"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" (Matthew 5:4).
A reporting of deaths of called workers as noted in the call report.
PASTORS
RALPH E. SCHARF
May 19, 1942–April 3, 2024
A 1964 graduate of Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis., and a 1968 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., he served St. Matthew, Winona, Minn.; Gethsemane, Davenport, Iowa; Living Hope, West Allis, Wis.; and Living Water, Hot Springs Village, Ark.
HERMANN K. JOHN
October 21, 1937–March 25, 2024
A 1959 graduate of Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis., and a 1962 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., he served St. Marcus, Milwaukee, Wis.; St. Mark, Lincoln, Neb.; Prince of Peace, Yucaipa, Calif.; St. John, Tarzana, Calif.; Ascension, Escondido, Calif.; and California Lutheran High School, Wildomar, Calif.
GERHARD F. SCHAPEKAHM
December 15, 1933–March 3, 2024
A 1958 graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., and a 1972 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., he served St. John, Fremont, Wis.; Immanuel, Greenville, Wis.; Christ the King, Tulsa, Okla.; St. Matthew's, Winona, Minn.; Jerusalem, Morton Grove, Ill.; St. John, Wrightstown, Wis.; St. John, Fremont, Wis.; Fox Valley Lutheran High School, Appleton, Wis.; and Mt. Olive, Tulsa, Okla.
HERBERT F. LICHTENBERG
January 28, 1931–March 2, 2024
A 1956 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., he served Fox Valley Lutheran High School, Appleton, Wis.; Redeemer, Hastings, Neb.; Gethsemane, Omaha, Neb.; and St. John, Milwaukee, Wis.
TIMM O. MEYER
December 25, 1953–February 28, 2024
A 1976 graduate of Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis., and a 1980 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., he served Bloomington, Bloomington, Minn.; Zion, Zeeland, N.D.; St. Paul's, Mound City, S.D.; Peace, Milbank, S.D.; St. John, Summit, S.D.; Water of Life, Alma, Neb.; Redeemer, Norton, Kan.; Trinity, Mc Cook, Neb.; and Living Savior, Hays, Kan.
THOMAS B. FRANZMANN
April 23, 1940–February 11, 2024
A 19162 graduate of Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis., and a 1965 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., he served Divinity-Divine Charity, Whitefish Bay, Wis.; St. Mark's, Citrus Heights, Calif.; Mt. Calvary, Redding, Calif.; Our Redeemer, Santa Barbara, Calif.; and the WELS Ministry of Christian Giving.
ROBERT A. STRAWN
August 3, 1936–January 22, 2024
A 1961 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, Ill., he served St. Paul's, Broken Bow, Neb., and Beautiful Savior, Bella Vista-Hiwasse, Ark.
ERICH W. WALDEK
March 18, 1929–January 5, 2024
He served St. Mark, Sterling Heights, Mich.; King of Kings, Clifton Park, N.Y.; Word Eternal, Waterloo, Ontario; and Cross of Christ, Liverpool, N.Y.
ERVINE F. VOMHOF
November 7, 1932–December 12, 2023
A 1954 graduate of Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis., and a 1958 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., he served St. John, Janesville, Minn.; St. John, Rock Springs, Wis.; St. Luke, Watertown, Wis.; and St. James, Prairie du Sac, Wis.
GERALD L. MEYER
January 14, 1936–November 3, 2023
He served Redeemer, Fond du Lac, Wis.; St. John, Oak Creek, Wis.; and St. Paul, Muskego, Wis.
JAMES H. BABLER
October 6, 1942–October 8, 2023
A 1968 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., he served Good Shepherd, Sioux Falls, S.D.; St. John's, Lowell, Wis.; and Zion, Stetsonville, Wis.
VICTOR L. HEADRICK
February 12, 1954–September 24, 2023
A 1976 graduate of Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis., and a 1980 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., he served Grace, Glendale, Ariz.; Emmanuel, Stratford, Wis.; St. Peter, Marshfield, Wis.; St. John's, Pardeeville, Wis.; and St. John, Manitowoc, Wis.
ALLEN D. CAPEK
April 16, 1931–September 11, 2023
A 1956 graduate of Northwestern College and a 1956 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, he served St. John, Rising City, Neb.; Trinity, Union Grove, Wis.; Abiding Word, Kenosha, Wis.; Immanuel, Campbellsport, Wis.; and Morning Star, Carstairs, Alberta, Canada.
