Reuben S. Esh

Reuben S. Esh, age 51, of Garnett, Kansas, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, February 3, 2024.
Reuben Smucker Esh was born on October 19, 1972 to John and Sara Esh in Narvon, Pennsylvania. He was the first born of six in his family and loved each of his siblings dearly. Reuben grew up in Lancaster County and moved to the Garnett, Kansas area in 2003. Reuben's life was changed at age 24 when he had an encounter with Jesus that completely transformed him. On October 25, 1997, he married the love of his life, Marilyn Yoder. They enjoyed 26 beautiful years together. In 1998, he was ordained as a minister in Spring Garden Church, Lancaster County. This started a lifelong passion to bring people to Jesus. Reuben was a lifelong builder in every sense, from barns and companies, to people, to churches, to community. As a young boy, Reuben worked alongside his father, learning to build barns in the family business known as Fetterville Sales, while completing everything with excellence. Reuben's standards of excellence and his work ethic enabled him to do many things in many different fields, each blessing others along the way. He was an entrepreneur through and through and was never happy without two or three or fifty projects at any given time. Over the years he started and built multiple construction companies. In 2019, Reuben and his business partner, Sam Stoltzfus opened the Dutch Country Cafe in Garnett. The restaurant fulfilled a vision of bringing the community together and he loved spending time connecting with people over coffee at the restaurant. Reuben's hobbies were building and creating, but he also enjoyed his time in the clouds after he earned his pilot's license. Since 2003, Reuben has served as the pastor of Beacon of Truth Ministries. He was excited for the church's growth and the relocation to their new home in Garnett as Beacon House of Worship in 2022. One of his greatest passion projects was Operation Metamorphosis in Spanish Lookout, Belize, where he spent time pouring into the lives of his students. He loved his churches, seeing lives changed, and overseas missions. Some of his most treasured times were traveling with his family, taking care of his ranch, and spending time with his loved ones, his own children and his spiritual children.
He was preceded in death by his father, John Esh; infant brothers, Jonathan and Ivan; and his mother-in-law Katie Yoder.
Reuben is survived by his wife Marilyn, children Shaina, Amber, Kiana, Moriah, and Josiah; mother, Sara Esh; father-in-law, Lester Yoder; three sisters and two brothers, Barbara S. Esh and husband, Daniel, Ruth S. Glick and husband, Lloyd, Elmer K. Esh and wife, Mary, Daniel L. Esh and wife, Christina, Susanne S. Stoltzfus and husband, Steven, and countless in-laws, uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews.
A celebration of Reuben's life will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, February 9, 2024, at Beacon House of Worship, 23031 1750 Rd, Garnett, Kansas. The family will greet friends from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday evening at the church. Memorial contributions in Reuben's honor may be made to Beacon House of Worship (for the mission fund) and sent in care of the Feuerborn Family Funeral Services, PO BOX 408, Garnett, Kansas 66032. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com .