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
BARTH, KARL LUTHER REV., Nov. 7, 1924, Milwaukee, Wis., to Feb. 16, 2020, Milwaukee, Wis.; son of Rev. G. and Louise (Schneemann) Barth; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1947. Served 1947-1990. Ministries/Parishes: New Orleans, La.; Centralia, Ill.; West Allis, Milwaukee, Wis.; St. Louis, Mo.; South Wisconsin District President 1970-1982. Retired 1990. Preceded in death by his wife Jean (Kelly) Barth. Survivors: sons: Karl, Kurt; daughters: Linda Grams, Laurel Buchanan, Lisa Graf. Funeral: Feb. 21, 2020, Wauwatosa, Wis.; Interment: Feb. 21, 2020, Brookfield, Wis.
GARWOOD, EVERETT LEE REV., July 18, 1946, O’Neill, Neb., to Jan. 25, 2020, Yerington, Nev.; son of Blaine and Viola (Harley) Garwood; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1978. Served 1979-2020. Ministries/Parishes: Philippines; Omaha, Neb.; Dayton, Yerington, Nev.; California Nevada Hawaii District Circuit Visitor 2009-2013. Survivors: Bonnie (Larson) Garwood; sons: Rev. Burt, Philip, Jared; daughters: Emily Hart, Elaine Vogan. Funeral: Jan. 31, 2020, Yerington, Nev.
GORKLO, JOHN P. REV., April 8, 1941, Brooklyn, N.Y., to July 19, 2019, Aurora, Colo.; colloquy 1983. Served 1983-1988, 1990-1996. Ministries/Parishes: Sterling, Stoneham, Gunnison, Buena Vista, Colo. Retired 2008. Survivors: sons: Daniel, Timothy; daughters: Jennifer, Jennifer, Heather.
JOHNSON, RUSSEL PETER JR. REV., Nov. 16, 1939, Dayton, Ohio, to Feb. 16, 2020; son of Russel Sr. and Martha (Kamin) Johnson; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1966. Served 1966-1993, 1998-2002, 2013-2016. Ministries/Parishes: Great Falls, Mont.; Detroit, Mich.; Valdosta, Newman, Hiram, Ga.; Dallas, Texas; Vero Beach, Fla. Retired 2016. Survivors: sons: Daniel, Jon; daughter: Kimberley Fannin.
KING, STEPHEN MATTHEW REV., June 16, 1950, Akron, Ohio, to Feb. 12, 2020, Perry, Iowa; son of Calvin and Marion (Dittmann) King; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 2000. Served 2000-2011. Ministries/Parishes: Burlington, Wis.; Baldwin, Newaygo, Mich. Retired 2016. Survivors: Pamela (Dobrzynski) King; sons: Michael, Matthew, Jonathan, Joseph, Timothy. Funeral and Interment: Feb. 15, 2020, Watertown, Wis.
MARTIS, ALVIA MCGWEN REV., Sept. 30, 1951, Clarksville, Tenn., to Feb. 12, 2020, Defiance, Ohio; son of William and Mary (Horner) Martis; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1996. Served 1996-2017. Ministry/Parish: Ridgeville Corners, Ohio; Ohio District Circuit Visitor 2011-2012. Retired 2017. Preceded in death by his wife Joyce (Schutt) Martis on Feb. 14, 2020. Preceded in death by his son Jason. Survivors: sons: Michael, Aaron; daughter: Rachel Loeser. Funeral: Feb. 22, 2020, Napoleon, Ohio.; Interment: Gaylord, Mich.
MUEHLBERG, SCOTT A. REV., June 9, 1951, Hanover, Germany, to Feb. 3, 2020, Sioux Falls, S.D.; son of Willard and Margaret Muehlberg; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 2003. Served 2003-2020. Ministries/Parishes: Canby, Boyd, Frazee, Snellman, Minn. Survivors: Janet (Mittelstadt) Muehlberg; son: Michael; daughter: Sue Tindal. Funeral: Feb. 8, 2020, Snellman, Minn.; Interment: Feb. 8, 2020, Height of Land, Minn.
PERSSON, ROBERT EUGENE REV., July 25, 1946, Minneapolis, Minn., to Feb. 9, 2020, Safford, Ariz.; son of Timar and Dorothy (Mosley) Persson; SMP Certified 2019. Served 2019-2020. Ministry/Parish: Safford, Ariz. Survivors: Judith (Muhl) Persson; son: Anthony; daughter: Christina DesMarais.
SORENSEN, JOHN KONEKE REV., Feb. 2, 1931, San Francisco, Calif., to Nov. 27, 2019, Southern Pines, N.C.; son of John and Anna (Koneke) Sorensen; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1956. Served 1956-1993. Ministries/Parishes: San Diego, El Cajon, Calif. Retired 1993. Preceded in death by his daughter Jil. Survivors: Marjorie (Swetta) Sorensen; sons: John; daughter: Janine Labak. Memorial Service: Jan. 17, 2020, Poway, Calif.
SOULEK, MARVIN LEE REV., July 9, 1948, New Prague, Minn., to Feb. 6, 2020, Round Lake, Minn.; son of George and Ludmilla (Kukacka) Soulek; graduated Springfield Seminary 1975. Served 1975-2020. Ministry/Parish: Round Lake, Minn. Survivors: Lynn (Thomsen) Soulek; son: Paul. Funeral: Feb. 11, 2020, Worthington, Minn.; Interment: Feb. 11, 2020, Round Lake, Minn.
