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
ALBERS, WALTER F. REV., Nov. 3, 1932, Port Arthur, Texas, to Dec.15, 2018, Waco, Texas; son of Carl and Minnie (Kubitz) Albers; Graduated Springfield Seminary 1971. Served 1971-2006. Ministry/Parish: Bellmead, Texas; Texas District Circuit Visitor 1978-1988. Retired 2006. Preceded in death by his wife Elna (Brown) Albers. Survivors: son: Jeffrey; daughter: Louise Reeves. Funeral: December 18, 2018, Bellmead, Texas; Interment: December 19, 2018, Waco, Texas.
BENKEN, F. RICHARD REV., June 25, 1929, New York, N.Y., to May 20, 2018, Cromwell, Conn.; son of Willi and Louise (Ammann) Benken; graduated Springfield Seminary 1955. Served 1956-1997. Ministries/Parishes: New Britain, Madison, Conn. Retired 1997. Survivors: Joan (Guelzow) Benken; sons: Peter, Andrew; daughters: Elizabeth Lunt, Kristina Smith. Funeral: May 31, 2018, Madison, Conn.; Interment: Madison, Conn.
BERG, RICHARD WALTER REV., Jan. 10, 1934, Norwalk, Wis., to Dec. 16, 2018, Sheboygan, Wis.; son of Rev. Alvin and Violet (Egide) Berg; colloquy 1983. Served 1983-1995. Ministry/Parish: Rockford, Ill. Retired 1995. Preceded in death by his sons Richard and Karl. Survivors: Carol (Schroeder) Berg; son: Rev. John; daughter: Elizabeth Hook. Funeral: Dec. 20, 2018, Sheboygan, Wis.; Interment: Dec. 21, 2018, Libertyville, Ill.
HEMPELL, WILLIAM GERARD III REV., July 5, 1942, New York City, N.Y., to Nov. 29, 2018, Averill Park, N.Y.; son of William Jr. and Edna (Wich) Hempell; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1968. Served 1969-2013. Ministries/Parishes: East Northport, Bronx, Albany, N.Y.; Lanoka Harbor, N.J. Retired 2013. Survivors: Martha (Ehlers) Hempel; sons: Matthew, Joel, William IV. Funeral: Dec. 15, 2018, Poestenkill, N.Y.: donated body to Albany Medical College.
KAVASCH, ROBERT W. REV., April 16, 1931, Hinsdale, Ill., to Nov. 18, 2018, Henderson, Nev.; son of Rev. Ernst and Florence (Wharmby) Kavasch; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1955. Served 1955-1994. Ministries/Parishes: Enterprise, Ore.; Hudson, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Allen Park, Mich.; English District Circuit Visitor 1994. Survivors: son: Mark; daughter: Beth. Cremation.
KERSTEN, TIMOTHY PAUL REV., Sept. 4, 1960, Houston, Texas, to March 8, 2018, Galva, Kan.; son of John and Wilma (Groeschel) Kersten; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1995. Served 1995-2018. Ministries/Parishes: Nortonville, Abilene, Kan.; U.S. Army Chaplain. Preceded in deah by his first wife Cherie (Rauch) Kersten. Survivors: Michelle Kersten; sons: Travis, Jonathan; daughter: Amy; step-son: Jordan Bezdek; step-daughter: Toshia Widener. Funeral and Interment: March 14, 2018, Hillsboro. Kan.
KLEPPER, HARRY W. REV., Oct. 19, 1931, Ft. Wayne, Ind., to Dec. 5, 2018, Pflugerville, Texas; son of William and Clara (Gerke) Klepper; colloquy 1979. Served 1980-1996. Ministry/Parish: Alamo, Texas. Retired 1996. Survivors: Gertrude (Gerken) Klepper; sons: Brent, Mark; daughters: Jill Lind, Beth. Memorial Service: Austin, Texas; cremation.
LOEBER, HENRY A. REV., July 13, 1929, Wauwatosa, Wis., to Dec. 22, 2018, Fair Lawn, N.J.; son of Henry and Lois (Agather) Loeber; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1955. Served 1955-1994. Ministries/Parishes: Orange, Fair Lawn, N.J.; New Jersey District Circuit Visitor 1964-1966. Retried 1994. Preceded in death by his wife Shirley (Schmidt) Loeber. Survivors: son: Rob; daughters: Sherrill Bohan, Cathy Hochkeppel. Funeral: Jan. 3, 2019, Fair Lawn, N.J.; Interment: Jan. 3, 2019, Paramus, N.J.
REDDEL, EUGENE L. REV., Nov. 22, 1938, Gurley, Neb., to Nov. 15, 2018, Hampton Township, Pa.; son of Walter and Fredorai (Sorge) Reddel; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1965. Served 1965-2008. Ministries/Parishes: North Chicago, Park Ridge, Ill.; Woodside, N.Y.; St. Louis, Mo.; Pittsburgh, Pa. Retired 2008. Survivors: Miriam (Dorn) Reddel; sons: John, Paul. Memorial Service: March 2, 2019, Cabot, Pa.
