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
FOELBER, ROBERT EUGENE REV., Dec. 10, 1923, Hot Springs, S.D., to Dec. 17, 2017, Seal Beach, Calif.; son of Rev. Elmer and Esther (Hinners) Foelber; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1947. Served 1948-1976. Ministries/Parishes: Mt. Vernon, Ill.; Seymour, Ind.; U.S. Navy Chaplain. Retired 1988. Preceded in death by his wife Kathleen (Larsen) Foelber and son Chris. Survivors: sons: Robert Jr., John, James; daughters: Ruth, Elizabeth, Mary. Funeral: Jan. 6, 2018, Cypress, Calif.
JOHNSON, DWAYNE A. REV., Sept. 17, 1951, Evansville, Ind., to April 7, 2017, Tulsa, Okla.; son of Edwin and Helen (Gibbs) Johnson; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1988. Served 1988-1990, 1991-1996, 2000-2003. Ministries/Parishes: Elk City, Weatherford, Altus, Okla.; N. Zulch, Alamo, Texas. Retired 2007. Survivors: sons: Eric, Matthew, Aaron; daughter: Virginia. Funeral: Glenpool, Okla.; cremation.
LUECKE, GEORGE L. REV., Dec. 21, 1926, Chicago, Ill., to July 27, 2017, Hurst, Texas; son of Rev. George Sr. and Martha (Kretzschmar) Luecke; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1951. Served 1953-1958, 1962-1971. Ministries/Parishes: Nagercoil, India; Taylorsville, N.C.; Denison, Honey Grove, Texas; Enfield, Conn. Retired 1986. Funeral: Hurst, Texas.
MARTIN, DANIEL G. REV., Aug. 28, 1940, Binford, N.D., to Nov. 21, 2017, Gig Harbor, Wash.; son of Gerald and Ada (Leininger) Martin; graduated Springfield Seminary 1971. Served 1971-1994, 1996-2003, 2010-2014, 2016-2017. Ministries/Parishes: Blaine, Bellingham, Mountlake Terrace, Port Angeles, Seattle, Bonney Lake, Wash.; Anchorage, Alaska; Myrtle Point, Ore. Survivors: Patti Martin; sons: Andrew, Peter. Funeral: Dec. 2, 2017, Gig Harbor, Wash.; Interment: Dec. 1, 2017, Kent, Wash.
MOZOLAK, SAMUEL P. REV., Oct. 6, 1915, Newark, N.J., to Jan. 2, 2018; son of Rev. Samuel and Mildred (Sedlak) Mozolak; graduated Springfield Seminary 1940. Served 1941-1980. Ministries/Parishes: Steubenville, Cleveland, Lakewood, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minn. Retired 1980. Preceded in death by his wife Mildred Mozolak. Survivors: son: Harvey; daughter: Karen Morris. Funeral: Jan. 6, 2018, Stanley, N.C.
REEHL, JOHN DAVID REV., Jan. 23, 1934, Perryton, Texas, to Nov. 18, 2017, Grand Island, Neb.; son of Fredrick and Alta (French) Reehl; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1960. Served 1960-1996. Ministries/Parishes: Beatrice, Plymouth, Davenport, Shickley, Crete, Neb.; Sweet Home, Ore. Retired 1996. Survivors: June (Bauer) Reehl; sons: John, Theodore; daughters: Karen Tiedeman, Julia Hoesche. Funeral: Nov. 24, 2017, Grand Island, Neb.; Interment: Nov. 22, 2017, Crete, Neb.
WAGEMAN, HAROLD FREDRICK REV., Nov. 20, 1927, Wakefield, Neb., to Dec. 16, 2017, Overton, Texas; son of Harry and Virginia (Utecht) Wageman; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1952. Served 1952-1991. Ministries/Parishes: Reeseville, Sheboygan, Wis.; Pratt, Kan.; Kilgore, Longview, Houston, Texas; Texas District Circuit Visitor 1991. Retired 1991. Preceded in death by his wife Joan (Martin) Wageman. Survivors: sons: Barry, Richard; daughter: Cynthia Harantcavage. Celebration of Life: Dec. 29, 2017, Tyler, Texas; Interment: Dec. 29, 2017, Kilgore, Texas.
