Administrative Committee in Hong Kong before his retirement in 1990.

Survivors include his wife, two daughters, one son, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.