In Memoriam (March 2026)

IN MEMORIAM (March 2026)

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

HANAN, NORMAN ARTHUR REV., Aug. 14, 1940, Chicago, Ill., to Nov. 28, 2025, Annadale, Minn.; son of Harold and Ida (Lindberg) Hanan; colloquy Ft. Wayne Seminary 1982. Served 1983-2003. Ministries/Parishes: Chicago, Ill.; Fair Haven, Minn. Retired 2003. Survivors: Mary (Wedekind) Hanan; sons: Joshua, Marcus, Matthew, Paul, Seth, Jonathan. Funeral: Dec. 3, 2025, Kimball, Minn.; Interment: Dec. 3, 2025, Southside Township, Minn.

HOWELL, JEFFREY PAUL SR. REV., Aug. 21, 1960, Chicago, Ill., to Dec. 11, 2025, Chicago, Ill.; son of Wesley and Janet Howell; SMP Certified Ft. Wayne 2011. Served 2011-2025. Ministry/Parish: Chicago, Ill. Survivors: son: Jeffrey Jr.; daughters: Chavon, Jasmine. Celebration of Life: Dec. 19, 2025, Chicago, Ill.

KAELBERER, JOHN HERBERT REV., Oct. 2, 1929, Philadelphia, Pa., to Sept. 1, 2025, Tacoma, Wash.; son Herb and Emma Kaelberer; colloquy 1985. Served 1985-1990. Ministry/Parish: U.S. Navy Chaplain. Retired 1996. Preceded in death by his wife Barbe Kaelberer. Survivors: sons: John Jr., Eric; daughter: Mary.

LANGEMO, MARTIN SAMUEL REV., Oct. 3, 1935, Owatonna, Minn., to Dec. 4, 2025, Elk River, Minn.; son of Martin and Mildred (Mosher) Langemo; graduated Springfield Seminary 1964. Served 1964-1973, 1975-1987, 1990-2004. Ministries/Parishes: Greensboro, N.C.; Chisholm, Wheaton, Canby, Silver Creek, Little Falls, Minn. Minnesota North District Circuit Visitor 1981-1986. Retired 2004. Preceded in death by his wife Carol (Randgaard) Langemo. Survivors: sons: Martin, James, David, Thomas; daughters: Judith Roth, Mary Hughes. Funeral: Dec. 13, 2025, Elk River, Minn.

MEISSNER, BRUCE WERNER REV., Mar. 13, 1936, E. Chicago, Ind., to Nov. 15, 2025, Algonquin, Ill.; son of Edward Jr. and Lois (White) Meissner; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1963. Served 1963-2025. Ministries/Parishes: Council Grove, Strong City, Kan.; Carpentersville, Barrington Hills, E. Dundee, Ill. Northern Illinois District Circuit Visitor 1991-2000. Preceded in death by his wife Dorcas (Knoblauch) Meissner. Survivors: sons: Bruce, Timothy; daughter: Lois Williams. Funeral: Nov. 23, 2025, E. Dundee, Ill.; Interment: Nov. 24, 2025, E. Dundee, Ill.

MURDOCK, CECIL LEON REV., Nov. 20, 1943, Chicago, Ill., to Nov. 7, 2025, Moline, Ill.; son of Cecil and Eunice (Hays) Murdock; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1999. Served 1999-2013. Ministry/Parish: Stover, Mo. Retired 2013. Survivors: Phyllis (Howell) Murdock; daughters: Melissa Hahn, Amanda Barbato. Funeral and Interment: Nov. 14, 2025, Moline, Ill.

PEREZ, CLAUDIO SR. REV., Oct. 29, 1931, Houston, Texas, to Nov. 20, 2025, Houston, Texas; son of Manuel and Ursula (Rodriguez) Perez; colloquy St. Louis Seminary 1995. Served 1995-2004, 2005-2025. Ministry/Parish: Houston, Texas. Survivors: Elisa (Garza) Perez; sons: Claude Jr., Timothy; daughters: Diana Ballard, Ruth Wagner. Funeral and Interment: Nov. 28, 2025, Houston, Texas.

