The Reverend Walter Charles Lemmermann, age 89, entered heaven on Saturday, December 28, 2019. He was born August 22, 1930 in the log cabin of a great uncle who homesteaded in the 1840’s near the village of Welge, Illinois.
Walt grew up in Chester, Illinois, attended St. John Lutheran Grade School and Chester High School. He began his pre-seminary studies at St. John’s College, Winfield, Kansas and completed his theological studies at Concordia Seminary, Springfield, Illinois. During his vicarage year, the third year for seminarians, he met his future wife, Patricia Evelyn Kerbs, while a vicar at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Topeka, Kansas. He was united in marriage with Pat on December 26, 1954 and graduated from the Seminary in 1955.
Walt began his pastoral career planting Missouri Synod Lutheran churches in Southern California after being ordained into the ministry in his home congregation, St. John, in Chester. He planted Grace Lutheran in Rialto, California, while conducting worship services for weekend campers at Lake Arrowhead. Walt also planted Good Shepherd Lutheran in Yucaipa, CA, consolidated two churches in Garden Grove, CA, and built St. Mark’s Lutheran in Anaheim, CA.
Walt left Southern California to serve dual parishes of Christ, Cairo and Zion, Shelton, Nebraska from 1966 to 1971. He later served Mount Calvary, Decatur, Illinois from 1971 to 1982, St. John, Curtis, Nebraska from 1982 to 1995, and St. Matthew, Bonne Terre, Missouri until his retirement in 1999. Until December of 2012, Walt conducted services twice monthly at Redeemer, Potosi and St. John, Bismark, Missouri. Rev. Lemmermann stated that the most enjoyable and meaningful aspect of his ministry throughout the years was the privilege of sharing the story of Jesus and his love for everyone.
He is predeceased by his wife of 64 years, Pat; his parents, Carl and Edna (Sickmeyer) Lemmermann, an infant sister, Gladys, and his younger brother Edward. He is survived by his children Sherri Lemmermann, Walt Lemmermann, Jr., Suzanne (Tom) Hough, Reverend Scott (Jean) Lemmermann, and Marthe (Colin) Theodore; his grandchildren Tom and John Hough and Aaron and Hannah Lemmermann; his sister-in-law Lois Lemmermann Bigelow; and four nieces.
The family would like to thank BJC Hospice and Visiting Angels for taking such good care of Walt.
Services:
Saturday February 15, 2020
Immanuel Lutheran Church
9733 Olive Boulevard, Olivette, MO 63123
10 a.m. Gathering of friends and family
11 a.m. Memorial Service
A private inurnment will follow the memorial service at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetary in Chester, Illinois.