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
COX, J. ARTHUR REV., Aug. 5, 1940, Utica, N.Y., to Feb. 2, 2018, Bradford, Pa.; son of James and Margaret (Craig) Cox; graduated Springfield Seminary 1975. Served 1975-2000. Ministry/Parish: Bradford, Pa. Retired 2000. Survivors: Mahailie (Tillson) Cox; son: James; daughter: Deborah Barber. Funeral and Interment: Feb. 6, 2018, Bradford, Pa.
DRUM, GERARD W. SR. REV., March 13, 1934, Elmira, N.Y., to Feb. 15, 2018, Cohocton, N.Y.; son of Walter and Edith (Zeh) Drum; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1959. Served 1959-1996, 2010-2018. Ministries/Parishes: Gowanstown, Mt. Forest, Ontario, Canada; Allegany, Cohocton, N.Y.; Eastern District Circuit Visitor 1985-1986. Survivors: Earline (Bradley) Drum; sons: Gerard Jr., Scott, Christopher, Joshua; daughter: Deborah Balcerzak. Funeral: Feb. 19, 2018. Cohocton, N.Y.
GETTIS, GERALD REV., Dec. 19, 1940, Salem Ore., to Jan. 16, 2018, Mesa, Ariz.; son of Earland and Clara (Cunningham) Gettis; colloquy 2007. Served 2008-2013. Ministry/Parish: Mesa, Ariz. Retired 2013. Survivors: Shirley (Benoit) Gettis; sons: David, John, Matthew, Daniel; daughters: Claire, Joanna. Funeral: Jan. 20, 2018, Gilbert, Ariz.; Interment: Jan. 20, 2018, Mesa, Ariz.
GERIKE, KENNETH JOHN REV., Feb. 25, 1949, St. Louis, Mo., to Jan. 28, 2018, Columbia, Mo.; son of Ernest and Vera (Roschke) Gerike; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1975. Served 1975-2018. Ministries/Parishes: Kendallville, Ind.; Columbia, Mo. Preceded in death by his wife Darleen (Dobberstein) Gerike. Survivors: sons: Matthew, Andrew; daughters: Kristen, Rachel Breeden. Funeral: Feb. 3, 2018, Columbia, Mo.
LAREVA, JAMES PHILIP REV., Sept. 7, 1927, Madison, Wis., to Feb. 1, 2018, Orange, Calif.; son of Dano and Alvina (Lang) Lareva; graduated Springfield Seminary 1961. Served 1961-1994. Ministries/Parishes: Ithaca, Interlaken, N.Y.; Solon, Ohio; Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Calif.; Pacific Southwest Circuit Visitor 1996-2003. Retired 1994. Survivors: Nancy (Kilian) Lareva; sons: Mark, Daniel, David. Memorial Service: Feb. 10, 2018, Orange, Calif.
REHLEY, JAMES W. REV., April 2, 1932, Palmer, Mass., to Feb. 9, 2018, Corvallis, Ore.; son of James and Helen (Zerbe) Rehley; graduated Springfield Seminary 1963. Served 1963-1997, 2006-2014, 2015-2017. Ministries/Parishes: Redfield, Rockham, S.D.; Longview, Wash.; Corvallis, Sweet Home, Ore.; Northwest District Circuit Visitor 1991. Retired 2017. Survivors: Marilynn (Dey) Rehley; sons: Paul, John, Peter, Mark; daughter: Ruth. Memorial Service: Feb. 24, 2018, Corvallis, Ore.
SCHUMM, RICHARD GARD REV., June 14, 1930, Pittsburgh, Pa., to Feb. 24, 2018, Laguna Niguel, Calif.; son of Rev. Frank and G. Elizabeth (Gard) Schumm; graduated Springfield Seminary 1959. Served 1959-1995. Ministries/Parishes: Buena Park, Santa Rosa, Laguna Beach, Calif.; Honolulu, Hawaii. Retired 1995. Preceded in death by his wife Norma (Iversen) Schumm. Survivors: Joan Schumm; son: Stephen; daughters: Susan, Amy. Funeral: February 28, 2018, Lake Forest, Calif.; Interment: Feb. 28, 2018, Corona Del Mar, Calif.
