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
ELMSHAUSER, JAMES MALCOLM REV., July 22, 1946, Wray, Colo., to March 10, 2016, Hugo, Colo.; son of Rev. Milton and Helen Elmshauser; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1972. Served 1972-2016. Ministries/Parishes: Ft. Collins, Flagler, Arriba, Colo.; Rocky Mountain District Circuit Visitor 2001-2004. Survivors: Mary (McChesney) Elmshauser; son: Michael; daughters: Rebecca, Elizabeth. Funeral and Interment: Flagler, Colo.
ERBE, RONALD A. REV., October 8, 1933, St. Louis, Mo., to March 13, Greenwich, Conn.; son of August and Bertha (Miehe) Erbe; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1960. Served 1960-1999. Ministries/Parishes: Shelbyville, Ind.; Detroit, E. Detroit, Mich.; S. Windsor, Greenwich, Conn. Retired 1999. Survivors: Irmi (Goldschmidt) Erbe; daughters: Carolyn Leonard, Katherine Chagnon; stepson: James Goldschmidt. Funeral: March 16, Greenwich, Conn.; Interment: March 18, 2016, St. Louis, Mo.
FRITZ, JOHN DAVID REV., March 12, 1927, Milwaukee, Wis., to March 7, 2016, Houston, Texas.; son of Herbert and Laura (Schrader) Fritz; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1949. Served 1950-1992. Ministries/Parishes: Amenia, Wheatland, Grand Forks, N.D.; Springfield, Ill.; Houston, Texas; Texas District Circuit Visitor 1990-1992. Retired 1992. Survivors: Eunice (Keuhnert) Fritz; sons: John, Seth, Paul; daughters: Laura Dix, Stephanie Hendrick, Kathryn Scace, Merry Keith, Jennifer Hanzel. Memorial Service: March 19, 2016, Houston, Texas.
HILGENDORF, PAUL ALVIN JR. REV., May 21, 1926, Hood River, Ore., to March 20, 2016, Battleground, Wash.; son of Rev. Paul Sr. and Esther (Krussow) Hilgendorf; graduated Springfield Seminary 1949. Served 1949-1991. Ministries/Parishes: Los Angeles, Indio, Imperial Beach, San Diego, Calif.; Gresham, Ore. Retired 1991. Preceded in death by his daughter Joyce. Survivors: Loretta (Skov) Hilgendorf; son: David; daughters: Jane, Lois. Funeral: April 9, 2016, Gresham. Ore.
HINTZE, OTTO C. JR. REV., March 22, 1923, El Paso, Texas, to March 20, 2016, St. Louis, Mo.; son of Otto Sr. and Pearl (Greene) Hintze; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1947. Served 1948-1988. Ministries/Parishes: Papua, New Guinea, Springfield, Ill.; St. Louis. Mo. Retired 1988. Survivors: Jeannelle (Karcher) Hintze; sons: Rev. David, Charles, Kenneth; daughters: Kathryn Prange, Margaret Frank. Funeral and Interment: March 23, 2016, St. Louis, Mo.
LARSON, WALLACE A. REV., May 3, 1928, La Crosse, Wis., to March 8, 2016, Fargo, N.D.; son of Arnold and Margaret Larson; graduated St. Paul Seminary 1953. Served 1981-1992. Ministries/Parishes: Browns Valley, Beardsley, Minn. Retired 1996. Survivors: Elaine (Helland) Larson; sons: Jair, Zach, Kai; daughters: Gretchen Kaiser, Kecia Medbery, Nada. Funeral and Interment: March 12, 2016, Moorhead, Minn.
LUTZ, EDWARD F. REV., July 19, 1925, Neyyoor, South India, to November 12, 2015, St. Anthony, Minn.; son of Anton and Johanna (Scherer) Lutz; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1950. Served 1950-1990. Ministries/Parishes: Hillsboro, Belleville, Ill.; St. Paul. Minn.; Carthage, Mo. Retired 1990. Survivors: Ellen (Hauke) Lutz; son: Craig; daughters: Rebecca, Susan, Juliana. Funeral: January 23, 2016, Mounds View, Minn.; Interment: November 16, 2015, Minneapolis, Minn.
PERLING, ROY JOHN REV., October 12, 1938, International Falls, Minn., to March 21, 2016, Los Angeles, Calif.; son of Harvey and Viola (Crawford) Perling; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1965. Served 1965-2016. Ministries/Parishes: Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Calif.; Pacific Southwest District Circuit Visitor 1995-1996, 1997-2003. Survivors: Karen (Friedrich) Perling; sons: Daniel, Joseph, John; daughter: Rebekah. Funeral: March 28, 2016, Beverly Hills, Calif.; Interment: March 28, 2016, Inglewood, Calif.
PETERSON, RUSSELL J. REV., September 3, 1926, to March 2, 2016, Manitowoc, Wis.; son of Henry and Dagmar (Dandberg) Peterson. Graduated Springfield Seminary 1966. Served 1966-1991. Ministries/Parishes: Forbes, Albion Township, Kongsberg, Sawyer, N.D.; Groton, S.D.; Pine City, Minn. Retired 1991. Preceded in death by his wife Helen (Suleness) Peterson. Survivors: daughters: Karin Perrault, Kathy Lambert, Karla Kriewall, Krista Jeffries, Paula Fricke. Funeral: March 11, 2016, Two Rivers, Minn.; Interment: March 14, 2016, Minneapolis, Minn.
