In Memoriam (November 2017)

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

BECKER, DONALD VICTOR REV., May 28, 1928, Farley, Mo., to July 30, 2017, Oak Park, Ill.; son of Rev. Alvin and Martha (Oetting) Becker; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1954. Served 1954-1994. Ministries/Parishes: Emporium, Pa.; Chicago, Ill.; Northern Illinois District Circuit Visitor 1990-1991. Retired 1994. Survivors: Carolyn (Gresens) Becker; sons: David, Martin. Funeral: August 5, 2017, Chicago, Ill.

BETKE, NORMAN EMIL REV., March 30, 1934, Detroit, Mich., to July 27, 2017, Gladwin, Mich.; son of Edward and Mary (Kutzke) Betke; graduated Springfield Seminary 1959. Served 1959-1996. Ministries/Parishes: Fayette, St. Ansgar, Iowa. Retired 1996. Preceded in death by his wife Doris (Dommer) Betke. Survivors: daughters: Rebecca Schoepp, Rachel Mena, Ruth Sandridge, Katherine. Funeral and Interment: August 13, 2017, Gladwin, Mich.

DINGLER, WILLIAM BRYAN REV., September 12, 1928, York, Pa., to August 5, 2017, Kirkwood, Mo.; son of Lester and Nora (Bryan) Dingler; graduated Springfield Seminary 1959. Served 1959-1993. Ministries/Parishes: Taiwan; Highpoint, N.C.; Hong Kong; St. Louis. Mo.; New York, N.Y. Retired 1993. Survivors: Evelyn Campbell; sons: Stephen, Eric; daughters: Sharon Delmore, Brenda Cortopassi, Trina. Memorial Service: August 19, 2017, Kirkwood, Mo.

FISHER, WALTER F. REV., July 11, 1923, Platte Center, Neb., to August 1, 2017, Paris, Texas; son of Rev. Henry and Marie (Stohlman) Fisher; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1947. Served 1947-1987. Ministries/Parishes: Kirkwood, Mo.; Pasadena, Calif.; Elmhurst, Ill. Retired 1987. Preceded in death by his wife Dorothy (Hesemann) Fisher. Survivors: son: Thomas; daughter: Ruth Lestock. Memorial Service: August 5, 2017, Bellmead, Texas; Interment: August 5, 2017, Waco, Texas.

FUHLBRIGGE, KARL A REV., December 21, 1933, Coleman, Wis., to August 28, 2017, Monroe, Mich.; son of Rev. William and Hilda (Rieck) Fuhlbrigge; colloquy 1983. Served 1983-1998. Ministry/Parish: Toledo, Ohio. Retired 1998. Preceded in death by his wife Barbara (Post) Fuhlbrigge. Survivors: Mary (Bork Amolsch) Fuhlbrigge; son: Stefan; daughter: Robin Stearns; step-sons: Kurt, Christian; step-daughter: Katherine Seeliger, Karen Horrigan. Funeral: September 1, 2017, Monroe, Mich.; Interment: September 1, 2017, LaSalle, Mich.

GEORG, DANIEL E. REV., August 3, 1953, Chillicothe, Ohio, to August 21, 2017, Allen, Texas; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1981. Served 1981-1994. Ministries/Parishes: Custer, Hill City, S.D.; Marcus, Iowa; Houston, Texas. Retired 2013. Survivors: son: Daniel II; daughters: Angela, Christina; Funeral: August 25, 2017, Plano, Texas.

GRAHAM, MICHAEL DAVID REV., July 14, 1951, Indiana, to July 11, 2017, Aurora, Ill.; son of James and Julia (Hollis) Graham; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1979. Served 1979-1995, 2008-2017. Ministries/Parishes: Houston, Texas; Guatemala; Aurora, Ill.; Northern Illinois District Circuit Visitor 2009-2017. Survivors: son: James; daughter: Julia. Funeral: July 22, 2017, Aurora, Ill.

HOFFMANN, PETER CARL REV., June 5, 1942, Bronxville, N.Y., to July 25, 2017, Crown Point, Ind. Son of Rev. Oswald and Marcia (Linnell) Hoffmann; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1968. Served 1968-2004. Ministries/Parishes: Swanton, Ohio; Chicago, Ill. Retired 2004. Preceded in death by his wife Elaine (Bicker) Hoffmann. Survivors: sons: Carl, Thomas, Paul, George; daughters: Marcy Elamin. Funeral: August 8, 2017, Lowell, Ind.

NAPIER, PAUL FREDRICK REV., October 17, 1954, St. Louis, Mo., to August 16, 2017, Hampton, Va.; son of Carl Jr. and Ruth Napier; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1980. Served 1980-2004. Ministries/Parishes: Muskegon, Mich.; Seaford, Del.; Hampton, Va. Survivors: Dawn (Mellenthine) Napier; son: John; daughter: Jenna. Funeral and Interment: August 21, 2017, Newport News, Va.

PAULUS, EUGENE ROBERT REV., March 27, 1934, Orange, Calif., to August 2, 2017, Redlands, Calif.; son of William and Alma (Heim) Paulus; graduated Springfield Seminary 1964. Served 1964-1996. Ministries/Parishes: N. Edwards, Tehachapi, Redlands, Calif.; Pacific Southwest Circuit Visitor 1990-1991, 1997-2000. Retired 1996. Preceded in death by his son David. Survivors: Gloria (Zeman) Paulus; son: David; daughters: Miriam Heinicke, Rebecca Bakken. Funeral: August 12, 2017, Redlands, Calif.

