IN MEMORIAM (February 2021)
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
MUELLER, ADAM REV., July 1, 1931, Hoffnungstal, Bessarabia, Romania, to Oct. 29, 2020, Cape Girardeau, Mo.; son of August and Magdalene (Rieger) Mueller; colloquy 1970. Served 1971-1991. Ministry/Parish: Friedheim, Mo. Retired 1991. Survivors: Margarete (Dauble) Mueller; sons: Markus, Paul, Samuel; daughters: Magdalene Vogel, Elizabeth Haskamp, Rebekah Moore. Funeral and Entombment: Nov. 2, 2020, Cape Girardeau, Mo.
PANKRATZ, ADOLPH WILLIAM REV., Feb. 1, 1929, Detroit, Mich., to Nov. 7, 2020, Stevensville, Mich.; son of Adolph Sr. and Bertha (Nelius) Pankratz; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1954. Served 1954-1992. Ministries/Parishes: North Sacramento, Calif.; Brooklyn, Hillman, Sawyer, Mich. Retired 1992. Survivors: Dorothy (Bublick) Pankratz; sons: John, Paul. Funeral and Interment: Nov. 14, 2020, Stevensville, Mich.
PAULSON, WARREN LEE REV., Nov. 18, 1932, Racine, Wis., to Oct. 13, 2020, Ypsilanti, Mich.; son of Harvey and Gertrude (Anderson) Paulson; graduated Springfield Seminary 1958. Served 1958-1995. Ministries/Parishes: Newberry, Germfask, Grass Lake, Mich.; Germantown, Wis. Retired 1995. Preceded in death by his wife Ruth (Pederson) Paulson. Survivors: Virginia Paulson; son: David; daughters: Joy, Katherine Keterson. Funeral: Oct. 16, 2020, Saline, Mich.; Interment: Oct. 16, 2020, Spring Arbor, Mich.
PERA, GERHARD A. REV., Jan. 14, 1930, Kidder County, N.D., to Oct. 26, 2020, Glendale, Calif.; son of Rev. August and Pauline (Flemmer) Pera; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1954. Served 1954-1996. Ministries/Parishes: Bateman, Kelstern, Coronach, Frobisher, Oxbow, Regina, Frankslake, Saskatchewan, Canada; Seattle, Wash.; Beausejour, Winkler, Morden, Manitoba, Canada; Scott City, Kan. Retired 1996. Survivors: sons; Paul, Jonathan; daughter: Diyah.
RUBKE, DAVID ALBERT REV., Nov. 14, 1951, San Francisco, Calif., to Oct. 17, 2020, Tullahoma, Tenn.; son of Ernest and Patricia (Duran) Rubke; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1984. Served 1984-1991; 1993-2009. Ministries/Parishes: Hickory, N.C.; Hanceville, Ala.; Creston, Corning, Iowa; Berryville, Ark. Retired 2009. Survivors: Rebecca (Donaldson) Rubke; sons: Jonathan, Michael, Timothy; daughter: Rachel Hafner. Funeral: Oct. 24, 2020, Tullahoma, Tenn.
SCHMIEL, DAVID GERHARD REV., Dec. 10,1931, Cedarburg, Wis., to Nov. 3, 2020; son of Gerhard and Frieda (LaBrenz) Schmiel; graduated Thiensville Seminary 1957. Served 1962-1995. Ministries/Parishes: Concordia, St. Louis, Mo.; St. Paul, Minn.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; Ft. Wayne, Ind. Retired 1995. Preceded in death by his wife Shirley (Friede) Schmiel. Survivors: sons; Mark, Peter, Steven, Daniel; daughter: Julia Bronkala. Funeral: Nov. 12, 2020, Edina, Minn.
SEPMEYER, MERLIN WILLIAM REV., Sept. 22, 1925, Edwardsville, Ill., to Sept. 14, 2020, Crossville, Tenn.; son of William and Louise Sepmeyer; colloquy 1981. Served 1981-1996. Ministry/Parish: Crossville, Tenn. Retired 1996. Survivors: daughters: Kristen Wiese, Mary Ann Sanders. Celebration of Life: Oct. 3, 2020, Crossville, Tenn.
