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Pilgrimage to Hollywood

by Keith Sprunger

What does Bethel have to do with Hollywood? Not much, most of the time. But once upon a time there was a Hollywood chapter in Bethel's history.

It began with David Goerz. He was born in Russia and immigrated with other Mennonites to Kansas in 1873. Along with his business, he devoted his life to work on behalf of the Mennonite church and the college. To Goerz, along with J. J. Krehbiel and Bernhard Warkentin, the three chief "founders of the college," goes much of the credit for getting Bethel chartered in 1887 and finally operating as an educational institution in 1893.

Goerz was secretary of the Bethel board of directors for many years, and he was the big money raiser. He also functioned as on-campus business manager. He served as head pastor of the Bethel College Mennonite Church. Very little concerning Bethel College in the early days did not involve Goerz. In soliciting donations for Bethel, he never took no for an answer. So successful was he in his fund-raising that he got the nickname - in some quarters - as the "Beggar from Bethel."

The name "Goerz" is familiar to us at Bethel. As reminders of his life and work, we have Goerz Avenue and, of course, Goerz House. The stately house on College Avenue, now the home of Bethel presidents, was originally the home of the Goerz family. Goerz was married to Helene van Riesen. Due to failing health, Goerz resigned from the college in 1909, and he and his wife moved west to Upland, Calif. The hope was that the climate would be beneficial. Perhaps it helped a bit, but he died there in 1914, in his 65th year. The obituary says he was buried in the Hollywood Cemetery. Why the family chose Hollywood - Land of Golden Dreams - as the final resting place is not known.

As we approach the 125th anniversary of the college and have been reviewing our history, the story of David Goerz came to mind. How could we at Bethel honor his life and service in that far-off place? A little checking revealed that "Hollywood Cemetery" was probably the fashionable cemetery today known as "Forever Hollywood." We commissioned Jim Lichti, historian and Bethel alumnus ('75) who lives in the Los Angeles area, to make a "David Goerz Pilgrimage to Hollywood" on behalf of the college.

Jim, accompanied by Ted Loewen '71 and Fran Lichti Loewen '72, made the trip to Forever Hollywood and found the place of burial of David and Helene Goerz. They laid some flowers, took photos and, no doubt, spoke some appropriate words.

Jim reported: "We thought it a surprisingly imposing marker. Not ostentatious at all, still it was in close proximity to many illustrious Hollywood figures. Closest is Darren McGavin, who is best known for his role as the father in A Christmas Story, and nearby the grave of the fashion critic Blackwell. Across the road are Adolphe Monjou and John Huston. On the other side of a picturesque lake is the mausoleum with Rodolf Valentino, Peter Lorre and many other Hollywood figures. It is a particularly pleasant section of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery."

The inscriptions read: "David Goerz, June 2, 1849 - May 7, 1914" and "Helene Goerz, May 17, 1851 - Nov. 7, 1928." David and Helene Goerz had quite a life: Born in Russia, lived in Kansas, ended in Hollywood.

Keith Sprunger, Oswald H. Wedel Professor Emeritus of History, is working on a history of Bethel College to be completed in 2012.