IN MEMORIAM (September 2023)
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
CHORMANN, WILLIAM TOBIAS REV., March 19, 1943, Adrian, Mich., to May 16, 2023, Morris, Ill.; son of Frederick and Anna (Blohm) Chormann; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1990. Served 1990-1993; 2001-2007; 2013-2022. Ministries/Parishes: Lorain, Ohio; Danvers, Minier, Ottawa, Marseilles, Ill.; Truth or Consequences, N.M. Retired 2022. Preceded in death by his wife Dorothy (Kroeze) Chormann. Survivors: son: Mark; daughter: Julie Pelletier. Funeral: May 22, 2023, Marseilles, Ill.; Interment: May 23, 2023, Adrian, Mich.
DOEHRMANN, PAUL MICHAEL REV., Feb. 20, 1950, Ft. Wayne, Ind., to May 9, 2023, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; son of Albert and Beulah (Helmke) Doehrmann; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 2000. Served 2000-2015. Ministry/Parish: Ossian, Ind. Retired 2015. Survivors: Betty Doehrmann; sons: Shane, Daryl; daughter: Teresa Smith. Funeral and Interment: May 15, 2023, New Haven, Ind.
FARNSWORTH, KENNETH WALTER REV., June 13, 1960, Mt. Clemens, Mich., to June 4, 2023, Brandon, Fla.; son of Kenneth and Delphine (Grucz) Farnsworth; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1992. Served 1992-2022. Ministries/Parishes: Utica, Mich.; Brandon, Fla. Retired 2022. Survivors: Tammie (Gulledge) Farnsworth; son: Michael; daughters: Krista Noda, Neysa McGowan, Helenda Flynn, Michaela, Sasha Powell. Memorial Service: June 16, 2023, Brandon, Fla.
HETLINGER, JOHN C. REV., Jan. 1, 1934, Huron S.D., to May 14, 2023, Broomfield, Colo.; son of Emil and Marie Hetlinger; graduated Springfield Seminary 1968. Served 1975-2003. Ministries/Parishes: Broomfield, Boulder, Colo. Retired 2003. Survivors: Marcy (Lewis) Hetlinger; sons: Brad, AJ; daughters: Virginia, Mary, Pamela, Beth. Funeral: June 17, 2023, Boulder, Colo.; Interment: June 17, 2023, Denver, Colo.
KENYON, CLIFFORD NORMAN REV., Nov. 19, 1937, Santa Monica, Calif., to May 16, 2023, Newport, Calif.; son of Vernon and Irene Kenyon; Colloquy 1981. Served 1981-1991; 1992-2023. Ministries/Parishes: Walnut, Orange, Atascadero, Santa Ynez, Carpinteria, Corona, Lancaster, Long Beach, Menifee, Simi Valley, Ontario, Downey, Buena Park, Burbank, Calif. Retired 2023. Survivors: Carol (Tweten) Kenyon; son: Jonathan; daughter: Kristen. Funeral: June 14, 2023, Lake Forest, Calif.; Interment: June 15, 2023, Lake Forest, Ill.
LOBER, JOHN ARNOLD REV., Aug. 21, 1937, Milwaukee, Wis., to Jan. 17, 2023; son of Arnold and Emma (Wolf) Lober; graduated Springfield 1969. Served 1971-1980; 1982-1983. Ministries/Parishes: Ventura, Iowa; Murdo, Draper, S.D.; Auburn, Wash.; Irmo, S.C. Retired 1999. Survivors: Ann Marie (Reagan) Lober; son: Jonathan; daughters: Melissa Mathia, Amelia Eakin. Memorial Service: Feb. 2, 2023, Irmo, S.C.
MATELSKI, HARRY ALFRED JR. REV., Jan. 23, 1946, Berea, Ohio, to April 27, 2023, Garden Grove, Calif.; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1979. Served 1979-2019. Ministries/Parishes: Billings, N.Y.; US Army Military Chaplain; Akron, Ohio; Long Beach, Harbor City, Norwalk, Calif. Retired 2019. Survivors: Susan (Houston) Matelski; daughters: Janet, Lisa, Amy.
MIESNER, DONALD ROBERT REV. DR., July 23, 1933, Brazeau, Mo., to Jan. 22, 2023, St. Louis, Mo.; son of Otto and Ella (Koenig) Miesner; graduated St Louis Seminary 1959. Served 1960-2001. Ministry/Parish: Bronxville, N.Y. Retired 2001. Survivors: Wilhemina (Schick) Miesner; daughters: Lori Lucas, Judith, Ami Anderson. Funeral Feb. 18, 2023, St. Louis, Mo.
MUELLER, DAVID ARTHUR REV., July 29, 1938, Detroit, Mich., to June 5, 2023, Palm City, Fla.; son of Rev. George and Myrtle (Bielenberg) Mueller; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1964. Served 1964-1984; 1985-1996. Ministries/Parishes: Marathon, Upper Keys, Kendall, Miami, Fla.; US Navy Military Chaplain; Towson, Baltimore, Md. Retired 1996. Survivors: Cassie (Love) Mueller; son: Paul; daughter: Rebecca Williams. Memorial Service: June 10, 2023, N. Palm Beach, Fla.
