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
DOUGLAS, VENICE CLARK REV., Oct. 13, 1945, Mound Bayou, Miss., to July 5, 2018, Detroit, Mich.; son of Lucille Clayborn; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1979. Served 1979-1984, 1987-2005. Ministries/Parishes: Miami, Fla.; Chicago, Ill.; Detroit, Mich.; Gary, Ind. Retired 2006. Survivors: Mary (Williams) Douglas; son: Paul; daughters: Chanrae, Deanne. Funeral: July 13, 2018, Detroit, Mich.
FOLLETT, MARK C. REV., March 25, 1963, Port Arthur, Texas, to July 29, 2018, Port Arthur, Texas; son of Albert and Dorothy Follett; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1997. Served 1997-2018. Ministries/Parishes: Sterling, Neb.; Woodville, Jasper, Texas. Survivors: Terressa (Hennigan) Follett. Celebration of Life: Aug. 1, 2018, Jasper, Texas; Interment: Aug. 1, 2018, Port Arthur, Texas.
KAMMAN, HAROLD W. REV., Nov. 8, 1924, Cincinnati, Ohio, to Aug. 12, 2018, Oklahoma City, Okla.; son of Louis and Bertha (Miller) Kamman; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1950. Served 1950-1990. Ministries/Parishes: Abilene, Kan.; Texhoma, Boise City, El Reno, Duncan, Okla. Retired 1990. Preceded in death by his wife Thelma (Dittmer) Kamman and daughter Ruth. Survivors: daughter: Lois Buesser. Funeral: Aug. 18, 2018, Oklahoma City, Okla.
KNICK, DONALD ELMER REV., Jan. 16, 1926, Rosemount, Minn., to June 5, 2018, Rochester, Minn.; son of August and Holdina (Reinke) Knick; graduated Springfield Seminary 1950. Served 1950-1989. Ministries/Parishes: Omega, Tulaby Lake, Deer Creek, Almora, Fergus Falls, Rochester, Minn. Retired 1989. Preceded in death by his daughter Deborah. Survivors: Irene (Wohlfeil) Knick; sons: Steven, Kevin, Jonathan. Funeral: June 9, 2018, Rochester, Minn.: Interment: June 11, 2018, Fergus Falls, Minn.
KNIPPEL, CHARLES TAYLOR REV., May 26, 1927, Beaumont, Texas, to July 23, 2018, East Alton, Ill.; son of Arthur and Dottie (Johnson) Knippel; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1952. Served 1953-1992. Ministries/Parishes: Salem, Wood River, Ill.; Norman, Okla.; Florissant, St. Louis, Mo.; Oklahoma District Circuit Visitor 1958; Southern Illinois District Circuit Visitor 1976-1980. Retired 1992. Preceded in death by his wife Donna (Niehaus) Knippel and son Charles. Survivor: daughter: Anne Marie. Funeral: July 30, 2018, Granite City, Ill.; Interment: July 30, 2018, East Alton, Ill.
KREUTZ, EUGENE WILLIAM REV., Oct. 30, 1927, Cushing, Okla., to Aug. 6, 2018, Folsom, Calif.; son of Rev. Frederick and Sophia (Allday) Kreutz; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1952. Served 1952-1985. Ministries/Parishes: Fresno, Clovis. Fairfield, Lodi, Calif.; Centerville, Mich. Retired 1987. Preceded in death by his wife Marilyn (Maack) Kreutz. Survivors: sons: Mark, Paul; daughters: Marcia Battershell, Jennifer Mills, Julie Rogers, Sarah. Funeral and Interment: Aug. 17, 2018, Rescue, Calif.
LARRABBE, EUGENE EDWIN REV., Dec. 12, 1925, Grant, Mont., to Aug. 13, 2018, Wykoff, Minn.; son of Omar and Elsie (Schroeder) Kreutz; graduated Springfield Seminary 1949. Served 1949-1976, 1978-1988. Ministries/Parishes: Finlayson, McGrath, Aurora, Babbitt, Crown, Moose Lake, Barnum, Minn. Retired 1988. Preceded in death by his wife Lavonne (Schuett) Larrabee. Survivors: sons: Peter, Joseph, Christopher, Nathan; daughters: Heidi Hall, Sarah Deeny, Rebecca Servaty. Funeral and Interment: Aug. 17, 2018, Chatfield, Minn.
LETZRING, THEODORE A. REV., Feb. 8, 1929, New Salem, N.D., to Aug. 6, 2018, Alta, Iowa; son of Theodore and Helen (Oestreich) Letzring; graduated Springfield Seminary 1956. Served 1956-1988, 1990-1992. Ministries/Parishes: Anthon, Yorktown, Sac City, Schleswig, Charlotte, Royal, Iowa.; Iowa West District Circuit Visitor 1962. Retired 1992. Survivors: Caroline (Bargmann) Letzring; sons: Thomas, Timothy; daughters: Carlotta Ohm, Crystall Friedrichsen, Charlene Elyea. Funeral and Interment: Aug. 12, 2018, Hanover, Iowa.
