In Memoriam (March 2019)

IN MEMORIAM

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

ALBERS, WALTER F. REV., Nov. 3, 1932, Port Arthur, Texas, to Dec.15, 2018, Waco, Texas; son of Carl and Minnie (Kubitz) Albers; Graduated Springfield Seminary 1971.  Served 1971-2006.  Ministry/Parish: Bellmead, Texas; Texas District Circuit Visitor 1978-1988.  Retired 2006.  Preceded in death by his wife Elna (Brown) Albers.  Survivors: son: Jeffrey; daughter: Louise Reeves.  Funeral: December 18, 2018, Bellmead, Texas; Interment: December 19, 2018, Waco, Texas.

BENKEN, F. RICHARD REV., June 25, 1929, New York, N.Y., to May 20, 2018, Cromwell, Conn.; son of Willi and Louise (Ammann) Benken; graduated Springfield Seminary 1955.  Served 1956-1997. Ministries/Parishes: New Britain, Madison, Conn.  Retired 1997.  Survivors: Joan (Guelzow) Benken; sons: Peter, Andrew; daughters: Elizabeth Lunt, Kristina Smith. Funeral: May 31, 2018, Madison, Conn.; Interment: Madison, Conn.

BERG, RICHARD WALTER REV., Jan. 10, 1934, Norwalk, Wis., to Dec. 16, 2018, Sheboygan, Wis.; son of Rev. Alvin and Violet (Egide) Berg; colloquy 1983. Served 1983-1995.  Ministry/Parish: Rockford, Ill.  Retired 1995.  Preceded in death by his sons Richard and Karl.  Survivors: Carol (Schroeder) Berg; son: Rev. John; daughter: Elizabeth Hook.  Funeral: Dec. 20, 2018, Sheboygan, Wis.; Interment: Dec. 21, 2018, Libertyville, Ill.

HEMPELL, WILLIAM GERARD III REV., July 5, 1942, New York City, N.Y., to Nov. 29, 2018, Averill Park, N.Y.; son of William Jr. and Edna (Wich) Hempell; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1968.  Served 1969-2013.  Ministries/Parishes: East Northport, Bronx, Albany, N.Y.; Lanoka Harbor, N.J. Retired 2013.  Survivors: Martha (Ehlers) Hempel; sons: Matthew, Joel, William IV.  Funeral: Dec. 15, 2018, Poestenkill, N.Y.: donated body to Albany Medical College.

KAVASCH, ROBERT W. REV., April 16, 1931, Hinsdale, Ill., to Nov. 18, 2018, Henderson, Nev.; son of Rev. Ernst and Florence (Wharmby) Kavasch; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1955.  Served 1955-1994.  Ministries/Parishes: Enterprise, Ore.; Hudson, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Allen Park, Mich.; English District Circuit Visitor 1994.  Survivors: son: Mark; daughter: Beth. Cremation.

KERSTEN, TIMOTHY PAUL REV., Sept. 4, 1960, Houston, Texas, to March 8, 2018, Galva, Kan.; son of John and Wilma (Groeschel) Kersten; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1995.  Served 1995-2018.  Ministries/Parishes: Nortonville, Abilene, Kan.; U.S. Army Chaplain.  Preceded in deah by his first wife Cherie (Rauch) Kersten.  Survivors: Michelle Kersten; sons: Travis, Jonathan; daughter: Amy; step-son: Jordan Bezdek; step-daughter: Toshia Widener.  Funeral and Interment: March 14, 2018, Hillsboro. Kan.

KLEPPER, HARRY W. REV., Oct. 19, 1931, Ft. Wayne, Ind., to Dec. 5, 2018, Pflugerville, Texas; son of William and Clara (Gerke) Klepper; colloquy 1979.  Served 1980-1996.  Ministry/Parish: Alamo, Texas.  Retired 1996.  Survivors: Gertrude (Gerken) Klepper; sons: Brent, Mark; daughters: Jill Lind, Beth.  Memorial Service: Austin, Texas; cremation.

LOEBER, HENRY A. REV., July 13, 1929, Wauwatosa, Wis., to Dec. 22, 2018, Fair Lawn, N.J.; son of Henry and Lois (Agather) Loeber; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1955.  Served 1955-1994.  Ministries/Parishes: Orange, Fair Lawn, N.J.; New Jersey District Circuit Visitor 1964-1966.  Retried 1994.  Preceded in death by his wife Shirley (Schmidt) Loeber.  Survivors: son: Rob; daughters: Sherrill Bohan, Cathy Hochkeppel.  Funeral: Jan. 3, 2019, Fair Lawn, N.J.; Interment: Jan. 3, 2019, Paramus, N.J.

REDDEL, EUGENE L. REV., Nov. 22, 1938, Gurley, Neb., to Nov. 15, 2018, Hampton Township, Pa.; son of Walter and Fredorai (Sorge) Reddel; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1965.  Served 1965-2008.  Ministries/Parishes: North Chicago, Park Ridge, Ill.; Woodside, N.Y.; St. Louis, Mo.; Pittsburgh, Pa.  Retired 2008.  Survivors: Miriam (Dorn) Reddel; sons: John, Paul.  Memorial Service: March 2, 2019, Cabot, Pa.