WEINHOLD, ROBERT JAMES REV., Jan. 4, 1930, St. Louis, Mo., to July 24, 2017, Tempe, Ariz.; son of Rev. Theophil and Magdalena (Spilker) Weinhold; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1955. Served 1955-1984, 1986-1996. Ministries/Parishes: Traverse City, Mich.; Valparaiso, Ind.; Pinetop, Chandler, Ariz. Retired 1996. Survivors: Peggy (Hughes) Weinhold; sons: Mark, David, James; daughter: Krista Noonan. Funeral: July 26, 2017, Phoenix, Ariz.
COMMISSIONED
BESSERT, WILLIAM H., 1924, to Dec. 27, 2017; graduated Seward 1967. Served 1967-1984. Schools/Ministries: Stewardson, Milford, Ill.; Plainview, Neb.; Eau Claire, Wis. Retired 1991. Preceded in death by his wife Gertrude Bessert. Survivors: sons: Bruce, David, Timothy, Michael; daughters: Carolyn Brutlag, Sherry Marose, Margaret Leapley. Funeral: Dec. 30, 2017, Brookfield, Wis.
HEINZ, SHARLENE RAE, April 10, 1953, to Dec. 27, 2017, Springfield, Ore.; daughter of John and Ethelyn (Schmidt) Heinz; graduated Seward 1977. Served 1977-2007. Schools/Ministries: Memphis, Tenn.; Buhl, Twin Falls, Idaho; Eugene, Ore. Retired 2007. Celebration of Life: Jan. 6, 2018, Springfield, Ore.
KELLY, BETTY LOU (PIOTTER), Called to Glory June 21, 2017. Graduated River Forest 1964. Served 1973-1991. School/Ministry: Melrose Park, Ill. Retired 1991. Preceded in death by her husband Rev. Adrian Kelly.
MILLER, HERMAN F., Jan. 10, 1919, Elgin, Ill., to Oct. 19, 2017, Papillion, Neb.; graduated River Forest 1940. Served 1940-1984. Schools/Ministries: Bronx, Rego Park, N.Y.; E. Detroit, Warren, Detroit, Mich. Retired 1984. Survivors: Dorothy Miller; sons: Bruce, Keith, Mark, Jonathan. Funeral: Oct. 28, 2017, Papillion, Neb.
RAPP, GERALD DEAN, Aug. 15, 1935, Rockville, Mo., to March 18, 2017, St. Louis, Mo.; son of Henry and Lydia Rapp; graduated Seward 1957. Served 1957-1997. Schools/Ministries: Des Peres, St. Louis, Mo. Retired 1997. Survivors: Vera (Ellebrecht) Rapp; son: Christopher. Funeral and Interment: March 24, 2017, Des Peres, Mo.
ROMP, WILBERT FREDERICK, July 13, 1931, Detroit, Mich., to Oct. 10, 2017, Essexville, Mich.; son of Frederick and Lydia Romp; graduated Seward 1953. Served 1953-1993. Schools/Ministries: Detroit, Bay City, Mich. Retired 1993. Preceded in death by his wife Ruth (Luedemann) Romp. Survivors: sons: William, Carl. Funeral and Interment: Oct. 13, 2017, Bay City, Mich.
SCHLEGEL, ORVIN LLOYD, Dec. 10, 1938, Beloit, Kan., to Dec. 3, 2017, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; son of Rev. Albert and Luella (Sigg) Schlegel; graduated River Forest 1961. Served 1961-2004. Schools/Ministries: Wauseon, Ohio; Woodburn, Decatur, Warsaw, Ind. Retired 2004. Survivors: Carolyn (Paege) Schlegel; son: Keith. Funeral and Interment: Dec. 7, 2017, Ft. Wayne, Ind.
STURMFELS, JOHN HENRY WILLIAM, Sept, 19, 1933, St. Louis, Mo., to March 27, 2017, Minnetonka, Minn.; son of John and Sophia (Moll) Sturmfels; graduated River Forest 1955. Served 1955-1997. Schools/Ministries: Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Ann Arbor, Mich. Retired 1997. Survivors: Gloria (Ramm) Sturmfels; sons: Pater, Daniel; daughter: Elizabeth Luttenbacher. Memorial Service: July 22, 2017, Ft. Wayne, Ind.
ZESSIN, CATHERINE E., Oct. 16, 1929, Detroit, Mich., to June 6, 2017, Rochester Hills, Mich.; daughter of Herman and Emilie (Keineth) Zessin; graduated River Forest 1951. Served 1973-1992. School/Ministry: Birmingham, Mich. Retired 1992. Funeral: June 10, 2017, Birmingham, Mich: Interment: June 10, 2017, Detroit, Mich.
