Dwight Julius McFadden Jr.

Dwight Julius McFadden Jr., 77, of Frost, Texas, passed away peacefully at home on August 14, 2026, following a long battle with dementia-related illness. He was under the compassionate care of hospice and his devoted wife, Pamela, at the time of his passing. Dwight was born on July 22, 1949, at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, to Dwight Julius McFadden Sr. and Hester (Ball) McFadden. He was the oldest of six children, and from an early age he felt a deep responsibility to look after his younger siblings and keep them safe. His childhood in Chicago was not an easy one, but it shaped the man he would become - someone who devoted his life to protecting and nurturing those he loved. After graduating from Hyde Park High School in Chicago in 1967, Dwight traveled two hours from home to attend Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana, where he earned his undergraduate degree, and later went on to earn an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. It was at Goshen College that he met Joyce (Good) McFadden, whom he married. Together they made their home in Goshen and began raising their three sons there, before ultimately moving as a family to New Holland, Pennsylvania. Throughout this time, Dwight built a career as a Human Resources executive with several companies and organizations, including Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). He also felt called to ministry, serving as a Pastor in the Mennonite Church, and on multiple boards of the Mennonite Church, including the Board of Mennonite Health Services and the Board of Trustees of Eastern Mennonite University. He was the first General Secretary for Black Affairs in the Mennonite Church in 1976 and eventually rose to serve as the first African American Moderator of the Mennonite Church in 1997. With each of these roles he was known for the patient and articulate manner in which he dealt with conflict within the church. Above every title he held, Dwight considered himself first and always a devoted father and family man, determined to raise his three boys to be good, successful men - and by every measure, he succeeded. Later in life, he found love again and married Pamela (Mendonca) McFadden, who became his steadfast partner and companion for the rest of his life. Those who knew Dwight remember a man who could strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, about anything. Literally anything. He loved a good round of golf and a day of fishing with friends. On the basketball court he was known for an unstoppable bank shot from the right block. He journeyed far and wide, always appreciated a good (or even a bad) action movie, and seemed perfectly content unwinding in front of the TV after a long day. He was a morning person who loved to cook and enjoyed serving up a hot breakfast with a cheerful tune. Every summer, he proudly manned the grill and served his own homemade barbecue sauce and recipes, a tradition friends and family looked forward to all year. Above all, he was fiercely protective of his family, and even more fiercely proud of them. Dwight's life was a testament to the belief that we can always give the people we love more than what we were given. He will be deeply missed. Dwight is survived by his wife, Pamela McFadden, of Frost, Texas; his three sons and their families: D.J. McFadden (Dwight Julius McFadden III) and his wife Susan Lehman of Millersburg, Ohio and their children William and Edward; Shad McFadden and his wife Melissa of Los Angeles, California and their children Lola and Delaney; and Joel McFadden and his wife Cara of Los Angeles, California and their children Aubrey, Colette and Kaia. He is further survived by his siblings, Michael McFadden, Charlotte White, Brenda Smith, and David Gratton, along with a host of nieces and nephews. Dwight was preceded in death by his parents, Dwight Julius McFadden Sr. and Hester (Ball) McFadden, and his brother, Chifford McFadden. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to dementia research or the Alzheimer's Association in their loved one's memory.

Dwight Julius McFadden Jr.

July 22, 1949 - August 14, 2026