IN MEMORIAM (September 2020)
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
BRAUN, RODDY LEO REV. DR., July 7, 1935, Hamilton, Texas, to June 11, 2020, Haymarket, Va.; son of Robert and Erna (Gromatzky) Braun; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1960. Served 1960-1998. Ministries/Parishes: Fort Wayne, Ind.; Arlington, Va. Retired 1998. Preceded in death by his wife Doretta (Lind) Braun. Survivors: sons: David, Timothy.
COTTON, H. JOHN REV., Nov. 21, 1955, Orlando, Fla., to March 20, 2020, Lincoln, Neb.; son of Hugh and Jennie (Stanko) Cotton; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1998. Served 1998-2020. Ministries/Parishes: Davenport, Nebraska City, Weeping Water, Neb. Survivors: Lauren (McIntosh) Cotton; daughter: Cathryn. Funeral: March 26, 2020, Nebraska City, Neb.; Interment: March 27, 2020, Nebraska City, Neb.
GRAUPNER, HERBERT H. REV., Sept. 26, 1931, Fosston, Minn., to April 27, 2020, Spring Lake, Mich.; son of Oscar and Louise (Hattendorf) Graupner; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1956. Served 1956-1993. Ministries/Parishes: Flushing, Clio, Muskegon, Mich. Retired 1993. Preceded in death by his wife Nancy (Dobbs) Graupner. Survivors: Jean (Bohlm-Blasé) Graupner; daughters: Elizabeth Green, Anne Tietsort; stepsons: James, Gary; stepdaughters: Cindy Ferrante, Linda Brantley.
JANSSEN, ARLO T. REV., Oct. 1, 1928, Odessa, Minn., to May 3, 2020, Benson, Ariz.; son of Rev. Inho and Minnie (Thormaehlen) Janssen; graduated Springfield Seminary 1955. Served 1956-1961, 1999-2003. Ministries/Parishes: Madison, Wis.; Springfield, Pa.; Benson, Ariz. Retired 2003. Survivors: Ofelia (Trevino) Janssen; sons: Andrew, Ted. Funeral: Sierra Vista, Calif.; cremation.
JUNGKUNTZ, THEODORE ROBERT REV., Feb. 6, 1932, Watertown, Wisc., to June 8, 2020, Saline, Mich.; son of Otto and Clara Jungkuntz; graduated Mequon Seminary 1958. Served 1963-1983. Ministries/Parishes: Concordia, Mo.; Valparaiso, Ind. Retired 2003. Preceded in death by his wife Lois (Westcott) Jungkuntz. Survivors: son: Theodore; daughter: Rebecca. Funeral: June 17, 2020, Ypsilanti. Mich.; Interment: June 17, 2020, Ann Arbor, Mich.
LEVENHAGEN, DONALD EDWARD REV., July 11, 1934, Vincennes, Ind., to April 24, 2020, Fremont, Neb.; son of Lorenz and Hulda (Yochum) Levenhagen; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1959. Served 1959-1996. Ministries/Parishes: Almond, Wis.; Greensburg, Shelbyville, Ind.; Fremont, Neb. Retired 1997. Preceded in death by his son Mark. Survivors: Dorothy (Adkins) Levenhagen; sons: Donald, Timothy; daughters: Rebecca Dabkowski, Elizabeth Doht, Kristina Kavan.
MAY, MICHAEL NORMAN REV., April 6, 1945, St. Louis, Mo., to May 27, 2020, Kansas City, Kan.; son of Harry and Elva (Heintz) May; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1971. Served 1971-2013. Ministry/Parish: Kansas City, Kan. Retired 2013. Survivors: Judith (Wagner) May; sons: Robert, Stephen, Christopher. Funeral: June 1, 2020, Kansas City, Kan.; cremation.
NIETUBICZ, CHRISTOPHER R. REV., April 6, 1981, Nacoqdoches, Texas, to June 3, 2020, Austin, Texas; son of Richard and Cindy (Riechers) Nietubicz; graduated St. Louis Seminary 2016. Served 2016-2020. Ministry/Parish: Giddings, Texas. Survivors: Lauren (Froehlich) Nietubicz; son: Mark; daughter: Lillie. Memorial Service: June 9, 2020, Giddings, Texas; cremation.
SCHARFF, KIM LEROY REV., Nov. 24, 1950, Omaha, Neb., to May 27, 2020, Norborne, Mo.; son of Vern and Margy (Wright) Scharff; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1981. Served 1981-2020. Ministries/Parishes: Morris, Minn.; Cape Girardeau, Norborne, Mo.; Missouri District Circuit Visitor 1992-1997. Preceded in death by his wife Mary (Hanneman) Scharff. Survivors: son: David; daughters: Rachel Buttaccio, Hannah Woodward, Sarah Veach, Mary, Martha Castillero, Katharine Smith. Funeral and Interment: June 6, 2020, Norborne, Mo.
SCHULZ, NORMAN LESTER REV., March 10, 1938, Bloomington, Neb., to May 16, 2020, Cantonment, Fla.; son of Rev. Roy and Elvira (Bruns) Schulz; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1964. Served 1964-2002. Ministries/Parishes: Holly Springs, Oxford, Miss.; New Orleans, La.; Birmingham, Ala. Retired 2002. Survivors: Anne (Rahn) Schulz; sons: Mark, Scott, Michael, Christopher; daughters: Linda Watson, Suzanne Robin. Memorial Service: May 22, 2020, Cantonment, Fla.
