OBITUARY INFORMATION FROM CHICAGO TRIBUNE WEBSITE:

Birth: March 13th, 1949
Death: August 31st, 2023

Martha Lynn Regier

Martha Lynn (Lindsey) Regier, was born on March 13, 1949, in Gary, Indiana, and grew up in Hobart, Indiana. She passed away on August 31, 2023, at the age of 74 due to complications from a massive stroke. Martha and her husband Don Regier, lived in Nerima Ward, Tokyo, Japan, when she died. She was preceded in death by her parents Charles and Doris Lindsey and her brother Mark David Lindsey. She is survived by her husband Don, daughter Deborah Roman (Anthony) and her children Alexandra and Cody, son Matthew Regier (Ayako) and their children Charles and Sophia. Survivors also include sister Kathryn Jo Witherspoon (Greg) and brother Charles Lindsey Jr. (Louise) and their children and grandchildren and the children and grandchildren of Mark David Lindsey (Sherri).

Martha’s family were part of Trinity Evangelical United Brethren Church (now Trinity Methodist). Martha made a profession of faith in Christ as a young child and was baptized at age 12. Martha first met Don Regier in Hobart Junior High School at a Youth for Christ Club meeting. She graduated from Hobart Senior High School in 1967. Martha won a music scholarship to North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, graduating in 1971 with a Music Education degree. She taught music at George Earle Elementary School in Hobart. Her family began attending First Baptist Church (now New Life Community) where Don’s family were members. She soon was active in the music ministry. During a missions conference at the church, a speaker urged people to be willing to offer themselves for overseas missionary service if God so led them. Martha stood to indicate her willingness to be a missionary if God so guided her. She received her MA in 1976 from Valparaiso University. She and Don were married in August of 1976 and she studied with Don at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. They believed God had called them to Japan. They were commissioned as missionaries in 1980 by Liberty Bible Church. The Regiers arrived in Japan on September 1, 1980, as missionaries with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM). Debbie was 11 months old at that time, and Matt was born 2 years later after Don and Martha had studied the Japanese language in Karuizawa, Japan.

They helped to start a new church in Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture, from 1982 until 1988 and then moved to the Tokyo area for Don to work with Word of Life Press Ministries. Over the next 35 years they remained involved in church ministry at the Niiza Bible Church, then Hikarigaoka Bible Church, and finally Asaka Bible Church where she taught English and music to children. Music was a major ministry for Don and Martha throughout their years of service. They sang for many events around the country. The last hour-long concert with message was a Christmas concert at Asaka Bible Church in 2022. Martha was known for her beautiful singing voice. Martha also had a ministry especially to Japanese women meeting in her home with a Weekly English and Bible Class, and a Monthly English Reading Group. A third group meeting in her home was the Monthly English Bible Study that Martha and Don taught together.

Martha gave her life so that Japanese could know that God loves them, and they can receive forgiveness from sin and eternal life by trusting in Jesus Christ. A celebration of her life will be held on March 23, 2024, at 11 AM at Liberty Bible Church in Chesterton, Indiana.

This information and picture were obtained from: https://www.chicagotribune.com/obituaries/martha-lynn-regier-valparaiso/.