Sent first college student missionary to Mexico in 1959
William A. Loveless, who urged the Seventh-day Adventist Church to accept college students as short-term missionaries and served as pastor of two of the largest Adventist churches in the United States, died September 15 at the age of 86.
As associate pastor of the Sligo Adventist Church in Maryland, Loveless partnered in 1959 with Winton Beaven, dean of Washington Missionary College (now Washington Adventist University) to send a student for a three-month summer stint to Mexico. Though it went against the denomination’s policy at the time, the one-year mission program for college students is now widespread throughout the North American Division and continues to grow in other parts of the world church.
When promoted to senior pastor, Loveless organized the Urban Service Corps, in which Adventist youth and college students tutored inner city kids struggling in school.
Loveless graduated from Walla Walla University in 1949, earned a master’s degree from Andrews University in 1953 and earned a doctorate from the University of Maryland in 1964.
He also served as president of the Pennsylvania Conference in the late 1970s and as president of Washington Adventist University from 1978 to 1990.
Loveless also pastored the Loma Linda University Church in California from 1970 to 1976 and from 1990 to 2000. He also served as a professor at the university and taught at nearby La Sierra University and University of California at Riverside.
A funeral service is scheduled for 2 p.m., September 28 at the Loma Linda University Church.