RUTZ, WAYNE EDGAR REV., June 20, 1941, Albert Lea, Minn., to August 17, 2017, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; son of Edgar and Selma (Pommsranz) Rutz; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1967. Served 1967-1972, 1975-1977, 1991-2000. Ministries/Parishes: New Orleans, La.; Woodburn, New Haven, Ft. Wayne, Hudson, Ind. Retired 2000. Preceded in death by his wife Evelyn (Schoessow) Rutz. Survivors: Carolina (Rodriguez) Rutz. Funeral: September 9, 2017, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Interment: August 31, 2017, Freistadt, Wis.

SCHLUETER, RICHARD PAUL REV., January 12, 1961, Concordia, Mo., to August 8, 2017, Kirksville, Mo.; son of Omar and Hildegarde (Brunkhorst) Schlueter; graduated St. Louis Seminary 2010. Served 2011-2017. Ministries/Parishes: Kirksville, Milan, Mo. Survivors: Susan (Desselman) Schlueter; daughter: Mikaela. Funeral: August 11, 2017, Kirksville, Mo.; Interment: August 12, 2017, Ernestville, Mo.

SIMON, JOHN M. REV., June 29, 1940, Billings, Mont., to July 28, 2017, Brea, Calif.; son of Rev. John and Ida (Markusen) Simon; graduated Ft. Wayne Seminary 1963. Served 1967-2004. Ministries/Parishes: Panorama City, Garden Grove, Long Beach, Calif. Retired 2004. Survivors: Connie (Baumung) Simon; sons: John, Philip; daughter: Christin. Funeral: August 4, 2017, Brea, Calif.

WEBER, CHARLES WALTER REV., December 4, 1936, Geneva, Neb., to August 22, 2017, Perryville. Mo.; son of Walter and Ruth (Goehring) Weber; graduated St. Louis Seminary 1993. Served 1993-2005. Ministry/Parish: Altenburg, Mo. Retired 2005. Funeral and Interment: August 26, 2017, Altenburg, Mo.

WUENSCHE, REINHARD HERMAN JR. REV., June 13, 1945, Three Rivers, Texas, to July 25, 2017, Huntsville, Texas; son of Rev. Reinhard Sr. and Margaret Wuensche; graduated Springfield Seminary 1975. Served 1975-2009. Ministries/Parishes: Taylor, Ft. Worth, Houston, Huntsville, Texas.; Texas District Circuit Visitor 1978-1988. Retired 2009. Survivors: Patricia (Screws) Wuensche; sons: John, Stephen, David; daughter: Karen. Funeral and Interment: July 30, 2017, Huntsville, Texas.

COMMISSIONED

GERHARDT, ELSIE A., April 7, 1935, Jackson, Wis., to December 18, 2016, West Bend, Wis.; daughter of Edwin and Viola (Benicke) Gerhardt; graduated River Forest 1957. Served 1973-2016. School/Ministry: West Bend, Wis. Funeral and Interment: December 22, 2016, Jackson, Wis.

HOEFT, TERRY L., March 6, 1948, Dearborn, Mich., to August 21, 2017, Livonia, Mich.; graduated Seward 1971. Served 1971-1977, 2008-2014. Schools/Ministries: Farmington Hills, Royal Oak, Mich. Retired 2017. Survivors: Karen (Ging) Hoeft; sons: Daniel, James, Charles. Funeral: August 26, 2017, Livonia, Mich.

KRACH, GEORGE M. JR., December 9, 1929, Detroit, Mich., to July 20, 2017, Gladwin, Mich.; son of Rev. George Sr. and Elsie (Koch) Krach; graduated River Forest 1953. Served 1953-1993. Schools/Ministries: Saginaw, Lincoln Park, Mich. Retired 1993. Preceded in death by his wife Carol (Loesch) Krach and son Gary. Survivors: sons: Rev. James, David. Celebration of life and Interment: July 25, 2017, Saginaw, Mich.

ROMERO, JOHN BARRETT, June 6, 1944, Gustine, Calif., to March 14, 2017, Lawton, Okla.; son of Juan and Bertha Romero; colloquy 2002. Served 2004-2010. School/Ministry: Tacoma, Wash. Survivors: Bonnie (McLeon) Romero; son: Richard; daughters: Rita Anderson, Nickie Finn. Memorial Service: March 25, 2017, Lawton, Okla.

WAAK, LEMOYNE D., March 10,1928, Polk, Neb., to August 4, 2017, Sterling Heights, Mich.; son of Carl and Frieda (Stach) Waak; graduated Seward 1950. Served 1950-1991. Schools/Ministries: Osmond, Kenesaw, Neb.; Menlo Park, Calif.; Harper Woods, Mich. Retired 1991. Survivors: Vera (Lovercamp) Waak; sons: Craig, Scott; daughter: Pamela Mahowald. Funeral: August 8, 2017, Fraser, Mich: Interment: Rochester Hills, Mich.