Rev. David V. Dissen
July 27, 1933 – Feb. 19, 2026

The Rev. David V. Dissen, 92, was called by his Savior, Jesus Christ from His Church on earth to His Church in heaven Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

David Victor Dissen was born July 27, 1933 in Garrison, North Dakota to Rev. Victor Herman and Lydia Anna Charlotte (née Baese) Dissen. He was baptized Aug. 14, 1933 in Garrison and confirmed in 1947 in New Rockford, North Dakota. He attended grade school in Beach, North Dakota and high school in New Rockford, N.D. and Burley, Idaho. He began to study to serve in the Holy Ministry of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) at Concordia College, Milwaukee, Wis. He completed his studies at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo., graduating in 1959. He was ordained and installed for his first call on July 5, 1959 at Salida, Colo.

He married Judith Ann Bentrott from Lowden, Iowa July 23, 1967 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowden, Iowa. They were blessed to have over 58 years together in service to the Lord.

Rev. Dissen served his student vicarage in Havana, Cuba from 1957 to 1958 during the revolution of Fidel Castro against President Fulgencio Batista. He was stopped at various government checkpoints and by the Secret Police for spot inspections—with guns either pointed at him or poked in his back. The last week of his vicarage, ground was broken for a new church building in Havana paid for with "mites" from the Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML). When completed in 1959, this church was called "the most beautiful building" on the island. In 1966, the church was taken over by the communist government and converted into a warehouse, and later became part of a planetarium that the government built next door to the church.

Rev. Dissen's first call was to First Lutheran Church in Salida, Colo. and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Leadville, Colo. (1959–1961). Other parishes served were Trinity Lutheran Church, Beloit, Wis. (1961–1967); Zion Lutheran Church, Chicago, Ill. (1967–1970); First Lutheran Church, Clearwater, Fla. (1970–1981) and Trinity Lutheran Church, Cape Girardeau, Mo. (1981 to retirement in 1998). While at Trinity he served as the Seminary Supervisor and mentor for 17 seminarians who were training for the Office of the Holy Ministry. During retirement, he served as vacancy pastor at about 12 different congregations in Southeast Missouri while simultaneously serving for 11 years as Campus Pastor at Lutheran Chapel of Hope, at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

He served the LCMS in numerous positions on the circuit level. At the District level he served as first and second vice president of the Missouri District; on the Missouri District’s 150th anniversary committee for the LCMS; co-chair of the District's Board for Missions; District representative for the Intentional Interim Ministry Conference; writer of the Bible study for the Board of Stewardship. At the Synodical level he contributed an article for Concordia Pulpit Resources; served on the Board of Regents at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; committee for convention nominations; task force on conflict resolution; adult education committee; pastoral and advisory delegate to numerous Synodical conventions; devotional leader for a Synodical convention; guest presenter at the vicarage supervisor's conference; and devotional leader for the missionary retreat of our missionaries in Venezuela.

Together with a few dedicated lay and professional workers, he provided leadership in founding Saxony Lutheran High School in Southeast Missouri. He was privileged to lead his members in Clearwater, Fla. to establish First Evangelical Lutheran Christian Day School. With the help and support of lay leadership at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau, Rev. Dissen started Trinity's TV Gospel Ministry called "Living Hope” in 1983. It continues to this day. He had a Gospel radio ministry in every congregation that he served. Throughout his ministry his main focus was the proclamation of the saving grace of the Gospel of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He embraced using radio, TV and the written word. Christian education for all ages through elementary, secondary, collegiate and seminary was always his goal and he also supported foreign missionaries in many parts of the world to help them spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Rev. Dissen served as the chaplain to the Cape Girardeau Police Department for over 25 years and the Cape Girardeau Fire Department for 33 years, still serving at the time of his death. He was a member of the Cape Rotary Club for 40 years.

Rev. Dissen was predeceased by his sainted parents; two sisters, Elizabeth and Elaine; and three brothers, James, William and Walter; and a nephew/godchild James David.

He is survived by his wife, Judy; brothers Martin and wife Patricia (Racine, Wis.); Fred and wife Margo (Flowery Branch, Ga.); sister, Eunice (West Bend, Wis.); sister-in-law Marilyn, widow of brother William (Kenosha, Wis.); brother-in-law Jerry Bentrott and wife Tammy (Colorado Springs, Colo.); and numerous nieces and nephews.

A special thank you goes to the nurses and caregivers of Lutheran Home Hospice for their loving and compassionate care during the last days of his life.

Visitation will be 4–7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, at Ford & Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home, and 9–11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, at Zion Lutheran Church, Gordonville, Mo. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church with the Rev. Daniel Warner and the Rev. Wayne Schwiesow officiating. All LCMS pastors are invited to attend the funeral service vested with red stoles. Interment will be at a later date at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Lowden, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Rev. David and Judith Dissen Scholarship Fund at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo.; Saxony Lutheran High School, Jackson, Mo.; Lutheran Heritage Foundation, Macomb, Mich.; Luther Academy or Zion Lutheran Church of Gordonville, Mo.