In Memoriam
Obituary information is provided by district offices to the Synod’s Office of Rosters and Statistics. Any questions about content should be referred, therefore, to the appropriate district office. — Ed.
Ordained
ADETIBA, BENJAMIN AUDU REV., August 24, 1946, Okeagbe, Nigera, to August 15, 2015, Milwaukee, Wis.; son of Adetiba and Omojola (Rawa) Adetiba; graduated St. Louis Seminary 2014. Served 2015. Ministry/Parish: Milwaukee, Wis. Survivors: Sarah (Dada) Adetiba; sons: Gbenya, Olufemi, Sola; daughters: Toyin, Seun, Yemi. Funeral and Interment: August 28, 2015, Milwaukee, Wis.
BIESENTHAL, WALTER LEROY REV., October 18, 1924, Haileybury, Ontario, Canada, to September 3, 2015, St. Louis, Mo.; son of Rev. Walter and Norma (Brunworth) Biesenthal; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1948. Served 1948-1990; 1997-2000. Ministries/Parishes: Detroit, Southgate, Wyandotte, Utica, Mich.; St. Louis, Kirkwood, Mo. Retired 2000. Preceded in death by his wife Marie (Archibald) Biesenthal. Survivors: son: Bruce; daughter: Kim Markland. Funeral: September 8, 2015, Kirkwood, Mo; Interment: September 8, 2015, St. Louis, Mo.
BOERGER, JOHN ALFRED II REV., December 8, 1931, Cascade, Wis., to August 19, 2015, Lansing, Mich.; son of Rev. John I and Martha (Krenzke) Boerger; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1956. Served 1956-1994. Ministries/Parishes: Burlington, Aliceville, Kan.; Caro, Flint, Dearborn, Mich. Retired 1994. Survivors: Fay (Lindeman) Boerger; sons: Daniel, John III, Joel; daughters: Jeanette Dixon, Martha Wohlfeil. Memorial Service: August 24, 2015, Grand Ledge, Mich; cremation.
CARLSON, LAURENCE H. JR. REV., September 7, 1943, Chicago, Ill., to August 20, 2015, Perth, Australia; son of Laurence Sr. and Lorine (Mau) Carlson; graduated Springfield 1970. Served 1973-2015. Ministries/Parishes: Merrill, Wis.; Piedmont, Calif.; Pt. Charlotte, Fla.; Forest Green, Mo. Funeral and Interment: September 10, 2015, Forest Green, Mo.
DEVAN, EDWARD JOHN REV., March 7, 1928, Bayside, N.Y., to July 29, 2015, York, Pa.; son of Stefan and Elizabeth (Tallo) Devan; graduated Springfield Seminary 1957. Served 1957-1995. Ministries/Parishes: Irmo, S.C.; High Point, N.C.; Baltimore, Md.; York, Pa. Retired 1995. Preceded in death by his son Eric. Survivors: Joyce (Gibbs) Devan; sons: Mark, Lawrence, Philip; daughters: Suzanne Fitzhenry, Kristine Villavicencio. Funeral and Interment: August 4, 2015, York, Pa.
FRERKING, ROBERT D. REV., October 10, 1935, Charlotte, N.C., to August 3, 2015, Bella Vista, Ark.; son of Rev. Leslie and Metta (Drumm) Frerking; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1961. Served 1961-1969; 1970-1995. Ministries/Parishes: Santa Clara, Calif.; St. Louis, Monroe City, Hannibal, Kansas City, Mo.; Washington, D.C. Retired 1995. Survivors: Sadie Frerking; sons: Stuart, Thaddeus; daughters: Annette, Renee Koehn, Sarah Arnold. Memorial Service: Corder, Mo.
GABBERT, LAMBERT G. REV., September 16, 1931, Hollyrood, Kan., to August 6, 2015, Tampa, Fla.; son of Paul and Margaret (Bondel) Gabbert; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1956. Served 1956-1995. Ministries/Parishes: Casey, Boone, Dubuque, Iowa; Kingsport, Tenn.; Greeley, Colo.; Retired 1995. Preceded in death by his wife Carole (Diebold) Gabbert. Survivors: sons: Michael, Jeffrey, Timothy; daughters: Susan Foos, Sharon Small, Karen Faircloth. Funeral: August 12, 2015, Tampa, Fla.
