Eileen Emch, longtime missionary to Russia, dies at 68
Eileen Emch, a self-described “Amerikanka” who served as a missionary in Russia for 22 years, died unexpectedly in her sleep, friends from her supporting congregation announced Saturday.
Emch, 68, worked with a Church of Christ in Rostov-on-Don, a port city on the Sea of Azov in southwestern Russia. She recently relocated to Dallas, where she planned to continue serving the Prestoncrest Church of Christ as the congregation’s librarian. Days before her death she had served as a volunteer for the church’s Vacation Bible School, preaching minister Gordon Dabbs told The Christian Chronicle.
Eileen Emch visits Mount Ararat in Turkey in 2019.
In a June 4 social media post, Emch wrote, “I’ve been in Russia 22-plus years, including the weird and wacky COVID year. My Prestoncrest ‘missions heroes’ have nudged me to consider relocating and I agree. This seems like the right time to move back. Lots of thoughts, emotions and memories.”
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