SUTTERER, PAUL ROBERT REV., Feb. 1, 1937, Worthington, Minn., to Dec. 3, 2025, Summerfield, Fla.; son of William and Florence (Woodland) Sutterer; graduated Springfield Seminary 1966. Served 1966-1986, 1988-1998. Ministries/Parishes: Riverton, Springfield, Ill.; St. Francis, Robbinsdale, Minn.; Bronx, N.Y.; Cape Coral, Fla. Florida-Georgia District Circuit Visitor 1991-1998. Retired 1998. Survivors: son: Michael; daughter: Michelle Strezishar. Memorial Service: Feb. 2, 2026, The Villages, Fla.

COMMISSIONED

DEMBECK, DAVID EARL, May 28, 1952, Detroit, Mich., to Dec. 1, 2025, Mt. Clemens, Mich.; son of Earl and Marion (Geisler) Dembeck; graduated Seward 1974. Served 1974-2019. Schools/Ministries: Cabot, Pa.; Ionia, Macomb, Mich. Retired 2019. Survivors: Valorie (Ehlke) Dembeck; son: David; daughters: Kathryn Winningham, Margaret Kienman, Allison Vandeberghe. Memorial Service: Dec. 8, 2025, Macomb, Mich.; cremation.

EBKE, HAROLD DEWAYNE, Nov. 20, 1940, Julesburg, Colo., to Aug. 27, 2025, Alton, Ill.; son of Lorenz and Irene (Anderson) Ebke; graduated Seward 1962. Served 1962-2003. Schools/Ministries: Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colo.; Pennsauken, N.J.; Malvern, Pa.; Godfrey, Ill. Retired 2003. Survivors: Hannelore (Dorth) Ebke; sons: Grant, Kirk. Funeral: Sept. 2, 2025, Godfrey, Ill.; Interment: Sept. 2, 2025, Bethalto, Ill.

FISK, ALAN CLIFFORD, Feb. 12, 1936, Eaton, N.Y., to Sept. 3, 2025, Watertown, Wis.; son of Allen and Velma (Holden) Fisk; graduated River Forest 1963. Served 1963-2001. Schools/Ministries: Bronx, N.Y.; Wisconsin Dells, Watertown, Wis. Retired 2001. Preceded in death by his wife Lois (Baerwolf) Fisk. Survivors: son: Gary; daughter: Wendy McGlynn. Funeral and Interment: Sept. 25, 2025, Watertown, Wis.

HUBACEK, CAROL LEE (JERNBERG), May 26, 1948, Chicago, Ill., to Sept. 1, 2025, Carmel, Ind.; daughter of Frank Jr. and Leona (Golke) Jernberg; graduated River Forest 1970. Served 1974-2005. Schools/Ministries: Chicago Heights, Ill.; Crown Point, Ind. Retired 2005. Preceded in death by her husband Charles Hubacek. Survivors: daughters: Elizabeth Monroe, Emily Snyder. Memorial Service: Oct. 4, 2025, Carmel, Ind.

KLAUSMEIER, CAROLINE LILLIAN (HARTWIG), Aug. 23, 1934, Detroit, Mich., to Dec. 1, 2025, Clarkston, Mich.; daughter of William and Lillian (Hartka) Hartwig; graduated River Forest 1955. Served 1976-2003. School/Ministry: Birmingham, Mich. Retired 2003. Preceded in death by her husband Howard Klausmeier. Survivors: sons: Howard, John; daughters: Linda Christie, Janet Wilinski. Funeral: Dec. 6, 2025, Walled Lake, Mich.

MARSHALL, PATRICIA LEE, March 21, 1948, Defiance, Ohio, to July 17, 2025, Defiance, Ohio; daughter of Robert and Mary (Miler) Marshall; graduated Seward 1970. Served 1978-1981, 1984-2025. Schools/Ministries: Napoleon, Defiance, Ohio. Funeral: July 22, 2025, Defiance, Ohio; Interment: Defiance, Ohio.

MORRIS, LESLIE ROLLIN WINTON JR., Sept. 7, 1942, Astoria, Ore., to Oct. 5, 2025, Phoenix, Ariz.; son of Leslie Sr. and Orva (Gunderson) Morris; graduated Seward 1964. Served 1966-1993. Schools/Ministries: Los Angeles, Menlo Park, San Francisco, Calif. Retired 2018. Interment: Warrenton, Ore.