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CLASS NOTES 1953 Franklin Sherman (M.Div) is the English language editor of the Jewish-Christian Relations Web site (www.jcrelations.net). Sponsored by the International Council of Christians and Jews, the site is dedicated to the development of a new understanding between the two communities and on-going dialogue. It includes materials in English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian. Suggestions for items to be posted are always welcome from seminary alumni/ae, faculty and students. Sherman, who was on the LSTC faculty for 23 years and served as director of graduate studies and dean, is associate for interfaith relations for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 1954 Robert G. Walker (M.Div., Maywood) has been ordained for over 47 years. During his ministry, he has served two mission parishes in Florida, served as chaplain of Lenoir-Rhyne College and deployed staff for Lutheran Campus Ministry. In addition, he was pastor of a Lutheran and Episcopal parish in southwestern Virginia. 1955 Rudolph Kemppainen (M.Div., Suomi) was elected to a fifth term as president of the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Board at its 34th annual convention. The statewide association serves children, adolescents, and adults with mental illness and developmental disabilities. 1966 Roland E. Langford Jr., (M.Div.) celebrated the 35th anniversary of his ordination at St. John Lutheran Church, Lancaster, Pa., where he has been pastor since 1990. The congregation honored his ministry by making a donation in his name to the Academy of Parish Clergy. Previously Langford served congregations in Ohio and Maryland. 1980 Johanna Beicke (M.Div., Seminex) married Paul Kiefner on October 1, 2000, and is living in Groton, Mass. In August, she became the Lutheran chaplain at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where Lutherans and Episcopalians have a joint program known as the Lutheran Episcopal Ministry. 1987 Michael Harnois (M.Div.) has been designated a President's Scholar in the inaugural class of the School of Law at the University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis, Minn. The selection is accompanied by a three-year, full-tuition scholarship. The program at St. Thomas is unique among American law schools, as it seeks intentionally to integrate questions of faith and ethics into every part of the curriculum. Michael serves as pastor of Redeemer, Washburn, Iowa, and is dean of the Cedar River Conference. 1988 Rebecca Bourret (M.Div.) was called by the New England Synod as the bishop’s associate for Connecticut and Rhode Island. 1991 James Vigen (Ph.D.) is pastor of Stavanger International Church, Stavanger, Norway, and adjunct professor of mission at the School of Mission and Theology, Stavanger, which is associated with the Norwegian Missionary Society. 1993 John Polk (D.Min.) is chaplain of Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Kansas City, Kan. 1995 Vivian Becker (M.Div.) retired from St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Glenwood, Ill, and is interim pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Mt. Prospect, Ill., while its pastor is on sabbatical. 1997 Joseph Crowther (D.Min.) was installed as senior pastor at Atonement Lutheran Church, Overland Park, Kansas, in August. Prior to that he served congregations in South Carolina, Virginia and North Carolina. He and his wife, Carrie, have two children, Grant, 15, and Lauren, 12.
Marriages 2001 Lonnie Scott Bacon (M.Div.) married Nancy Lucas in June. Nancy is a graduate of McCormick Theological Seminary.
New Arrivals 1995 Mary Armstrong-Reiner (nee Schwartz) (M.Div.) and her husband, David, had a son, Christopher John, born June 13, 2000. Mary is Lutheran campus minister at Georgia Tech. Heidi Hyland Mann (M.Div.) legally adopted Logan Charles, born September 27, 1998, to her husband, Greg, and his first wife, Carla, who died two days after Logan’s birth. Heidi and Greg were married in December 1999.