ROSENAU, STANLEY WILBERT REV., April 15, 1927, Waseca, Minn., to June 12, 2023, Owatonna, Minn.; son of George and Emma (Lueck) Rosenau; graduated Springfield Seminary 1953. Served 1953-1989. Ministries/Parishes: Melfort, Mistatim, Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, Canada; Arlington, Henderson, Waseca, Janesville, Wabasso, Sanborn, Minn.; Scotia, Sidney, Neb.; Glidden, Battle Creek, Iowa. Retired 1989. Preceded in death by his wife Marion (Kodada) Rosenau and daughter Geraldine. Survivors: sons: Paul, James, John; daughter: Cindy Anderson. Funeral and Interment: June 15, 2023, Waseca, Minn.
RUIZ, SAMUEL ISAIAS REV., Feb. 5, 1959, Havana, Cuba, to June 10, 2023, Indianapolis, Ind.; son of Samuel and Gilda (Avalo) Ruiz; graduated St. Catharine’s Seminary 1996. Served 1996-2023. Ministries/Parishes: Indianapolis, Ind. Survivors: Damaris Ruiz; daughter: Deborah. Funeral and Interment: June 15, 2023, Indianapolis, Ind.
SCHUMPE, WAYNE E. W. REV., Jan. 24, 1939, St. Charles, Mo., to June 10, 2023; son of Erwin and Hilda (Finck) Schumpe; colloquy 1971. Served 1971-2009. Ministries/Parishes: Emma, Mo.; Brownstown, Ind.; Lexington, Fedor, Navasota, Texas. Missouri District Circuit Visitor 1974-1976; Texas District Circuit Visitor 1997-2001. Retired 2009. Preceded in death by his children Mark and Mary. Survivors: Joan (Ruth) Schumpe; sons: Timothy, Philip, Nathanael; daughters: Elizabeth Wold, Anna Pollert, Magdalana Clark, Lois Schluens, Martha Delovio. Funeral: June 15, 2023, Lexington, Texas; Interment: June 15, 2023, Fedor, Texas.
YANG, PHILIP NAI SUI REV., March 19, 1926, Liaoning Province, China, to June 1, 2023, Jersey City, N.J.; son of Ju-Bin and Lan-Shung Yang; colloquy 1964. Served 1964-1993. Ministry/Parish: New York, N.Y. Retired 1993. Preceded in death by his wives Lucina (Lee) Yang and Elizabeth (Moy) Yang. Survivors: son: Nathanael; daughter: Grace Yang Wong. Funeral: June 25, 2023, New York, N.Y.; Interment: June 26, 2023, Middle Village, N.Y.
COMMISSIONED
DOUGHERTY, WILLIAM D., March 8, 1935, San Antonio, Texas, to June 1, 2023, Perryville, Mo.; son of Raymond and Mabel (Mueller) Dougherty; graduated Seward 1958. Served 1958-1995. School/Ministry: Farrar, Mo. Retired 1995. Survivors: Nancy (Horst) Dougherty; daughters: Carolyn Friedrich, Linda Bauwens, Candyce Giesler, Brenda Etzold. Funeral and Interment: June 6, 2023, Farrar, Mo.
EBERS, JIMMY LEE, Aug. 14, 1953, Chester, Ill., to March 30, 2023, Independence, Mo.; son of Harold and Virginia (Mayer) Ebers; graduated Seward 1979. Served 1980-2019. Schools/Ministries: Chebanse, Ill.; Concordia, Mo. Retired 2019. Survivor: Cynthia (Roerig) Ebers. Funeral and Interment: April 4, 2023, Concordia, Mo.
GOMEZ, LINDA JOYCE (POOCK), Oct. 20, 1948, Waverly, Iowa, to June 28, 2023, Waterloo, Iowa; daughter of Ernest and Maxine (Watts) Poock; graduated St. Paul 1971. Served 1989-2010. Schools/Ministries: Victor, Readlyn, Waterloo, Iowa. Retired 2010. Preceded in death by her husband Carlos Gomez and sons Nicholas, Jarod, and Michael. Survivors: sons: Jason, Nick, Jeremy. Funeral: July 7, 2023, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Inurnment: July 7, 2023, Waterloo, Iowa.
OBERG, SANDRA S. (DUNKER), Jan. 21, 1957, to June 3, 2023, Huntley, Ill.; daughter of Robert and Norenne (Pinnow) Dunker; graduated River Forest 1979. Served 1983-1984; 1986-2023. Schools/Ministries: Southgate, Mich.; Marengo, Ill. Survivors: Ted Oberg; daughter: Marisa Dunker; stepchildren: Scott Oberg, Sarah McDonald, Lisa Keefe. Funeral: June 19, 2023, Marengo, Ill.; cremation.
PETERING, DONALD TRAUGOTT, March 21, 1938, Muskogee, Okla., to April 11, 2023, Kirkwood, Mo.; son of Donald and Erna (Traugott) Petering; graduated River Forest 1960. Served 1960-2002. Schools/Ministries: Des Peres, St. Louis, Mo. Retired 2002. Survivors: Carol Meyer; son: Rev. Jonathan; daughter: Nancy Pezold. Funeral and Interment: April 22, 2023, Des Peres, Mo.
SCHLIEBE, CHARLES ALBERT, Feb. 2, 1926, Columbia, S.D., to Aug. 17, 2022, Paso Robles, Calif.; son of Gustav and Olga Schliebe; graduated Seward 1950. Served 1950-2022. Schools/Ministries: Paulina, Iowa; Orange, Long Beach, Paso Robles, Calif.; Staplehurst, Neb. Retired 2006. Preceded in death by his wives Mary (Kupitz) Schliebe and Susan (Doty) Schliebe. Survived by his eight children. Funeral: Sept. 5, 2022, Paso Robles, Calif.; cremation.
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