Our beloved Brother Daniel Dumitru peacefully went to sleep in the Lord on August 18, 2018, at the age of 86.
Born to Romanian immigrants in Argentina on April 11, 1932, Brother Dumitru eagerly took an active interest in the colporteur work even in childhood. Early on, it was evident that the Lord had bestowed upon him a special talent for this vital branch of service; it was his greatest joy to spread the gospel especially through printed materials.
Brother Dumitru was a champion colporteur when he emigrated to Brazil. There, he first served as a delegate to the General Conference session in 1955. In 1958, he left Brazil to canvass throughout several countries in South and Central America—and the next year he arrived in the United States. There he made his home in Los Angeles, California and drove long distances colporteuring, sometimes with a friend (during some years it was Felipe Garcia and/or Benjamin Burec) but most often alone. He journeyed by car with books, traveling all the way to Guatemala via Mexico as well as to many parts of the United States.
In December 1966, he married Sister Ivone Cabrera of Brazil and they made their home together in Los Angeles. He would go to sell the books and she would deliver them—and the Lord prospered their labors doing full-time colporteur work in the United States, especially in the Spanish language.
In 1971, Brother Dumitru was again a delegate to the General Conference and was a member of the GC Literature Department. In that year he was also ordained as a minister. He served some years as President of the Southwest U.S. Field and later of the Southeast U.S. Field. The following list shows the active service he was elected to render to the General Conference:
1975: Director of the Missionary/Colporteur Departments
1979: Regional Secretary for North America, member of the Ministerial Council.
1983: Member of the Bylaws Committee; GC Council; Colporteur Department; Ministerial Committee.
1987: GC Vice President; delegate representing Romania; Colporteur Department; Ministerial Committee; Executive Committee; Publications Approval Board.
1991: Chairman of the GC Session; GC Vice President; Executive Committee; GC Council; Doctrinal Council.
1995: Departmental director of the Reformation Herald Publishing Association; GC Council; Executive Committee.
1999: Re-elected as departmental director of the Reformation Herald Publishing Assocation; Bylaws Committee; Executive Committee; GC Council.
2003: Retired; Publications Approval Board (again in 2011).
Brother Dumitru was a cheerful man of courage with a genuine burden for souls. During the early years that he served as a General Conference officer—particularly while Missionary/Colporteur leader—funds were scarce and in order to economize, it was not feasible to travel internationally to various continents and then return home quickly. Often he was constrained to be apart from wife and children for 3–9 months at a time. At great personal risk, for the sake of souls he ventured into places where Christian believers were suffering under governmental restrictions. As the apostle explains, “The love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Corinthians 5:14).
Brother Dumitru is survived by his dear wife, Ivone, and three grown children, Daniel Lysander, Dylean, and Denise and their spouses, as well as six grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Sabbath, August 25 at 2:30 p.m. at the SDARM Sacramento Church at 5770 Martin Luther King Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95824. The funeral and interment will begin on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. at the Moriah Heights property at 240 Highway 16, Plymouth CA 95669.
Yes, a faithful soldier of the cross has been laid to rest, but we trust that he will soon be resurrected with those of whom it is declared: “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Revelation 14:13). Amen.