Dr. Irene Johnson Gatewood
Missionary to women and children in post-war Germany
Irene Johnson Gatewood was a missionary in Germany from 1948-1957 and 1963-1981. She organized and taught Bible classes for wives of American servicemen, inaugurated an annual Womens’ Retreat, started several youth groups and began a summer Bible camp program. She also initiated Christian kindergartens at two churches in Frankfort, Germany, where she continued to share with her students and their families her unshakable confidence in God and her vibrant love of life. She was a member of Harding’s faculty, teaching history from 1947-48 and 1957-63. She later lived in Vienna, Austria for many years where she taught English and history at European Christian College.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and journalism from Arkansas State University in, a master’s degree in European history from the University of Missouri, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by Harding University in 1985. She passed away in 2007 at the age of 90.