SIMCAK, ANDREW JR. REV., Aug. 15, 1930, Garfield, N.J., to Feb. 25, 2018, Houston, Texas; son of Andrew Sr. and Justina (Pollack) Simcak; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1955. Served 1955-1997. Ministries/Parishes: Seguin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Houston, N. Harris County, Shamrock, Childress, Texas; New Britain, Conn. Retired 1997. Preceded in death by his son Timothy. Survivors: Jacqueline (Cardaro) Simcak; daughters: Sharon, Deborah, Christine. Funeral: March 2, 2018, Houston, Texas; Interment: March 2, 2018, Tomball, Texas.
COMMISSIONED
FIALA, ROBERT DENNIS, Sept. 27, 1938, St. Louis. Mo., to Jan. 30, 2018, Lincoln, Neb.; son of Hugh and Lucille (Pfeiffer) Fiala; graduated Seward 1960. Served 1960-2006. Schools/ Ministries: Houston, Texas; Seward, Neb. Retired 2006. Preceded in death by his wife Maxine (Bickel) Fiala. Survivors: sons: Jonathan, David. Interment: Feb. 5, 2018, Seward, Neb.; Interment: Feb. 6, 2018, Seward, Neb.
HELMREICH, CHRISTINE AMELIA (STUDT), June 27, 1950, Kingston, N.Y., to Feb. 7, 2018, Port Huron, Mich.; daughter of George and Dorothy Studt; graduated Seward 1972. Served 1973-2001. Schools/Ministries; Port Huron, Mich.; New Haven, Ind. Retired 2001. Survivors: Floyd Helmreich; sons: Aaron, Michael; daughter: Sarah Dodder. Funeral and Interment: Feb. 11, 2018, Port Huron, Mich.
KENOW, HAROLD R., June 4, 1931, Faribault, Minn., to Jan. 29, 2018, St. Paul, Minn.; son of Harold and Louise Kenow.; graduated River Forest 1953. Served 1953-1996. Schools/Ministries: Farmington, Northville, Mich.; St. Paul, Minn. Retired 1996. Survivors: Nancy (Dietrich) Kenow; sons: Stephen, Tom; daughters: Marti Naughton, Sara Rohde. Funeral: Feb. 5, 2018, St. Paul, Minn.
QUADE, JAMES ALLEN, April 23, 1932, Beloit, Kan., to Feb. 11, 2018, Hillsboro, Ore.; son of Rudolph and Iva (Falgern) Quade; graduated Seward 1958. Served 1958-1998. Schools/Ministries: Joplin, Maplewood, St. Louis, Mo.; Seymour, Ind.; Hillsboro, Ore. Retired 1998. Preceded in death by his daughter Debra Van Domelen. Survivors: Doris (Vogel) Quade; son: Jeffrey. Funeral: Feb. 22, 2018, Hillsboro, Ore.
SCHMIDT, EDWARD ELMER, Dec. 5, 1936, Hebron, Neb., to June 1, 2017, St. Louis. Mo.; son of Edward and Emma (Albrecht) Schmidt; graduated Seward 1958. Served 1958-1998. Schools/Ministries: Chicago, Ill.; Sebewaing, Mich.; St. Louis, Affton, Mo. Retired 1998. Preceded in death by his wife Joyce (Juers) Schmidt and son Edward. Survivors: Ellen (Friesen) Schmidt; son: Paul; daughters: Sarah Korinek, Beth Bram. Funeral: June 10, 2017, Soulard, Mo.
TIETJEN, LEROY HENRY, Sept. 19, 1943, Fairbury, Neb., to Feb. 6, 2018, Cassopolis, Mich.; son of Reinhard and Alvina (Marquart) Tietjen; graduated Seward 1965. Served 1965-2007. Schools/Ministries: Elm Grove, Wis.; Topeka, Kan.; Pomona, Calif.; Hobart, Ind. Retired 2007. Survivors: Berry (Bockelman) Tietjen; son: Matthew; daughter: Jennifer Smith. Funeral and Interment: Feb. 9, 2018, Cassopolis, Mich.
VOGE, JEAN LOUISE (KOTTLOWSKI), June 12, 1943, Indianapolis, Ind., to Jan. 16, 2018, McCordsville, Ind.; daughter of Walter and Anna (Kespohl) Kottlowski; graduated River Forest 1965. Served 1979-2007. School/Ministry: Indianapolis, Ind. Retired 2007. Survivors: son: John Jr.; daughters: Cynthia, Karen. Funeral: Jan. 27, 2018, Indianapolis, Ind.; cremation.