TIN, DAVID SHOO GIT REV., Feb. 5, 1931, Gaomi Tin Village, ShanDong Providence, China, to Nov. 11, 2020, San Francisco, Calif.; son of Yu Wai and See Kwok Tin; colloquy 1986. Served 1986-2020. Ministry/Parish; San Francisco, Calif. Survivors: Lai Chi (Wong) Tin; sons: Justin, Harry, Anthony; daughter: Ruth. Funeral and Interment: Nov. 29, 2020.
WALTHER, JEFFREY H. REV., Feb. 24, 1962, Wadena, Minn., to Oct. 25, 2020, Duluth, Minn.; son of Howard and Elaine (Jasmer) Walther; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1989. Served 1992-2020. Ministries/Parishes: Central Islip, N.Y.; St. Paul, Esko, Minn. Survivors: Christina (Stavrou) Walther; son: Alexander; daughter: Hannah. Funeral: Oct. 31, 2020, Esko, Minn.
YIECH, SIMON REV., June 25, 1968, Maiwut, Sudan, to Oct. 11, 2020, Iowa City, Iowa; son of Yiech Gach and Mere Bol; graduated St. Louis Seminary 2006. Served 2006-2020. Ministry/Parish: Des Moines, Iowa. Survivors: Rebecca (Law) Yiech; children: Nyajuok, Nyador, Rachal, TethLoach, Gachbaach, Nyamal, Roda. Funeral and Interment: Nov. 7, 2020, Ankeny, Iowa.
COMMISSIONED
HOY, BLAIR A., June 3, 1945, to Oct. 27, 2020, Frankfort, Ill.; son of Frank and Betty Hoy; graduated River Forest 1967. Served 1967-2007. Schools/Ministries: Lombard, Matteson, Ill. Retired 2007. Survivors: Lynn (Evans) Hoy; son: Blair; daughter: Adrienne Marciante. Funeral: Oct. 31, 2020, Orland Park, Ill.; Interment: Oct. 31, 2020, Tinley Park, Ill.
LIPSCOMB, BEVERLY R. DEAC., June 24, 1950, Pasadena, Calif., to Sept. 19, 2020; graduated Valparaiso 1979. Served 1979-2015. School/Ministry: San Francisco, Calif. Retired 2015.
STOECKEL, LINDA M. (TAURIAINEN), Feb. 15, 1948, Highland Park, Mich., to May 5, 2020, Pineville, N.C.; daughter of Rueben and Helen (Laho) Tauriainen; graduated Seward 1969. School/Ministries: Eastpointe, MI.; Stuart, Fla. Retired 2014. Preceded in death by her husband David Stoeckel. Survivors: daughters: Melissa Raphael, Christine Shook, Stephanie Dzubak.
SUTTER, IRENE N. (TROUTMAN), Sept. 20,1931, to May 7, 2020, Marietta, Ga.; daughter of Espy and Iola Troutman; colloquy 1995. Served 1996-2001. School/Ministry: Farmington, Mich. Retired 2001. Preceded in death by her husband Elwood Sutter and son Craig. Survivors: sons: Gary, Daniel; daughter: Cheryl Mettler.
SWETT, ARTHUR, Nov. 23, 1948, Huntington Station, N.Y., to Nov. 9, 2020, Gainesville, Fla.; son of Arthur and Anna Swett; graduated River Forest 1970. Served 1970-1996. Schools/Ministries: Eustis, Gainesville, Fla. Retired 2017. Survivors: Marlene Swett; son: Jonathan; daughter: Jessica. Memorial Service: Nov. 14, 2020, Gainesville, Fla.
ZOCH, MELVIN CHARLES, Aug. 18, 1935, Walburg, Texas, to Sept. 14, 2020, Texas; son of Walter and Ella (Richter) Zoch; graduated Seward 1958. Served 1958-2000. Schools/ Ministries: New Orleans, La.; Tomball, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah. Retired 2000. Memorial Service: September 22, 2020, Walburg, Texas.
