Paul Bussert (1916-2014)

BUSSERT, KOHLMEIER, LETTOW, SCHUETER, PORTER, JOHNSON

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 4/17/2017 at 16:10:46

Visitation for Rev. Paul Bussert will be at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Alden, Iowa, on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014 from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday, March 1 from 9:30 a.m. until the funeral service at 10:30 a.m. Interment is in Alden Cemetery. Memorials may be made to St. Luke Lutheran Home, Spencer; First English Lutheran Church, Spencer; or Ebenezer Care Center, Minneapolis, Minn. Surls Funeral Home of Alden is in charge of arrangements.

Rev. Paul E. Bussert, 97, died on Feb. 23. He was born June 15, 1916, in Oak Park, Ill., and was a pastor in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod from 1942 until his retirement in 2001, serving most recently as chaplain at St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer. He also resided at St. Luke from 2009 until 2011. He then lived at Ebenezer Care Center in Minneapolis, Minn., until his death.

He attended Concordia High School and College in Milwaukee, Wis., and graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo, in 1940. He served at St. Paul Lutheran School and Mission Chapel in Melrose Park, Ill., 1940-42; Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Holdrege, Neb., 1942-47; was field representative for Valparaiso University in Indiana, 1947-49; and was pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Gresham, Neb., 1949-57. During his ministry at Gresham he also directed a 70-voice regional choir, The Lutheran Choral Union, giving 49 concerts in eight years, including on radio and television. He was pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Alden, Iowa, 1957-64; St. John Lutheran Church, Niles, Ill., 1964-72; and Peace Lutheran Church, Glidden, 1972-79, at which time he also served as chaplain at two nursing homes in Carroll. His last move was to Spencer, where he served as assistant pastor at First English Lutheran Church and was chaplain at St. Luke Lutheran Home. He also directed the choir at First English, as he had at most of his previous assignments, and in both Glidden and Spencer offered classes to teach adult and child monotone voices the basics of vocal music and how to carry a melody. He retired from his position at First English in 1986 but continued his chaplain duties at St. Luke Lutheran Home until 2001 when he retired at the age of 85. He enjoyed his lifelong hobbies of woodworking, gardening and music, and was avid about exercise and running.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Beata nee Kohlmeier) and his second wife Leona nee Lettow).

He is survived by six children: Judy Schlueter of Detroit, Mich.; Jeanie Porter of St. Robert, Mo; Jerri Johnson of Eagan, Minn.; Mark Bussert of Elmhurst, Ill.; Joy Bussert of Northfield, Minn.; and Janelle Bussert of St. Paul, Minn.; 14 grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.

From The Daily Reporter