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
BECKER, DONALD VICTOR REV., May 28, 1928, Farley, Mo., to July 30, 2017, Oak Park, Ill.; son of Rev. Alvin and Martha (Oetting) Becker; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1954. Served 1954-1994. Ministries/Parishes: Emporium, Pa.; Chicago, Ill.; Northern Illinois District Circuit Visitor 1990-1991. Retired 1994. Survivors: Carolyn (Gresens) Becker; sons: David, Martin. Funeral: August 5, 2017, Chicago, Ill.
BETKE, NORMAN EMIL REV., March 30, 1934, Detroit, Mich., to July 27, 2017, Gladwin, Mich.; son of Edward and Mary (Kutzke) Betke; graduated Springfield Seminary 1959. Served 1959-1996. Ministries/Parishes: Fayette, St. Ansgar, Iowa. Retired 1996. Preceded in death by his wife Doris (Dommer) Betke. Survivors: daughters: Rebecca Schoepp, Rachel Mena, Ruth Sandridge, Katherine. Funeral and Interment: August 13, 2017, Gladwin, Mich.
DINGLER, WILLIAM BRYAN REV., September 12, 1928, York, Pa., to August 5, 2017, Kirkwood, Mo.; son of Lester and Nora (Bryan) Dingler; graduated Springfield Seminary 1959. Served 1959-1993. Ministries/Parishes: Taiwan; Highpoint, N.C.; Hong Kong; St. Louis. Mo.; New York, N.Y. Retired 1993. Survivors: Evelyn Campbell; sons: Stephen, Eric; daughters: Sharon Delmore, Brenda Cortopassi, Trina. Memorial Service: August 19, 2017, Kirkwood, Mo.
FISHER, WALTER F. REV., July 11, 1923, Platte Center, Neb., to August 1, 2017, Paris, Texas; son of Rev. Henry and Marie (Stohlman) Fisher; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1947. Served 1947-1987. Ministries/Parishes: Kirkwood, Mo.; Pasadena, Calif.; Elmhurst, Ill. Retired 1987. Preceded in death by his wife Dorothy (Hesemann) Fisher. Survivors: son: Thomas; daughter: Ruth Lestock. Memorial Service: August 5, 2017, Bellmead, Texas; Interment: August 5, 2017, Waco, Texas.
FUHLBRIGGE, KARL A REV., December 21, 1933, Coleman, Wis., to August 28, 2017, Monroe, Mich.; son of Rev. William and Hilda (Rieck) Fuhlbrigge; colloquy 1983. Served 1983-1998. Ministry/Parish: Toledo, Ohio. Retired 1998. Preceded in death by his wife Barbara (Post) Fuhlbrigge. Survivors: Mary (Bork Amolsch) Fuhlbrigge; son: Stefan; daughter: Robin Stearns; step-sons: Kurt, Christian; step-daughter: Katherine Seeliger, Karen Horrigan. Funeral: September 1, 2017, Monroe, Mich.; Interment: September 1, 2017, LaSalle, Mich.
GEORG, DANIEL E. REV., August 3, 1953, Chillicothe, Ohio, to August 21, 2017, Allen, Texas; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1981. Served 1981-1994. Ministries/Parishes: Custer, Hill City, S.D.; Marcus, Iowa; Houston, Texas. Retired 2013. Survivors: son: Daniel II; daughters: Angela, Christina; Funeral: August 25, 2017, Plano, Texas.
GRAHAM, MICHAEL DAVID REV., July 14, 1951, Indiana, to July 11, 2017, Aurora, Ill.; son of James and Julia (Hollis) Graham; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1979. Served 1979-1995, 2008-2017. Ministries/Parishes: Houston, Texas; Guatemala; Aurora, Ill.; Northern Illinois District Circuit Visitor 2009-2017. Survivors: son: James; daughter: Julia. Funeral: July 22, 2017, Aurora, Ill.
HOFFMANN, PETER CARL REV., June 5, 1942, Bronxville, N.Y., to July 25, 2017, Crown Point, Ind. Son of Rev. Oswald and Marcia (Linnell) Hoffmann; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1968. Served 1968-2004. Ministries/Parishes: Swanton, Ohio; Chicago, Ill. Retired 2004. Preceded in death by his wife Elaine (Bicker) Hoffmann. Survivors: sons: Carl, Thomas, Paul, George; daughters: Marcy Elamin. Funeral: August 8, 2017, Lowell, Ind.
NAPIER, PAUL FREDRICK REV., October 17, 1954, St. Louis, Mo., to August 16, 2017, Hampton, Va.; son of Carl Jr. and Ruth Napier; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1980. Served 1980-2004. Ministries/Parishes: Muskegon, Mich.; Seaford, Del.; Hampton, Va. Survivors: Dawn (Mellenthine) Napier; son: John; daughter: Jenna. Funeral and Interment: August 21, 2017, Newport News, Va.