MEYER, KEITH EDWARD REV., Oct. 18, 1953, Beloit, Wis., to June 13, 2018, Minneapolis, Minn.; son of Frederick and Ruth (Bachanz) Meyer; graduated St. Louis Seminary 2005. Served 2005-2018. Ministries/Parishes: Claremont, Minneapolis, Minn. Survivors: Patricia (Hibler) Meyer; sons: Michael, Matthew. Memorial Service: June 19, 2018, Minneapolis, Minn.
NICKLAS, EDWIN J. REV., Nov. 18, 1950, Baltimore, Md., to July 23, 2018, Davie, Fla.; colloquy 1979. Served 1976-2014. Ministries/Parishes: Bowie, Md.; Virginia Beach, Va.; Plantation, Davie, Fla.; Southeastern District Circuit Visitor 1991-1995. Retired 2014. Survivors: Jane Nicklas; son: Steven; daughter: Janice.
NIRVA, MICHAEL JOHN REV., Dec. 17, 1962, Minneapolis, Minn., to June 9, 2018, Jonkoping, Sweden; son of Helen (Nelson) Nirva; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1991. Served 1991-2018. Ministries/Parishes: Howard Lake, Faribault, Minn. Survivors: Lisa (Sethre) Nirva; daughters: Noelle, Kajsa. Funeral: July 14, 2018, Faribault, Minn.
SCHMIDT, HAROLD W. REV., Feb. 5, 1935, Blackburn, Mo., to July 15, 2018, DeKalb, Ill.; son of Frank and Bertha (Kellerman) Schmidt; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1960. Served 1960-2000. Ministries/Parishes: Frederic, Webster, Danbury, Wis.; Genoa, Ill.; Northern Illinois District Circuit Visitor 1977-1988. Retired 2000. Survivors: Lynne (Weber) Schmidt; sons: David, Mark, Darrin; daughter: Brenda Beach. Funeral and Interment: July 21, 2018, Genoa, Ill.
SCHMIDT, WILLIAM EDWARD REV., Jan. 16, 1940, Albany, N.Y., to July 24, 2018, Overland, Mo.; son of Edward and Hermine (Reiser) Schmidt; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1965. Served 1965-2005. Ministries/Parishes: Detroit, Mich.; Kampsville, Carrollton, Marion, Ill.; Southern Illinois District Circuit Visitor 1987-1989, 1994-1997. Retired 2005. Survivors: Carol (Krauskopf) Schmidt; son: Edward; daughter: Elena Sasieta. Funeral and Interment: July 28, 2018, Carrollton, Ill.
SCHNEIDER, KEITH ARVIN REV., Dec. 12, 1946, Detroit, Mich., to July 22, 2018, Rogers City, Mich.; son of Russell and Mary (Laura) Schneider; graduated Springfield Seminary 1973. Served 1973-2011, 2013-2018. Ministries/Parishes: Plainview, Minn.; South Lyon, Cheboygan, Rogers City, Mich.; Michigan District Circuit Visitor 1991-1997. Survivors: Donna (Conaway) Schneider; son: Jonathan; daughter: Callie. Funeral and Interment: July 27, 2018, Rogers City, Mich.
STIRDIVANT, DAVID MARTIN REV., Nov. 10,1923, Huntington Park, Calif., to July 7, 2018, Yucaipa, Calif.; son of Benjamin and Ruth (Theiss) Stirdivant; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1948. Served 1948-1990. Ministries/Parishes: Santa Ana, Los Angeles, Irvine, Calexico, Banning, Rialto, Indio, Holtville, Bell Gardens, Calif.; Austin, Texas. Retired 1990. Survivors: Belen (Vasquez) Stirdivant; sons: Mark, Timothy, Ronald, Donald, Kevin; daughters: Lorraine, Lisa. Funeral: July 20, 2018, Riverside, Calif.
ULRICH, EDWARD C. REV., Sept. 18, 1923, Filer, Idaho, to July 25, 2018, Hillsboro, Ore.; son of Louis and Ida (Werner) Ulrich; graduated Springfield Seminary 1953. Served 1953-1988. Ministries/Parishes: Oden, Texas; Peoria, Ill.; Hillsboro, Ore. Retired 1998. Survivors: sons: Bruce, Robert, Chris; daughter: Pamela Mallory. Funeral: Aug. 18, 2018, Hillsboro, Ore.
COMMISSIONED
No information provided for commissioned individuals.