RUSSERT, ARLYN A. REV., Nov. 24, 1929, Dubuque, Iowa, to Nov. 25, 2018, Albany, Ore.; son of Rev. Martin and Frieda (Garbe) Russert; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1954.  Served 1954-1993.  Ministries/Parishes: Adair, Okla.; Ravenna, Neb.; Kirkland, Wash.; Cedar Lake, Ind.; Sidney, Fairview, Plentywood, Mont.; Corpus Christi, Texas; Albany, Ore.  Preceded in death by his wife Judith (Eckert) Russert.  Survivors: sons: Luke, Arlyn; daughter: Martha.  Funeral: Nov. 30, 2018, Albany, Ore.

TAYKOWSKI, THEODORE R. REV., Nov. 6, 1932, St. Louis. Mo., to Nov. 14, 2018, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; son of Joseph and Irene (Cassoutt) Taykowski; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1958.  Served 1958-2002.  Ministries/Parishes: Curtis, Well Street, White, Neb.; Brooklyn, Marshall, Mich.; Ft. Wayne, Ind.  Retired 2002.  Preceded in death by his son Troy.  Survivors: Marie (Kleinschmidt) Taykowski; sons: Timothy, Todd; daughter: Tina Franke.  Memorial Service: Dec. 8, 2018, Ft. Wayne, Ind.

WEERTS, LESLIE A. REV., Nov. 12, 1942, St. Louis, Mo., to Nov. 23, 2018, Elkhorn, Wis.; son of Edgar and Emma (Hoffman) Weerts; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1968.  Served 1968-2001.  Ministries/Parishes: Laona, Townsend, Luxemburg, Eau Claire, Wis.; Hot Springs Village, Ark. Retired 2001.  Survivors: Donna (Smith) Weerts; sons: Mark, David; daughter: Lynn Cox. Funeral: Nov. 27, 2018, Delavan, Wis.; Interment: Nov. 28, 2018, Milwaukee, Wis.

COMMISSIONED

BERGT, HAROLD MARTIN, Aug. 1, 1920, Potter, Neb., to Oct. 29, 2018, Fairmont, Minn.; son of Otto and Paula (Lueders) Bergt; graduated Seward 1941.  Served 1941-1982.  Schools/Ministries: Chester, Hastings, Fremont, Neb.; Ute, Iowa; Coffeyville, Kan.  Retired 1982.  Preceded in death by his wife Helen (Lafrentz) Bergt.  Survivors: sons: Richard, Gerald; daughter: Carolyn.  Funeral and Interment: Nov. 3, 2018, Fairmont, Minn.

ENGELBRECHT, ALLEN WAYNE, Sept. 3, 1934, Jefferson City, Mo., to July 22, 2018, Jefferson City, Mo.; son of John and Esther (Sappenfield) Engelbrecht; graduated River Forest 1958.  Served 1958-1999.  Schools/Ministries: Jefferson City, Mo.; North Judson, Ind.  Retired 1999.  Funeral and Interment: July 27, 2018, Jefferson City, Mo.

KRAFFT, ARTHUR EDGAR, Aug. 24, 1925, Melrose Park, Ill., to Dec. 15, 2018, Milwaukee, Wis.; son of Herman and Ada (List) Krafft; graduated River Forest 1948.  Served 1948-1988.  School/ Ministry: Milwaukee, Wis.  Survivors: Alberta (Koss) Krafft; sons: Grant, Rollin; daughters: Avis Chmielewski, Jennifer Boyle.  Funeral: Dec. 22, 2018, Milwaukee, Wis.

GLOTZHOBER, ALYCE K. (KRAEPEL), Feb. 26, 1927, Detroit, Mich., to Dec. 8, 2018, Redford, Mich.; daughter of Ernest and Mary (Newman) Kraepel; graduated River Forest 1952.  Served 1973-2000. School/Ministry: Dearborn, Mich.  Retired 2000.  Preceded in death by her husband Carl Glotzhober.  Survivors: daughters:  Mary Scott, and Debbie Boyer.  Funeral: Dec. 12, 2018, Dearborn, Mich.

SCHULER, VICTOR ELMER, Aug. 22, 1922, Thawville, Ill., to Nov. 30, 2018; son of Gale and Theodora (Wilkening) Schuler; graduated River Forest 1950.  Served 1950-1987.  Schools/Ministries: Clintonville, Wis.; Evansville, Ind.  Retired 1987.  Preceded in death by his wife Darlene (Garling) Schuler.  Survivors: sons: Rev. Mark, Paul, David; daughters: Sarah Scheidt, Ann Courter.  Celebration of Life and Interment: Dec. 3, 2018, Evansville, Ind.

WINTERSTEIN, WILLIAM W., March 9, 1928, Reed City, Mich., to Nov. 13, 2018, Beatrice, Neb.; son of William and Eleanor (Guetschow) Winterstein; graduated River Forest 1961.  Served 1961-1990.  Schools/Ministries: Toledo, Ohio; Worden, Ill.; Readlyn, Iowa; Blue Hill, Neb.; Bethel, Minn.; Hanover, Kan.  Retired 1990.  Survivors: Lucille (Bieberich) Winterstein; daughters: Bonnie Yoder, Beth Lohse.  Funeral and Interment: Nov.16, 2018, Beatrice, Neb.