IN MEMORIAM (March 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
BRAUER, JOEL J. REV., June 1, 1947, Bottineau, N.D., to Aug. 31, 2020, Eugene, Ore.; son of Norman Brauer; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1973. Served 1973-2001, 2003-2012. Ministries/Parishes: London, England; Monmouth, Tualatin, Salem, Ore. Retired 2012. Survivors: son: Mark; daughter: Sarah. Funeral: Sept. 10, 2020, Monmouth, Ore.
GODFREY, CHARLES BERWIN REV., Oct. 13, 1946, Hayward, Calif., to Sept. 7, 2020, Sublimity, Ore.; SMP certified 2018. Served 2018-2019. Ministry/Parish: Grants Pass, Ore. Retired 2019. Survivors: Kay (Knott) Godfrey; sons: Joshua, Jacob, Luke; daughter: Tabitha Richards.
LENK, GENE A. REV., Oct. 5, 1927, Johnstown, Pa., to Nov. 19, 2020; son of Aloysius and Martha (Quashne) Lenk; graduated Columbus Seminary 1960. Served 1977-1993. Ministries/Parishes: Oil City, Pittsburgh, Pa. Retired 1976. Preceded in death by his wife Marvis (Miesel) Lenk and daughter Karen Berkery. Survivors: sons: Gene II, John; daughters: Joyce Lloyd, Marilyn Grimm. Interment: Pittsburgh, Pa.
SUNDERMAN, BRYON LEE REV., Dec. 12, 1956, Borger, Texas, to Aug. 23, 2020, Kimberly, Idaho; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1984. Served 1984-1995, 1997-1999, 2001-2012, 2015-2019. Ministries/Parishes: Murray, Utah; Buhl, Lewiston, Kimberly, Burley, Idaho; Council Bluffs, Iowa; Lake Jackson, Texas. Retired 2019. Survivors: Helen Sunderman; daughters: Bethanee Palland, Miriam, Charity; step-daughters: Kelley Schulyer, Erin Kennedy. Celebration of Life: Aug. 28, 2020, Burley, Idaho.
WALTER, JAMES CARL REV., Oct. 3, 1953, Paducah, Ky., to Dec. 2, 2020, Little Rock, Ark.; son of Carl and Margaret (Baumer) Walter; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1991. Served 1991-2020. Ministries/Parishes: White Cloud, Mich.; Little Rock, Ark. Michigan District Circuit Visitor 1994-1995. Retired 2020. Survivors: Paula (Donner) Walter; sons: Aaron, Paul; daughters: Hannah Rafieetary. Funeral: Dec. 7, 2020, Paducah, Ky.
WARREN, WILLIAM W. REV., March 25, 1945, Ashland, Wis., to Aug. 22, 2020, Hillsboro, Ore.; son of Walter and Dorothy (Poppe) Warren; colloquy 1983. Served 1983-2008. Ministries/Parishes: Myrtle Point, Hillsboro, Ore.; Anchorage, Alaska. Retired 2008. Preceded in death by his wife Carol (Doyle) Warren. Survivor: Mary (Schinnerer) Warren. Interment: Aug. 31, 2020, Hillsboro, Ore.
COMMISSIONED
DROEGE, RALPH EDWIN, April 30, 1930, Milan, Ind., to Nov. 24, 2020, Milan, Ind.; son of Edwin and Luella (Donselman) Droege; graduated River Forest 1953. Served 1953-1995. Schools/Ministries: Wilson, Odessa, Texas; New Orleans, La.; Selma, Ala. Retired 1995. Memorial Service: Dillsboro, Ind.
HAUSER, RONALD LUTHER, Jan. 5, 1933, Chicago, Ill., to Nov. 2, 2020, Milwaukee, Wis.; son of Edward and Esther (Lindblade) Hauser; graduated River Forest 1954. Served 1954-1999. Schools/Ministries: West Seneca, N.Y.; Chicago, LaGrange, Ill.; Bay City, Mich. Retired 1999. Survivors: Arlene (Maier) Hauser; daughters: Lynn Little, Beth Peterson, Ellen. Funeral and Inurnment: Nov. 6, 2020, Grafton, Wis.
KAISER, ROY G., July 4, 1931, Mt. Clemens, Mich., to Nov. 24, 2020, Frankenmuth, Mich.; son of Christian and Martha (Kremkow) Kaiser; graduated River Forest 1954. Served 1954-1995. Schools/ Ministries: Chattanooga, Tenn.; Detroit, Rochester, Mich. Retired 1995. Survivors: Eileen (Heldt) Kaiser; sons: Timothy, Rev. Joel; daughters: Cynthia Schroeder, Lori Tonne. Funeral and Interment: Nov. 30, 2020, Rochester, Mich.
KANNING, MARCEIL ESTHER (KELLER), March 17, 1933, Ft. Wayne, Ind., to Oct. 16, 2020, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; daughter of Arnold and Lucy (Monroe) Keller; graduated River Forest 1954. Served 1988-1998. School/Ministry: Ft. Wayne, Ind. Retired 1998. Survivors: Glenn Kanning; daughters: Kay Isca, Colleen Tatman. Funeral and Interment: Oct. 23, 2020, Ft. Wayne, Ind.
KING, ROSS EDWARD, July 4, 1930, Peru, Ind., to Dec. 4, 2020, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; son of Morton and Josephine (Hostetler) King; colloquy 1980. Served 1980-2003. Schools/Ministries: Crown Point, Ft. Wayne, Ind. Retired 2003. Preceded in death by his wife Betty (Webber) King. Survivors: son: Stanley; daughters: LaVonne Dolliver, Marilynn Courtney, Kathryn, Barbara Schamp, Carole. Interment: Ft. Wayne, Ind.
KRUEGER, EDWARD FREDERICK, Jan. 26, 1924, Riverdale, Ill., to Oct. 21, 2020, Kirksville, Mo.; son of John and Marie Krueger; graduated River Forest 1946. Served 1946-1965. Schools/Ministries: Ft. Wayne, Ind.; River Forest, Chicago, Ill.; Milwaukee, Wis. Retired 1965. Preceded in death by his son Rev. Stephen. Survivors: Ruth Krueger; son: David; daughter: Deborah Fricke. Memorial Service: Oct. 31, 2020, Petersburg, Ill.
RUMBOLD, PAULA CHRISTINE (LATHROP), Dec. 23, 1952, Stockton, Calif., to Oct. 26, 2020, Oshkosh, Wis.; daughter of Edward and Lola (Kively) Lathrop; graduated River Forest 1975. Served 1976-1980, 1983-1992, 1995-2015. Schools/Ministries: St. Louis, Mo.; Chamblee, Ga.; Oshkosh, Wis. Retired 2015. Survivors: David Rumbold; daughter: Jennifer. Funeral: Oct. 30, 2020, Oshkosh, Wis.
RUTZ, HAROLD AUGUST PAUL, March 20, 1930, Milwaukee, Wis., to Nov. 17, 2020, Austin, Texas; son of Elmer and Elva Rutz; graduated River Forest 1952. Served 1952-1996. Schools/Ministries: Detroit, Mich.; Kansas City, Mo.; Austin, Texas. Retired 1996. Preceded in death by his wife Viola (Larkin) Rutz. Survivors: son: Paul; daughters: Faith Kelley, Hope Bartolotta. Interment: Nov. 28, 2020, Austin, Texas.
