IN MEMORIAM (November 2025)
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
COYNE, JONATHAN JOSEPH REV., Feb. 17, 1963, San Francisco, Calif., to July 25, 2025, Menlo Park, Calif.; son of Jack and Inger (Nielsen) Coyne; graduated Ft. Wayne 1991. Served 1992-2025. Ministries/Parishes: Mt. Shasta, Menlo Park, Calif. California/Nevada/Hawaii District Circuit Visitor 2018-2019. Survivors: Karen (Rutherford) Coyne; son: Andrew; daughter: Kathryn Hawkins. Memorial Service: Sept. 13, 2025, Menlo Park, Calif.
DURKOVIC, JOHN GERALD REV., Nov. 29, 1936, Cheyenne, Wyo., to Aug. 17, 2025, Santa Ana, Calif.; son of John and Vera (Urban) Durkovic; graduated Springfield Seminary 1969. Served 1969-2002. Ministries/Parishes: GUATEMALA; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Santa Ana, Calif. Retired 2002. Survivors: Nancy (Nowak) Durkovic; sons: Andrew, Joel, Timothy; daughters: Catherine Castanet, Heidi. Funeral: Sept 20, 2025, Santa Ana, Calif.
GERIKE, HENRY VICTOR REV., Aug. 17, 1948, Parkers Prairie, Minn., to Aug. 6, 2025, Webster Groves, Mo.; son of Rev. Victor and Lila (Bartelt) Gerike; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1991. Served 1992-2011. Ministry/Parish: St. Louis, Mo. Retired 2011. Funeral: Aug. 27, 2025, St. Louis, Mo.; Interment: Aug. 27, 2025, Affton, Mo.
HABERMAS, DAVID JOHN REV., Oct. 6, 1938, Racine, Wis., to Aug. 9, 2025, Northfield, Minn.; son of Louis Sr. and Mildred (Wiernasz) Habermas; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1965. Served 1967-1974, 1975-1999. Ministries/Parishes: New York, Bronx, N.Y.; Waupun, Wis. Retired 1999. Survivors: Betty (Sandnes) Habermas; son: Andrew; daughter: Bonnie Pape. Celebration of Life: Aug. 16, 2025, Northfield, Minn.
HAYEN, NEIL EUGENE REV., Jan. 24, 1948, Sterling, Ill., to Aug. 1, 2025, Pasco, Wash.; son of Bernard and Roene (Clary) Hayen; colloquy St. Louis Seminary 1994. Served 1994-2016. Ministries/Parishes: Eagle Grove, Rowan, Mallard, Iowa. Iowa West District Circuit Visitor 2009-2016. Retired 2016. Survivors: Judy (Levan) Hayen; son: Zachary; daughter: Elizabeth. Funeral: Aug. 4, 2025, Pasco, Wash.; Interment: Aug 7, 2025, Kennewick, Wash.
HILL, ROBERT W. REV., April 16, 1935, Littlefield, Texas, to July 29, 2025, Hooks, Texas; son of Elder and Esther (Goertz) Hill; graduated Springfield 1961. Served 1961-2021. Ministries/Parishes: Paris, Clarksville, Plano, Texakrana, Texas. Retired 2021. Texas District Circuit Visitor. Preceded in death by his son Nathan and daughter Lydia. Survivors: Elizabeth (Kokel) Hill; son: John; daughters: Rachel Woelmer, Marie Bultemeier. Memorial Service and Interment: July 30, 2025, Atlanta, Texas.
LEBAHN, MERLE ERNEST REV., Aug. 11, 1933, Washington, D.C., to Aug. 2, 2025, Eagan, Minn., son of Ernest and Irene (Clarkson) Lebahn and Laura Lebahn; colloquy Ft. Wayne Seminary 1984. Served 1985-1998. Ministries/Parishes: Audubon, Manning, Lawton, Eagan, Prior Lake, Minn. Retired 1998. Survivors: Judy (Volk) Lebahn; sons: Steve, David, John; daughter: Sandra. Funeral: Aug. 9, 2025, Eagan, Minn.
RUBLE, ERIC RALPH REV., May 16, 1973, Baltimore, Md., to July 30, 2025, Cumberland, Md.; son of Jerry and Mary (Leighton) Ruble; graduated St. Louis Seminary 2002. Served 2002-2025. Ministry/Parish: Cumberland, Md. Survivors: Amber (Lang) Ruble; daughters: Madilyn, Claire. Funeral and Interment: Aug. 6, 2025, Cumberland, Md.
