Longest serving UMC bishop dies at 93
United Methodist bishop Joseph H. Yeakel died July 4 at age 93. At the time of his death, Yeakel had been a United Methodist bishop longer than any episcopal leader still living.
In his more than 70 years of ministry, he led the church through a time of significant transition. As head of the Evangelical United Brethren’s Board of Evangelism, he supported the EUB-Methodist union to form the United Methodist Church.