Rev. Gish received his B.A. from the College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio in 1948. He received his B.D. from McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois in 1951. He was ordained in the Presbytery of Western Michigan. He spent nine years as pastor of the Niles Community Presbyterian Church of Niles, Illinois before accepting the call to Hoge Memorial.

The installation service at Hoge was held on September 19, 1965 at 7:30 pm. The participants in the service of installation included:

The Rev. Paul R. Spierling D.D., who was the minister of Broad Street Presbyterian Church, and Columbus Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Columbus

The Rev. E. Bert Bonte, who was minister of Boulevard Presbyterian Church, Columbus Chairman of Ministerial Relations Committee of the Presbytery of Columbus

The Rev. Robert J. Butz, who was the minister of Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Columbus

Dr. H. Grant Mason, who was the General Presbyter of the Presbytery of Columbus

Mr. Robert Wilson, Clerk of Session at Hoge Memorial Presbyterian Church

There is not much documentation about the life of the church during his eight years here. Rev. Gish remained the pastor at Hoge until 1973. He and his wife retired to Pickerington, Ohio.

WE REMEMBER:

“A truly honest, easy going man. A more down to earth man did not exist. He and my dad, Charles L, played many rounds of golf. I will always remember when, as an usher, I took the collection plate up, handed it to him and he just burst out laughing. Naturally it was because I had put a golf ball in the plate and it was rolling around like crazy.” - Gary L.