WINDSOR, THOMAS J. Jr. REV., March 22, 1943, Buffalo, N.Y., to Aug. 10, 2025, Honolulu, Hawaii; son of Thomas Windsor Sr.; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1968. Served 1968-2014. Ministries/Parishes: Glastonbury, Conn.; San Diego, Laguna Beach, Downey, Escondido, Sonoma, Calif.; Honolulu, Hawaii; Gardnerville, Nev. Retired 2014. Survivors: Sanda (Zipperian) Windsor; son: Timothy; daughters: Allison, Andrea.
COMMISSIONED
CLAASSEN, WALTER BERNARD, June 10, 1937, Hammond, Ind., to Aug. 12, 2025, Elgin, Ill.; son of Bernhard and Alma (Gebert) Claassen; graduated River Forest 1960. Served 1960-1999. Schools/Ministries: Woodburn, Ind.; Elgin, Ill. Retired 1999. Preceded in death by his wife Nancy (Drews) Claassen. Funeral and Interment: Aug. 22, 2025, Elgin, Ill.
GEORGE, VIJAYASEKARAN DANIEL DR., Aug. 24, 1951, Chennai, INDIA, to Feb. 19, 2025, Bronxville, N.Y.; son of George and Salome Devaprasad; graduated River Forest 1974. Served 1979-2016. School/Ministry: Bronxville, N.Y. Retired 2016. Survivors: Janet; daughters: Sarah Athans, Emilie Gilman. Funeral and Interment: March 1, 2025, Bronxville, N.Y.
GEUDER, ALAN B. JR., Nov. 30, 1938, New Kensington, Pa., to March 23, 2025, Albuquerque, N.M.; graduated 1961. Served 1961-2000. Schools/Ministries: Hinsdale, Ill.; Austin, Texas; Albuquerque, N.M. Survivors: Helen; son: Alan; daughter: Beth Calhoun. Memorial Service and Inurnment: April 12, 2025, Albuquerque, N.M.
HIEBER, JANICE MARIE, April 6, 1951, Ft. Wayne, Ind., to Sept. 6, 2024, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; daughter of Arthur and Wilma (Rebber) Hieber; graduated Seward 1973. Served 1977-2014. Schools/Ministries: New Haven, Ft. Wayne, Ind. Retired 2014. Funeral and Interment: Sept. 18, 2024, Ft. Wayne, Ind.
LARSEN, STRAHAN M., May 28, 1973, Biloxi, Miss., to Aug. 10, 2025, Concordia, Mo.; son of Rev. Steven and Heidi Larsen; graduated Austin 2004. Served 2005-2025. School/Ministry: Concordia, Mo. Survivors: Sara Rotermund; sons: Stettler, Scout. Funeral: Aug. 16, 2025, Concordia, Mo.; cremation.
MACY, JOHN A., July 8, 1948, Ortonville, Minn., to July 8, 2025, Marysville, Kan.; son of Reeve and Nona (Highstreet) Macy; graduated St. Paul 1970. Served 1984-2016. Schools/Ministries: Temple City, Ariz.; Ogden, Utah; Marysville, Kan. Retired 2016. Survivors: Debra (Baca) Macy; son: Matthew; daughter: Kelly Prado. Funeral and Interment: Aug. 14, 2025, Marysville, Kan.
MUELLER, ERICH P., Oct. 8, 1933, Olivette, Mo., to Jan. 2, 2025, Weldon Spring, Mo.; son of Erich and Meta (Kropp) Mueller; graduated River Forest 1958. Served 1958-1996. School/Ministry: St. Louis, Mo. Retired 1996. Survivors: Delores (Mussler) Mueller; son: Joel; daughters: Sheryl Reinisch, Grace Peimann. Funeral: Jan. 7, 2025, St. Charles, Mo.; Interment: Jan. 7, 2025, Affton, Mo.
OLSON, PETER THOMAS, July 26, 1974, Kansas City, Mo., to July 30, 2025, Kansas City, Mo.; son of David and Cynthia Olson; graduated River Forest 1997. Served 1997-2007, 2014-2025. Schools/Ministries: Sheboygan, Wis.; Kansas City, Mo. Memorial Service: Aug. 13, 2025, Platte Woods, Mo.
WIEGAND, JON MATTHEW, Oct. 11, 1973, Port Jefferson, N.Y., to June 3, 2025, St. George, Utah; son of Steven and Judith (Lapen) Wiegand; graduated Bronxville 1995. Served 1995-2007, 2021-2025. Schools/Ministries: St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Fla.; Rego Park, N.Y.; Westfield, N.J.; St. George, Utah. Survivors: Julianne (Geminn) Wiegand; son: Matthew; daughters: Sarah, Lauren. Funeral: June 21, 2025; St. George, Utah.
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