PRAEUNER, HERBERT O. REV., June 18, 1930, Ft. Scott, Kan., to March 15, 2016, Weston, Wis.; son of Otto and Helene (Brandt) Praeuner; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1956. Served 1956-1992. Ministries/Parishes: Ontonagon, Bergland, Topaz, Mich.; Eau Claire, Wausau, Wis. Retired 1992. Survivors: Ruth (Bauer) Praeuner; son: Thomas; daughters: Mary Osten, Rebecca Hase. Funeral and Interment: March 18, 2016, Wausau, Wis.
SCHULZ, DONALD CHRISTIAN REV., February 3, 1927, Ashland, Wis., to March 6, 2016, Merrill, Wis.; son of Christian and Hilda (Thimm) Schulz; graduated Springfield Seminary 1950. Served 1950-1990. Ministries/Parishes: Phillips, Ogema, Luxemburg, Sheboygan, Merrill, Wis.; North Wisconsin District Circuit Visitor 1999-2001. Retired 1990. Survivors: Ruth (Thimm) Schulz; sons: Paul, Mark; daughters: Christine Michael, Rebecca, Donna. Funeral and Interment: March 10, 2016, Merrill, Wis.
WISE, WILLIAM G. REV., December 24, 1942, Indianapolis, Ind., to February 5, 2016, Destin, Fla.; son of K. Gerald and Gertrude (Bordner) Wise; graduated Springfield Seminary 1970. Served 1970-1990, 1995-1998, 2004-2013. Ministries/Parishes: Orlando, Dunedin, Destin, Fla.; Charlotte, N.C. Retired 2013. Survivors: Dorothy (Duda) Wise; sons: Timothy, Jason; daughters: Patricia Davis, Susan Kummer. Celebration of Life: February 11, 2016, Destin, Fla.; Interment: February 13, 2016, Oviedo, Fla.
Commissioned
BOCKELMAN, BYRON B., April 15, 1936, Kansas City. Mo., to March 12, 2016, Des Moines, Iowa; son of Henry and Pauline Bockelman; graduated Seward 1957. Served 1957-1999. Schools/Ministries: Sidney, Hebron, Neb.; Des Moines, Iowa. Retired 1999. Preceded in death by his wife Suzanne (Krause) Bockelman. Survivors: sons: James, Joel; daughter: Katie. Celebration of Life and Interment: March 18, 2016, Des Moines, Iowa.
KNUDSON, ELLA RUTH (KOKEL), August 8, 1942, Temple, Texas, to December 17, 2015, Panama City, Fla.; daughter of Walter and Clara Kokel; graduated Seward 1964. Served 1973-1992, 1996-2000. School/Ministry: Panama City, Fla. Retired 2000. Preceded in death by her husband Lloyd Knudson. Survivor: Karla Fussell. Funeral and Interment: December 21, 2015, Panama City, Fla.
MUELLER, DELBERT WALTER, December 30, 1927, to February 21, 2016, Minn.; graduated River Forest 1951. Served 1951-1993. Schools/Ministries: Columbia, S.D.; Potter, Wis.; Chicago, Ill. Retired 1993. Preceded in death by his wife Dorleen Mueller. Survivors: son: Paul; daughters: Christine, Lois Winkie. Celebration of Life: June 18, 2016, Potter, Wis.
THIES, RUTH ELEANOR (BAUMANN), June 25, 1928, Elberta, Ala., to January 29, 2016, Madison, Ala.; daughter of Rudolph and Frieda Baumann; graduated River Forest 1952. Served 1987-1993. School/Ministry: Warrington, Fla. Retired 1993. Preceded in death by her husband Rev. John Thies; Survivors: sons: Rev. David, Rev. Daniel, Andrew. Memorial Service and Interment: February 6, 2016, Elberta, Ala.
WILBERT, WARREN NORMAN DR., February 23, 1927, Kohler, Wis., to January 20, 2016, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; son of Norman and Elizabeth (Born) Wilbert; graduated Seward 1950. Served 1950-1993. Schools/Ministries: Detroit, Ann Arbor, Mich.; Seward, Neb.; Springfield, Ill.; Ft. Wayne, Ind. Retired 1993. Preceded in death by his wife Virginia (Kuhlman) Wilbert and daughters Susan and Diann Murphy. Survivors: daughters: Karen Reynolds, Ellen Ahlersmeyer. Funeral: January 25, 2016, Ft. Wayne, Ind.: Interment: Kohler, Wis.
WINTER, PAUL G., May 26, 1935, Merrill, Wis., to March 4, 2016, Bridgman, Mich.; son of Frederich and Amanda (Vogt) Winter; graduated River Forest 1957. Served 1957-1997. Schools/Ministries: Aurora, Ind.; Tigerton, Wis.; Bridgman, Mich. Retired 1997. Survivors: Marion (Pauck) Winter; sons: Jonathan Sr., James; daughters: Elizabeth, Sarah Deckert. Funeral and Interment: March 8, 2016, Bridgman, Mich.