WAHL, HAROLD IRVIN REV., Feb. 20, 1947, Sandusky, Ohio, to Feb. 5, 2020, Cedar Lake, Ind.; son of Harold Wahl; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1977. Served 1978-2020. Ministries/Parishes: Portage, Wis.; Bartlett, Thornton, Ill.; Northern Illinois District Circuit Visitor 1987-1997, 2006-2015. Survivors: Shirley (Nelson) Wahl; daughters: Abigail Ignowski, Judith Witvoet. Funeral: Feb. 10, 2020, Thornton, Ill.; Interment: Feb. 10, 2020, River Forest, Ill.
WILKIE, WESLEY HAROLD REV., May 3, 1938, Saginaw, Mich., to Jan.25, 2020, Oak Park, Ill.; son of Harold and Irene (Rutkowsky) Wilkie; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1964. Served 1964-2020. Ministries/Parishes: River Forest, Ill.; Selma, Ala. Preceded in death by his wife Luann (Stein) Wilkie. Survivors: Dorothy (Fischer) Wilkie; son: Jon; daughters: Diana Buffie, Lauren Elser, Kathy Spies. Celebration of Life and Interment: Feb. 1, 2020, River Forest, Ill.
WUNROW, GERALD BENSON REV., Aug. 16, 1931, Marshfield, Wis., to Feb. 8, 2020, St. Paul, Minn.; son of Alfred and Ruth (Benson) Wunrow; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1956. Served 1956-1994. Ministries/Parishes: St. Louis, Mo.; Danville, Ill.; Rochester, N.Y.; St. Paul, Minn. Retired 1994. Survivors: Rosanna (Grunwald) Wunrow; sons: Stephen, Jonathan, Daniel, Aaron. Celebration of Life: Feb. 15, 2020, St. Paul, Minn,
COMMISSIONED
FRANK, SHERRY JOAN (NOTHWEHR), Sept. 21, 1937, Page County, Iowa, to April 16, 2019, Cary N.C.; daughter of Harry and Irma Nothwehr; graduated Seward 1986. Served 1986-2000. School/Ministry: Waterloo, Iowa. Retired 2000. Preceded in death by her sons David and Gary and daughter Julie Blackwell. Survivors: Donald Frank; son: Randall. Memorial Service: May 4, 2019, Cary, N.C.
GERMEROTH, PAUL LOUIS, Nov. 28, 1929, Wayne, Neb., to Jan. 31, 2020, Canton, Mich.; son of Conrad and Mabel (Saalfeld) Germeroth; graduated Seward 1951. Served 1951-1969, 1974-1978, 1980-1993. Schools/Ministries: Kennewick, Wash.; Detroit, Harper Woods, Ann Arbor, Mich. Retired 1993. Survivors: Ruth (Dech) Germeroth; son: Paul; daughter: Deborah Criscuolo; stepson: David. Funeral: Feb. 6, 2020, Livonia, Mich.
HASEMAN, IRMA LOIS (RADLOFF), July 27, 1930, Wheeling, Ill., to July 15, 2019, Crystal Lake, Ill.; daughter of Edwin and Dorthea (Lackner) Radloff; graduated River Forest 1966. Served 1973-1990. School/Ministry: Arlington Heights, Ill. Retired 1990. Preceded in death by her husband Leslie Haseman. Survivors: sons: Neil, Michael. Funeral: July 19, 2019, Crystal Lake, Ill.; Interment: July 19, 2019, Arlington Heights, Ill.
PANKOW, SHIRLEY MAE (MASCH), May 10, 1928, Detroit, Mich., to Jan. 14, 2020, Hemlock, Mich.; daughter of Ernst and Henrietta (Schroeder) Masch; graduated River Forest 1951. Served 1973-1994. School/Ministry: Hemlock, Mich. Retired 1994. Preceded in death by her husband Rev. Edward Pankow and son John. Survivors: sons: David, Paul; daughters: Sue Holtrop. Funeral and Interment: Jan. 20, 2020, Hemlock, Mich.
PETERSON, LAVONNE METTA, July 23, 1938, Grand Island, N.Y., to Oct. 1, 2019, Lincoln, Neb.; daughter of Ola and Hilda (Quandt) Peterson; graduated Seward 1969. Served 1973-2006. School/Ministry: Kearney, Neb. Retired 2006. Funeral: Oct. 4, 2019, Kearney, Neb.; Interment: Bonham, Texas.
PINNOW, ARTHUR C. JR., May 27, 1929, Barrington, Ill., to Feb. 20, 2020, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; son of Arthur and Elsie Pinnow; graduated River Forest 1951. Served 1951-1991. Schools/Ministry: Ft. Wayne, Ind. Retired 1991. Survivors: Esther (Hostrup) Pinnow; son: John; daughter: Cynthia Macke. Funeral: Feb. 29, 2020, Ft. Wayne, Ind.
SHOAF, CHESTER WILLIAM, Oct. 4, 1949, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, to Jan. 23, 2020, Lakewood, Colo.; son of Chester and Norma Shaof; Graduated Seward 1971. Served 1971-2016. Schools/Ministries: Omaha, Neb.; San Angelo, Texas, Lakewood, Colo. Retired 2016. Survivors: Susan (Schmidt) Shoaf; sons: Andrew, Aaron; daughter: Rebekah. Memorial Service: Lakewood, Colo.
SOPKO, MARVIN L., April 12, 1946, Sioux Falls, S.D., to Dec. 28, 2019, Sioux Falls, S.D.; son of Louis and Dora (Joens) Sopko; graduated Seward 1968. Served 1970-1971, 1992-2014. Schools/Ministries: Plainview, Minn.; Sioux Falls, S.D. Retired 2014. Survivors: Darlene (Brockshus) Sopko; daughters: Laura Goossen, Stacy. Memorial Service: Jan. 3, 2020, Sioux Falls, S.D.