RUSSERT, ARLYN A. REV., Nov. 24, 1929, Dubuque, Iowa, to Nov. 25, 2018, Albany, Ore.; son of Rev. Martin and Frieda (Garbe) Russert; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1954. Served 1954-1993. Ministries/Parishes: Adair, Okla.; Ravenna, Neb.; Kirkland, Wash.; Cedar Lake, Ind.; Sidney, Fairview, Plentywood, Mont.; Corpus Christi, Texas; Albany, Ore. Preceded in death by his wife Judith (Eckert) Russert. Survivors: sons: Luke, Arlyn; daughter: Martha. Funeral: Nov. 30, 2018, Albany, Ore.
TAYKOWSKI, THEODORE R. REV., Nov. 6, 1932, St. Louis. Mo., to Nov. 14, 2018, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; son of Joseph and Irene (Cassoutt) Taykowski; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1958. Served 1958-2002. Ministries/Parishes: Curtis, Well Street, White, Neb.; Brooklyn, Marshall, Mich.; Ft. Wayne, Ind. Retired 2002. Preceded in death by his son Troy. Survivors: Marie (Kleinschmidt) Taykowski; sons: Timothy, Todd; daughter: Tina Franke. Memorial Service: Dec. 8, 2018, Ft. Wayne, Ind.
WEERTS, LESLIE A. REV., Nov. 12, 1942, St. Louis, Mo., to Nov. 23, 2018, Elkhorn, Wis.; son of Edgar and Emma (Hoffman) Weerts; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1968. Served 1968-2001. Ministries/Parishes: Laona, Townsend, Luxemburg, Eau Claire, Wis.; Hot Springs Village, Ark. Retired 2001. Survivors: Donna (Smith) Weerts; sons: Mark, David; daughter: Lynn Cox. Funeral: Nov. 27, 2018, Delavan, Wis.; Interment: Nov. 28, 2018, Milwaukee, Wis.
COMMISSIONED
BERGT, HAROLD MARTIN, Aug. 1, 1920, Potter, Neb., to Oct. 29, 2018, Fairmont, Minn.; son of Otto and Paula (Lueders) Bergt; graduated Seward 1941. Served 1941-1982. Schools/Ministries: Chester, Hastings, Fremont, Neb.; Ute, Iowa; Coffeyville, Kan. Retired 1982. Preceded in death by his wife Helen (Lafrentz) Bergt. Survivors: sons: Richard, Gerald; daughter: Carolyn. Funeral and Interment: Nov. 3, 2018, Fairmont, Minn.
ENGELBRECHT, ALLEN WAYNE, Sept. 3, 1934, Jefferson City, Mo., to July 22, 2018, Jefferson City, Mo.; son of John and Esther (Sappenfield) Engelbrecht; graduated River Forest 1958. Served 1958-1999. Schools/Ministries: Jefferson City, Mo.; North Judson, Ind. Retired 1999. Funeral and Interment: July 27, 2018, Jefferson City, Mo.
KRAFFT, ARTHUR EDGAR, Aug. 24, 1925, Melrose Park, Ill., to Dec. 15, 2018, Milwaukee, Wis.; son of Herman and Ada (List) Krafft; graduated River Forest 1948. Served 1948-1988. School/ Ministry: Milwaukee, Wis. Survivors: Alberta (Koss) Krafft; sons: Grant, Rollin; daughters: Avis Chmielewski, Jennifer Boyle. Funeral: Dec. 22, 2018, Milwaukee, Wis.
GLOTZHOBER, ALYCE K. (KRAEPEL), Feb. 26, 1927, Detroit, Mich., to Dec. 8, 2018, Redford, Mich.; daughter of Ernest and Mary (Newman) Kraepel; graduated River Forest 1952. Served 1973-2000. School/Ministry: Dearborn, Mich. Retired 2000. Preceded in death by her husband Carl Glotzhober. Survivors: daughters: Mary Scott, and Debbie Boyer. Funeral: Dec. 12, 2018, Dearborn, Mich.
SCHULER, VICTOR ELMER, Aug. 22, 1922, Thawville, Ill., to Nov. 30, 2018; son of Gale and Theodora (Wilkening) Schuler; graduated River Forest 1950. Served 1950-1987. Schools/Ministries: Clintonville, Wis.; Evansville, Ind. Retired 1987. Preceded in death by his wife Darlene (Garling) Schuler. Survivors: sons: Rev. Mark, Paul, David; daughters: Sarah Scheidt, Ann Courter. Celebration of Life and Interment: Dec. 3, 2018, Evansville, Ind.
WINTERSTEIN, WILLIAM W., March 9, 1928, Reed City, Mich., to Nov. 13, 2018, Beatrice, Neb.; son of William and Eleanor (Guetschow) Winterstein; graduated River Forest 1961. Served 1961-1990. Schools/Ministries: Toledo, Ohio; Worden, Ill.; Readlyn, Iowa; Blue Hill, Neb.; Bethel, Minn.; Hanover, Kan. Retired 1990. Survivors: Lucille (Bieberich) Winterstein; daughters: Bonnie Yoder, Beth Lohse. Funeral and Interment: Nov.16, 2018, Beatrice, Neb.