GIBSON, GEORGE JR. REV., February 26, 1938, Yonkers, N.Y., to July 15, 2015, College Station, Texas; son of George Sr. and Marie (Winterstein) Gibson; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1964. Served 1964-1983; 1985-1996. Ministries/Parishes: Bradford, Pa.; Troy, Mo.; Little Rock, Waldenburg, Ark.; Navasota, Texas. Retired 1996. Survivors: Marie (Strieter) Gibson; sons: Brian, Andrew; daughter: Katherine Fritz. Celebration of Life: July 20, 2015, College Station, Texas.
KETTLER, EARL CORNELIUS REV., September 7, 1921, Deerfield, Kan., to August 3, 2015, Dayton, Ohio; son of August Jr. and Meta (Penner) Kettler; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1947. Served 1947-1984. Ministries/Parishes: Hot Springs, N.M.; U.S. Army Chaplain; Hagerstown, Hancock, Silver Springs, Md. Retired 1984. Survivors: Doris (Hentschel) Kettler; daughters: Mary Mulford, Jean Wilcox, Carol Sattler. Funeral: August 11, 2015, Centerville, Ohio.
KNAPP, RICHARD SPELMAN REV., September 16, 1942, Staten Island, N.Y., to April 25, 2015, Durham N.C.; son of Walter and Kate (Spelman) Knapp; Alternate Route St. Louis Seminary 2004. Served 2004-2009; 2011-2014. Ministries/Parishes: Gonzales, La.; Casselberry, Key West, Fla. Survivors: Diana (Barclay) Knapp; sons: Richard Jr., Peter; daughters: Kimberly Tesoro, Carla Campbell, Jennifer Tyska, Holly Hogarth. Funeral: May 9, 2015, Casselberry, Fla.; Interment: May 9, 2015, Edgewater, Fla.
KROUT, LOREN RICHARD REV., November 23, 1929, Adrian, Mich., to September 7, 2015, DeKalb, Ill.; son of Elmer and Irene (Schneider) Krout; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1957. Served 1957-1986. Ministries/Parishes: Rosebud, Cameron, Texas; Cole Camp, Mo., Pada, Kan.; Sycamore, Ill. Missouri District Circuit Visitor 1965-1966. Retired 1991. Preceded in death by his wife Vernice (Miertschin) Krout. Survivors: sons: Jonathan, David, Daniel; daughters: Mary Helwig, Susan Lyon. Funeral: September 12, 2015, DeKalb, Ill.; Interment: Adrian, Mich.
LEITZE, WALTER E. JR. REV., June 13, 1932, St. Paul, Minn., to June 21, 2015, Eagan, Minn. colloquy 2007. Joined LCMS as Emeritus 2007. Survivors: Mary Beth Leitze; sons: Edward, Mark; daughters: Amy, Mary, Leeanne. Funeral: July 8, 2015, Eagan, Minn. and Cambridge, Minn.
LINEN, ELMER E. REV., May 30, 1927, Tichfield, Saskatoon, Canada, to July 28, 2015, Calif.; son of Albert and Sylvia (Liimatainen) Linen; graduated Springfield Seminary 1952. Served 1952-1992; 1994-1996; 2000-2002. Ministries/Parishes: Maynard, Acton, Plymouth, Westminster, Gardner, Mass.; Troy, New Ipswich, N.H.; Joliet, Ill.; Croydon, Pa.; New Egypt, N.J.; New York Mills, Wadena, Minn. Eastern District Circuit Visitor 1981-1988. Retired 1992. Survivors: Elen (Ojanen Rantala) Linen; sons: Mark, Jonathan, Victor Rantala, John Rantala; daughters: Deborah Foster, Kay Schroeder, Amy Rantala.
LUBBEN, LOWELL L. REV., September 14, 1934, Wheaton, Minn., to May 11, 2015, Apple Valley, Minn.; son of Gerd and Sophia (Weber) Lubben; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1959. Served 1959-1994. Ministries/Parishes: Council Bluffs, Ames, Sioux City, Iowa; Mahwah, N.J.; Mayer, Circle Pines, Sherburn, Minn. Minnesota South District Circuit Visitor 1998-1999. Retired 1994. Survivors: Dorothy (Hoffmann) Lubben; sons: Wayne, Andrew; daughters: Kristin, Melissa. Funeral: May 30, 2015, South St. Paul, Minn.; cremation.