In Memoriam Our Christian sympathy is extended to the family and friends of: 1925 William C. Zimmann (M.Div., Maywood), 101, who died September 12, 2001. Born in London, England, Zimmann immigrated to the United States through Ellis Island with his parents in 1915. A graduate of Carthage College and Chicago Lutheran Seminary, Maywood, he served parishes in Illinois and Indiana before coming to First Lutheran Church, Dayton, Ohio, where he served as pastor for 27 years, retiring in 1967. Preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Irma Biedermann, he is survived by a daughter, two sons, 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. A message prepared by him years ago, for mailing at the time of his death, states: "I am thankful to Almighty God that he has given me all these years of life, and that through these years I have been privileged to see many parts of his world. I am thankful also for the privilege of preaching his word and of serving in his church. I am thankful for all those wonderful years with Irma; for the joys of children and the children’s children to the fourth generation; and for the contribution from your lives, which through the years, became part of ours." 1941 Maynard C. Wellington (M.Div., Augustana) who died September 26, 2001. Having received his undergraduate degree from Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn., Rev. Wellington was ordained on June 15, 1941, and married Alva Anderson the same day. For the next 31 years, he served parishes in Arkansas, California, Minnesota, and Nebraska and was a chaplain administrator of the Mankato Lutheran Home, Mankato, Minn. After retiring in 1977, he was a visitation pastor for congregations in Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Pastor Wellington is survived by his wife; daughter, Kathryn, and her two children; son, David, and his wife, Nancy, and their two children. 1942 George E. Little(M.Div., Maywood) who died September 22. Following his ordination, he was pastor of several congregations in Pennsylvania and was secrertary of his synod for several years. He received an honorary doctor of divinity from Thiel College in 1958. Rev. Little is survivied by two sons and four grandchildren. His wife, Mae, died August 26. 1952 Howard H. Schaar (M.Div., Maywood) who died August 15, 2001, and was commended to Our Lord in a funeral service on August 20. The Rev. Peter Rasmussen (M.Div., 1954), his college and seminary roommate, presided at the funeral service. In his long and varied service in the ordained ministry, Pastor Schaar was in the U.S. Army chaplaincy service, served congregations in Woodstock, Fairview, Sterling, Chicago, and Melrose Park, Ill., and was the pastor/developer of Calvary, Southfield, Mich. He retired in 1985, and was a member of United Lutheran Church in Oak Park, Ill. He is survived by his wife, Doris Eileen, his sister, LaVerne Schaar, and his niece, Debra Stolpe. 1957 James D. Ford (B.D., Augustana), 70, who died August 27 in Annapolis, Md. Ford retired as chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000 after serving for 21 years as the 58th chaplain of the House. A private memorial service was held in August, and a public memorial service took place on Capitol Hill in September. Ford was a member of St. Mark Lutheran Church, Springfield, Va. The son and grandson of Lutheran pastors, Ford was ordained in 1958 in the former Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church. He was named assistant chaplain, Cadet Chapel, United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., in 1961 and senior chaplain in 1965. He became chaplain of the U.S. House in January 1979. In 1996 Ford was given the Distinguished Alumni/ae award by the seminary, and in 2000 he was the commencement speaker. Ford is survived by his wife, Marcia Ruth Sodergren Ford, four daughters, and a son. 1963 Robert Cooling (B.D., Maywood) who died June 29, 2001. He is survived by his wife, Sylvia, their children, Christine, Claudia and Norman, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. 1967 Alden A. Tormala (M.Div.) who died July 17, 2001. At the time of his death, he was pastor of Faith Lutheran Church, St. Louis. Prior to that, he served congregations in Illinois and Indiana. Rev. Tormala is survived by his wife, Kathleen Stetzer, two sons and a daughter. 1968 David Gustafson (M.Div.) who died April 16, 2001, after a brief illness. During his years of ministry, he served congregations in Wisconsin and Indiana, and taught theology and church history at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn. He is survived by his wife, Susan; and their children, Amy and Matthew. 1992 Arturs J. Liepkalns (Ph.D.), 80, who died August 23, 2001, in his home in West Roxbury, Mass. Born in Svete, Latvia, Liepkalns immigrated to the United States in 1951. After his ordination in 1978, he was pastor of St. John Latvian Lutheran Church, Chicago. In the 1990s, he moved to Boston and was pastor of Jamaica Plain Trinity Lutheran Church, and principal of Boston Latvian School. A lecturer and author on educational, religious and cultural issues, Liepkalns was awarded several honors for his service to the Latvian community. He is survived by his wife, Alma, a daughter, stepson and four grandchildren. 1993 Carol Lyman (M.A.) who died October 31, 2001, from bone cancer. At the time of her death, she was working at a shelter in Chicago. In addition to the family and friends of our alumni/ae, our Christian sympathy is also extended to Mark Thompson, visiting professor of missions and director of Chicago Center for Global Ministries, and his wife, Mary Lou, on the death of their granddaughter, Mary Rose, 3, who died peacefully after a life-long illness. We remember Sherry and Will, her parents, and Matthew, her brother. |