Dr. Hudson Taylor Armerding, 91, former president of Wheaton (IL.) College, died Dec. 1, 2009. He had been a resident of Windsor Park Manor in Carol Stream, Ill. since 2007.

Dr. Armerding was born June 21, 1918 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to the late Carl and Eva Armerding. He attended schools there, in Dallas, Texas, and San Diego, California. For two years after high school he lived in Wellington, New Zealand, working on a sheep and cattle ranch for one year and then for the British Corporation, Leyland, before returning to the United States to attend Wheaton College. After his graduation in 1941 with a major in History, he pursued graduate studies at Clark University in Massachusetts and was awarded an M.A. in International Affairs in 1942.

He enlisted in the United States Navy and served as a line officer aboard the Wichita, a heavy cruiser, in the Pacific until the war with Japan ended. His ship participated in 11 naval engagements. Following the signing of the peace, he liberated a prisoner-of-war camp south of the Japanese City of Nagasaki. After the war he continued in the Naval Reserve until 1996, retiring with the rank of commander.

He pursued further studies at the University of Chicago after leaving active duty and received the Ph.D. in History in 1948.

He married Miriam Bailey in 1944. He and his wife studied Chinese at Harvard University and were accepted by the China Inland Mission (now OMF International). Because of the Communist takeover, however, the Armerdings were unable to go to China. Instead, he became pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Brockton, Mass, for several years, and then became involved in Christian higher education.

Dr. Armerding was professor, academic executive administrator, dean and acting president at Gordon College and Seminary in Wenham, Mass. from 1949-1961, and professor, provost, and president at Wheaton College from 1961 until 1982. From 1985 through 1999 he was vice president of the Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community in Pennsylvania. He served as counselor-in-residence of that organization through 2006.

He was president of the National Association of Evangelicals and of the World Evangelical Fellowship. He was on the U.S. Council of the Overseas Missionary Fellowship.

He edited "Christianity and the World of Thought" and authored "A Word to the Wise," "The Heart of Godly Leadership" and "The Hand of God"

Dr. Armerding was also director of the American Association of Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities; chairman of the Board of Trustees at Columbia International University; an emeritus member of the Board of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis; an emeritus member of the Board of Wheaton College; and a member of the Executive Committee of the Christian College Consortium.

He held membership in Phi Gamma Mu, Phi Kappa Delta, Wheaton College Scholastic Honor Society, Officers' Christian Fellowship, and the American Legion. He was an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and served as an OCF Minister-at-Large from 1983 through 2006.

Dr. Armerding was given honorary degrees from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Houghton College, Greenville College, Asbury College, John Brown University, Philadelphia Theological Seminary, and an honorary doctorate from Colorado Christian University.

In 1997 the National Association of Evangelicals at their annual meeting presented the J. Elwin Wright Award to him for his contribution to evangelical cooperation.

In 2007 Dr. Armerding moved from Pennysylvania to Carol Stream, Illinois.

He is survived by five children: Carreen Smith, and her husband, the Rev. Paul R. Smith, of Seattle; H. Taylor Armerding II and his wife, Linda, of Ipswich, Mass,; Dr. Paul Armerding and his wife, Laurel, of Hood River, Ore.; Mimi Swisher and her husband Paul, of Spearfish, S.D.; and Jonathan Armerding and his wife, Debbie, of Albuquerque, N.M.; sisters Winnifred Lynn of Windsor, Ont. and Geraldine McIver, of Farwell, Minn.; 18 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Miriam; and a sister, Evangeline Louise Hermanson of California.

A visitation will be held on Friday, December 11, from 3-9 P.M. in the Commons at College Church in Wheaton, 332 E. Seminary Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187, where funeral services will be held in the sanctuary on Saturday, December 12, at 11:00 A.M. Interment will be private.

Memorials may be directed to: Wheaton College, Officers' Christian Fellowship, Overseas Missionary Fellowship, Columbia International University or Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community.

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.