STEPHENS, JAMES P. REV., Aug. 8, 1941, Chicago, Ill., to May 31, 2020, Chicago, Ill.; son of A.G. and Sarah Stephens; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1967. Served 1967-2007. Ministries/Parishes: Trochu, Torrington, Alberta, Canada; Sarnai, Ontario, Canada; River Forest, Chicago, Ill. Retired 2007. Survivors: Marcy (Muchow) Stephens; daughters: Audra, Tracy.
TIBBETTS, RONALD EUGENE REV., Jan. 5, 1952, Aitkin, Minn., to April 9, 2020, Aitkin, Minn.; son of Willard and Dora (Peterson) Tibbetts; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1992. Served 1992-1994, 1997-2018. Ministries/Parishes: Babbitt, Grey Eagle, Minn. Retired 2018. Interment: April 13, 2020, Aitkin, Minn.
ULM, DAVID MICHAEL REV., Jan. 26, 1954, Waterloo, Iowa, to May 26, 2020, Chesterfield, Mich.; son of Walter and Marlys (Meihost) Ulm; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1980. Served 1980-2020. Ministries/Parishes: Au Gres, Chesterfield, Mich. Retired 2020. Funeral: June 3, 2020, Chesterfield, Mich.: Interment: June 3, 2020, East Macomb, Mich.
COMMISSIONED
AHLERS, ARLEN G., Feb. 10, 1931, Gregory County, S.D., to March 22, 2020, Pierce, Neb.; son of August and Anna (Seevers) Ahlers; graduated Seward 1958. Served 1958-1992. Schools/Ministries: Hicksville, N.Y.; Torrance, Costa Mesa, Orange, Calif. Retired 1993. Survivors: Dorothy (Bohlsen) Ahlers; son: John; daughters: Nancy, Julie Butler. Memorial Service: Pierce, Neb.
FLETT, DOUGLAS EDWARD, Sept. 27, 1949, to June 4, 2020, Schaumburg, Ill.; son of George and Ruth Flett; graduated River Forest 1971. Served 1971-2015. School/Ministry: Schaumburg, Ill. Retired 2015. Survivors: Lori (Visser) Flett; son: Scott; daughters: Tamara Rende, Tara. Funeral: June 11, 2020, Schaumburg, Ill.
GALEN, BETTY JEAN (OEHMKE), Oct. 29, 1930, Detroit, Mich., to April 7, 2020, Seward, Neb.; daughter of Gus and Catherine (Lardner) Oehmke; graduated River Forest 1959. Served 1979-1997. School/Ministry: Seward, Neb. Retired 1997. Preceded in death by her husband Bill Galen. Survivors: sons: Christopher, Luke.
GRESENS, WALTER F., Sept. 9, 1937, Chicago, Ill., to May 30, 2020, St. Joseph, Mich.; son of Walter and Margaret (Wascher) Gresens; graduated River Forest 1959. Served 1959-2009. Schools/Ministries: Milwaukee, Wis.; St. Joseph, Rochester, Grand Blanc, Mich. Retired 2009. Survivors: Karen (Stilb) Gresens; sons: Richard, Matthew; daughter: Susan.
HAGENMUELLER, ERNEST HERMAN JR., April 14, 1929, Moline, Ill., to Feb. 24, 2020, Marengo, Ill.; son of Ernest and Emilie (Ramm) Hagenmueller; graduated River Forest 1964. Served 1964-1994. School/Ministry: Des Peres, Mo. Retired 1994. Survivors: Elaine (Brutlag) Hagenmueller; daughters: Janet Beyer, Sharon Dunker. Memorial Service: Feb. 29, 2020, Marengo, Ill.; Interment: Feb. 29, 2020, Des Peres, Mo.
HOEHNE, EMIL E., July 1, 1928, St. Louis. Mo., to May 21, 2020, St. Louis, Mo.; son of Emil and Esther (Ellebrecht) Hoehne; graduated River Forest 1952. Served 1952-1988. School/Ministry: Kirkwood, Mo. retired 1988. Preceded in death by his wife Ruby (Niewald) Hoehne. Survivors: sons: Gary, Mark. Funeral and Interment: May 29, 2020, Kirkwood, Mo.
HOFFSCHNEIDER, GERTRUDE DELORES (STEFFEN), March 17, 1930, Sioux Falls, S.D., to April 29, 2020, Ft. Wayne, Ind. Daughter of Rev Gustave and Anna (Eggert) Steffen; graduated Seward 1953. Served 1992-1997. School/Ministry: Maywood, Calif. Retired 1997. Preceded in death by her husband Dale Hoffschneider. Survivors: sons: Joel, Jonathan. Celebration of Life and Interment: July 11, 2020, Ft. Wayne, Ind.
LAEDER, LEROY D., May 12, 1932, Harbor Beach, Mich., to June 10, 2020, Midland, Mich.; son of William and Irma (Riedel) Laeder; graduated River Forest 1953. Served 1953-1994. Schools/Ministries: Monroe, Auburn, Midland, Mich. Retired 1994. Survivors: Betty (Sachs) Laeder; sons: Robert, Alan, Kevin, Keith; daughters: Janet Thompson, Audrey Marcis, Karen Collins. Funeral: June 16, 2020, Midland, Mich.
PIEPER, DARALD ADOLPH, Oct. 9, 1939, York, Neb., to April 28, 2020, Lansing, Ill.; son of Lawrence and Laura (Sackshewsky) Pieper; graduated Seward 1961. Served 1961-2002. Schools/Ministries: Cleveland, Ohio; Lansing, Ill. Retired 2002. Preceded in death by his wife Barbara (Lindemann) Pieper. Survivors: son: Troy; daughters: Tina Mysliwiec, Tara Jandura, Tracie, Tia. Celebration of Life: Downers Grove, Ill.