LOREN D. FRITZ
May 30, 1943–September 3, 2023
A 1969 graduate of Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minn., and a 1973 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., he served St. Andrew, Middleton, Wis.; Christ, Baraboo, Wis.; St. John, Cornell, Wis.; Abiding Savior, Killeen, Texas; Our Savior, Harrisonville, Mo.; Messiah, Norborne, Mo.; and Immanuel, Waupaca, Wis.
TEACHERS AND STAFF MINISTERS
JOHN C. JOHNSON
March 13, 1951–April 10, 2024
A 1973 graduate of Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis., he served Wisconsin Lutheran High School, Milwaukee, Wis.; Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, Wis.; WLCFS-Christian Family Solutions, Germantown, Wis.; St. Mark, Green Bay, Wis.; and St. Mark, De Pere, Wis.
GARY L. DALLMANN
October 26, 1942–April 8, 2024
He taught at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn.
HELEN C. STREGE (née OLMANSON)
May 9, 1942–March 23, 2024
She taught at Holy Trinity, Des Moines, Wash.
ROBERT L. AVERBECK
October 7, 1937–January 10, 2024
A 1958 graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., he served First German, Manitowoc, Wis.; St. Matthew's, Oconomowoc, Wis.; North Trinity, Milwaukee, Wis.; Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn.; and St. John, Saint Paul, Minn.
SUZANNE M. HOUGH
February 2, 1962–January 7, 2024
A 1984 graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., she taught at St. John's, Two Rivers, Wis.; Peace, Bradenton, Fla.; and Ascension, Sarasota, Fla.
LINDA G. KROHN (née WINGFIELD)
October 19, 1960–December 18, 2023
She served Risen Savior, Milwaukee, Wis.
BARBARA B. SEIDL
October 2, 1932–December 6, 2023
She taught at First German, Manitowoc, Wis.; St. Matthew, Iron Ridge, Wis.; and St. Matthew's, Stoddard, Wis.
ELSA M. MILLER (née BACKER)
March 31, 1943–October 26, 2023
A 1964 graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., she taught at Christ, West Salem, Wis.
BARRY A. GOSTCHOCK
June 26, 1948–October 25, 2023
A 1996 graduate of Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., he taught at St. John, Minneapolis, Minn. And Pilgrim, Minneapolis, Minn.
REBECCA J. LINDENBERG (née GOHR)
November 18, 1980–October 25, 2023
A 2003 graduate of Martin Luther College, she taught at Crown of Life, Hubertus, Wis.; St. John, Wauwatosa, Wis.; Christ – St. Peter, Milwaukee, Wis.; Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, Wis.; and Christ – St. Peter, Milwaukee, Wis.
ELDON C. HIRSCH
October 2, 1931–October 15, 2023
He taught at St. Paul, Norfolk, Neb.; Martin Luther Academy, New Ulm, Minn.; Martin Luther Prep School, Prairie Due Chien, Wis.; and Lutheran Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis.
ROGER W. HINZ
October 5, 1937–September 26, 2023
A 1961 graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., he taught at St. Paul, Algoma, Wis.; Trinity, Bay City, Mich.; St. John, Wood Lake, Minn.; Trinity, Caledonia, Wis.; Mt. Calvary-Grace, La Crosse, Wis.; and Luther High School, Onalaska, Wis.
REGINALD C. RIESOP
December 9, 1949–September 26, 2023
A 1972 graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., he served East Fork Lutheran High School, Whiteriver, Ariz.
STEVEN H. ENTER
June 23, 1948–September 23, 2023
A 1970 graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., he served St. John, Princeton, Wis.; St. Matthew, Milwaukee, Wis.; and St. John's, Newburg, Wis.
WILLIAM E. RADUE
September 23, 1938–September 15, 2023
A 1960 graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., he served Immanuel, De Pere, Wis.; Grace, Neenah, Wis.; and Martin Luther, Neenah, Wis.
WAYNE ZULEGER
July 19, 1934–September 20, 2023
A 1957 graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., he served Zion, Rhinelander, Wis.; Immanuel, De Pere, Wis.; Wisconsin Lutheran School, Racine, Wis.; St. Croix Lutheran Academy, West Saint Paul, Minn.; Northwestern Prep School, Watertown, Wis.; Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis.; St. Paul, Ixonia, Wis.; and Shepherd of the Valley, Westminster, Colo.