PAULUS, EUGENE ROBERT REV., March 27, 1934, Orange, Calif., to August 2, 2017, Redlands, Calif.; son of William and Alma (Heim) Paulus; graduated Springfield Seminary 1964. Served 1964-1996. Ministries/Parishes: N. Edwards, Tehachapi, Redlands, Calif.; Pacific Southwest Circuit Visitor 1990-1991, 1997-2000. Retired 1996. Preceded in death by his son David. Survivors: Gloria (Zeman) Paulus; son: David; daughters: Miriam Heinicke, Rebecca Bakken. Funeral: August 12, 2017, Redlands, Calif.
RUTZ, WAYNE EDGAR REV., June 20, 1941, Albert Lea, Minn., to August 17, 2017, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; son of Edgar and Selma (Pommsranz) Rutz; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1967. Served 1967-1972, 1975-1977, 1991-2000. Ministries/Parishes: New Orleans, La.; Woodburn, New Haven, Ft. Wayne, Hudson, Ind. Retired 2000. Preceded in death by his wife Evelyn (Schoessow) Rutz. Survivors: Carolina (Rodriguez) Rutz. Funeral: September 9, 2017, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Interment: August 31, 2017, Freistadt, Wis.
SCHLUETER, RICHARD PAUL REV., January 12, 1961, Concordia, Mo., to August 8, 2017, Kirksville, Mo.; son of Omar and Hildegarde (Brunkhorst) Schlueter; graduated St. Louis Seminary 2010. Served 2011-2017. Ministries/Parishes: Kirksville, Milan, Mo. Survivors: Susan (Desselman) Schlueter; daughter: Mikaela. Funeral: August 11, 2017, Kirksville, Mo.; Interment: August 12, 2017, Ernestville, Mo.
SIMON, JOHN M. REV., June 29, 1940, Billings, Mont., to July 28, 2017, Brea, Calif.; son of Rev. John and Ida (Markusen) Simon; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1963. Served 1967-2004. Ministries/Parishes: Panorama City, Garden Grove, Long Beach, Calif. Retired 2004. Survivors: Connie (Baumung) Simon; sons: John, Philip; daughter: Christin. Funeral: August 4, 2017, Brea, Calif.
WEBER, CHARLES WALTER REV., December 4, 1936, Geneva, Neb., to August 22, 2017, Perryville. Mo.; son of Walter and Ruth (Goehring) Weber; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1993. Served 1993-2005. Ministry/Parish: Altenburg, Mo. Retired 2005. Funeral and Interment: August 26, 2017, Altenburg, Mo.
WUENSCHE, REINHARD HERMAN JR. REV., June 13, 1945, Three Rivers, Texas, to July 25, 2017, Huntsville, Texas; son of Rev. Reinhard Sr. and Margaret Wuensche; graduated Springfield Seminary 1975. Served 1975-2009. Ministries/Parishes: Taylor, Ft. Worth, Houston, Huntsville, Texas.; Texas District Circuit Visitor 1978-1988. Retired 2009. Survivors: Patricia (Screws) Wuensche; sons: John, Stephen, David; daughter: Karen. Funeral and Interment: July 30, 2017, Huntsville, Texas.
COMMISSIONED
GERHARDT, ELSIE A., April 7, 1935, Jackson, Wis., to December 18, 2016, West Bend, Wis.; daughter of Edwin and Viola (Benicke) Gerhardt; graduated River Forest 1957. Served 1973-2016. School/Ministry: West Bend, Wis. Funeral and Interment: December 22, 2016, Jackson, Wis.
HOEFT, TERRY L., March 6, 1948, Dearborn, Mich., to August 21, 2017, Livonia, Mich.; graduated Seward 1971. Served 1971-1977, 2008-2014. Schools/Ministries: Farmington Hills, Royal Oak, Mich. Retired 2017. Survivors: Karen (Ging) Hoeft; sons: Daniel, James, Charles. Funeral: August 26, 2017, Livonia, Mich.
KRACH, GEORGE M. JR., December 9, 1929, Detroit, Mich., to July 20, 2017, Gladwin, Mich.; son of Rev. George Sr. and Elsie (Koch) Krach; graduated River Forest 1953. Served 1953-1993. Schools/Ministries: Saginaw, Lincoln Park, Mich. Retired 1993. Preceded in death by his wife Carol (Loesch) Krach and son Gary. Survivors: sons: Rev. James, David. Celebration of life and Interment: July 25, 2017, Saginaw, Mich.
ROMERO, JOHN BARRETT, June 6, 1944, Gustine, Calif., to March 14, 2017, Lawton, Okla.; son of Juan and Bertha Romero; colloquy 2002. Served 2004-2010. School/Ministry: Tacoma, Wash. Survivors: Bonnie (McLeon) Romero; son: Richard; daughters: Rita Anderson, Nickie Finn. Memorial Service: March 25, 2017, Lawton, Okla.
WAAK, LEMOYNE D., March 10,1928, Polk, Neb., to August 4, 2017, Sterling Heights, Mich.; son of Carl and Frieda (Stach) Waak; graduated Seward 1950. Served 1950-1991. Schools/Ministries: Osmond, Kenesaw, Neb.; Menlo Park, Calif.; Harper Woods, Mich. Retired 1991. Survivors: Vera (Lovercamp) Waak; sons: Craig, Scott; daughter: Pamela Mahowald. Funeral: August 8, 2017, Fraser, Mich: Interment: Rochester Hills, Mich.