MYERS, ROBERT FRANK REV., May 21, 1942, Cleveland, Ohio, to July 16, 2015, St. Paul, Minn.; son of LeRoy and Coradine Myers; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1968. Served 1968-2011. Ministries/Parishes: Bryans Road, Md.; Matteson, Roselle, Ill.; Columbus, Ind.; Olmsted Falls, Ohio. Retired 2011. Survivors: Mary (Fuchssteiner) Myers; son: Jeremy; daughter: Jennifer Sollberger. Funeral: July 22, 2015, St. Paul, Minn.
RICHTER, THEODORE MARTIN REV., November 10, 1941, Cole Camp, Mo., to August 11, 2015, Riverside, Calif.; colloquy 1985. Served 1985-2009; 2012. Ministries/Parishes: Greenville, Miss.; Palm Coast, Mexico Beach, Fla.; Dothan, Ala. English District Circuit Visitor 1991-1995. Retired 2012. Survivors: Cecilia (Gruenwald) Richter; sons: Matthew, Jonathan. Funeral: August 16, 2015; Riverside, Calif.
SCHUBERT, GARY THOMPSON REV., June 6, 1937, Milwaukee, Wis., to June 27, 2015, St. Louis, Mo.; son of William and Loyola (Thompson) Schubert; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1963. Served 1963-1988; 1996-2007. Ministries/Parishes: Clyde, Buffalo, N.Y.; Philadelphia, Pa.; St. Louis, Spanish Lake, Mo. Retired 2007. Survivors: Karin (Nelson) Schubert; sons: William, Bruce; daughters: Amy, Melissa. Memorial Service: July 12, 2015, Soulard, Mo.
THOMASON, WARREN JAMES REV., September 15, 1937, Duluth, Minn., to July 9, 2015, St. Petersburg, Fla.; Stewart and Gladys Thomason; graduated St. Catharine’s Seminary. Served 1990-2002. Ministry/Parish: Englewood, Fla. Retired 2002. Survivors: Peggy Thomason; sons: Troy, Trent; daughters: Annette Hudson, Karen Sladen. Funeral: July 18, 2015, St. Petersburg, Fla.
VAVROCH, JOHN ANTHONY REV., February 20, 1937, Cleveland, Ohio, to August 16, 2015, Brenham, Texas; son of Joseph and Tillie (Vachar) Vavroch; graduated Springfield Seminary 1963. Served 1963-1965; 1987-2007. Ministries/Parishes: Sugar Grove, Luray, Kent, Cleveland, Ohio. Ohio District Circuit Visitor 1994-2000. Retired 2007. Survivors: Sharon; sons: John Jr., David; daughter: Kristin. Funeral: August 22, 2015, Brenham, Texas; Interment: August 16, 2015, Brenham, Texas.
Commissioned
EBERHARD, LOUIS CHARLES, May 22, 1926, Hampton, Neb., to July 11, 2015, Greeley, Colo.; son of Charles and Ottilie (Podolski) Eberhard; graduated Seward 1946. Served 1946-1989. Schools/Ministries: La Montebello, Calif.; Antigo, Wis.; Greeley, Brighton, Colo. Retired 1991. Survivors: Bernice (Dunker) Eberhard; sons: Gerald, Ronald; daughter: Melanie Brye. Funeral: July 21, 2015, Greeley, Colo.; Internment: July 21, 2015, Brighton, Colo.
PETER, MARILYNN JOYCE (KURTH), December 16, 1932, El Paso, Ill., to December 10, 2014, Shawnee, Kans.; daughter of Irvine and Sena Kurth; graduated Seward 1953. Served 1984-1992. School/Ministry: Orange, CA. Retried 2005. Preceded in death by her son Bradford. Survivors: Herbert Peter; daughter Brenda Bohaty. Funeral and Interment: December 16, 2014, Shawnee, Kans.
PICKELMANN, HENRY M., June 27, 1947, Saginaw, Mich., to August 30, 2015, Bay City, Mich.; son of Edmund and Edna Pickelmann; graduated River Forest 1969. Served 1969-2012. Schools Ministries: Summitt, Ill.; Bay City, Mich. Retired 2012. Survivors: Janet (Baacke) Pickelmann; son: Jonathon; daughter: Jennifer Krueger. Memorial Service: September 4, 2015, Bay City, Mich.; Interment: September 4, 2015, Frankenmuth, Mich.
