LANDSIEDEL, William, Rev. 1878-1946

LANDSIEDEL, HEYER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 1/28/2015 at 21:23:48

Rev. W. Landsiedel Dean Of Grundy Pastors Dead

End Came At Marshalltown Hospital Friday Night; Had Been Pastor At Wellsburg Over 30 Years

Rev. William Landsiedel from Wellsburg, dean of Grundy county pastors, died at the Deaconess hospital in Marshalltown at 9:30 Friday evening. He had been in failing health from kidney trouble since he had a severe flu attack two years ago. He gave up active ministerial work on January 20th and went to the hospital at Marshalltown several weeks for rest and treatment, after which he returned to his home. He returned to the hospital about a week before his death. Members of his congregation and others did not realize his serious condition and the announcement of his death came as a severe shock to them. For a number of weeks before the end came Rev. Landsiedel realized that he could not get well and so told members of his family. He was 67 years old.

In Ministry 42 Years
Rev. Landsiedel served 42 years as a minister of the Reformed denomination. Nearly thirty-one years of his ministerial service was devoted to the large congregation of the Reformed church at Wellsburg. He was associated with one church and congregation for a longer period than any other minister who now has an active charge. Rev. J. E. Drake, former pastor of the Colfax Presbyterian church, is the only other minister who has served one congregation longer than Rev. Landsiedel. He was pastor of the Colfax church 33 years.

Rev. Landsiedel was rewarded for his many years of service with a gradually growing church membership and for a substantial expansion of church property. He devoted himself completely to his work. He was an impressive, a sympathetic and solicitous minister.

Was Native of Germany
Rev. Landsiedel was a native of Germany. During many years of his ministry his services were conducted in the German language. In late years his church services were largely in the English language.

Funeral Services Wednesday
Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon in the church where he had so many years officiated as pastor on a similar occasion. The auditorium and basement of the church were filled and many who were unable to be seated inside heard the service over a loud speaker outside of the church. The funeral sermon was delivered by Rev. Brandau from Baileyville, Ill., a long time friend of the family. Many other ministers from neighboring churches were present.

Ministers served as casket bearers. They were Rev. A. Linneman, Rev. W. J. Heyenga, Rev. F. Snuttjer, Rev. H. Pannkuk, Rev. J. Schmidt and Rev. H. Sinning. Honorary casket bearers were long time members of his Wellsburg congregation. They were W. E. Knock, Fred Terfehn, H. B. Engelkes, A. Murra, John Ohling and Aise Rust. Music was by a ministerial quartet whose members were Rev. A. Linnemann, of Parkersburg; Rev. Wm. Everts, Waterloo; Rev. H. Porter, Dumont, Rev. P. Koenen, Aplington.

Business Houses Closed
All business in the town of Wellsburg was suspended during the funeral service.

225 New Members Come To The Church
There were but 45 members of the Reformed church in Wellsburg when Rev. Landsiedel came here. During the years under his guidance 225 new members were added to the church roster. He has a record of 81 marriage ceremonies performed while pastor of this church, 205 baptisms, and he administered last rites to 150 former members of his congregation.

Other Activities
Rev. Landsiedel took an active interest in the civic affairs of his community during the years he lived here and for several years he served as a member of the local school board. He was a member of the board of directors of the Deaconess hospital at Marshalltown for 25 years and from 1932 to 1944 he was editor-in-chief of "Der Mitarbeiter," a church publication. For a time he was a member of the staff of the Grundy College and he was for a time associated in a similar capacity with Iowa State Teachers college at Cedar Falls.

Record of His Life
Name: William John Landsiedel.
Parents: Rev. John Landsiedel and Bertha Landsiedel.
Birth Date: July 17, 1878.
Birthplace: Barmen-Elberfeld, Germany

He was the youngest of seven children. At the age of fifteen years he came to America where he landed August 7, 1893, and made his home with his sister and brother-in-law, the Reverend and Mrs. August Rittershaus, in Menno, South Dakota. The following year, 1894, he enrolled in the Scotland Academy, Scotland, So. Dakota. After two years of preparatory studies he entered the Mission House College of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. There he received his bachelor of Arts Degree on June 23, 1900.

While in college he was visited by his father. It was at that time he shared with his father his desire to enter the ministry and made his decision to give his life to this work. He was graduated from the Mission House Seminary June 10, 1903.

On June 17, 1903, he was ordained by the South Dakota Classis of the Reformed Church of the United States. He served as traveling missionary for the Reformed church in the United States, in North and South Dakota from 1903 to 1905. During that time he organized over thirty churches.

On May 23, 1903, he was married to Louise Heyer of Franklin, Wis. Together Reverend and Mrs. Landsiedel went to Ashley, North Dakota, where he took his first church, which included five affiliated congregations. There he served until 1909, when he accepted a call from Campbellsport, Wisc., where he remained until 1913.

At this time he entered the Reformed Church in America, serving in Baileyville, Illinois, until 1915. There he built a new church, the old one having been destroyed by lightning before he went there.

In the fall of 1915 he received a call from the vacant church at Wellsburg, which he accepted and where he served for over thirty years. Three years after he came a new parsonage was completed. The thirtieth anniversary of his pastorate here was marked on October 15, 1945, and was observed by the pastor and the congregation.

Rev. and Mrs. Landsiedel had seven children. Their four sons died in infancy.

Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Louise Landsiedel; three daughters, Miss Erna Landsiedel and Miss Edna Landsiedel of Washington, D.C., and Mrs. Lillian Neiger of New York City.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 9 May 1946, pg 1, 13