Kroepel, Harvey A. 1935-1984

KROEPEL, FRERICHS, WESTENDORF

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/5/2015 at 19:21:56

Rev. Harvey A. Kroepel

Rev. Harvey A. Kroepel, 49, a Plymouth county native, drowned Sunday morning (June 3, 1984) in the Cedar River at Waverly.

Funeral services were held June 7 at St. Paul's Lutheran church in Waverly. Rev. Glen T. Wheeler and Bishop Ehme Osterbur officiated. Burial was in Harlington cemetery at Waverly under direction of the Kaiser-Corson funeral home.

Harvey Kroepel was born March 11, 1935, in Plymouth county to Otto and Anna Frerichs Kroepel. He was baptized April 21, 1935, at St. John's Lutheran church at Akron where he was confirmed.

He graduated from Ireton high school in 1953, and from Wartburg college, Waverly, in 1957. He was married May 3, 1957, to Shirley Westendorf at St. Paul's Lutheran church in Waverly.

In 1961 he graduated from Wartburg Theological Seminary with a bachelor of divinity degree. He spent a year in clinical pastoral traning at Elgin State hospital, Elgin, Ill. He was ordained May 28, 1962, at St. John's Lutheran church, Akron.

He served as pastor of Nazareth Lutheran church, Cambridge, Ia., until 1965. From 1965 to 1968, he served as protestant chaplain at Warren-Murray Children's Center, Centralia, Ill., and later was director of special education.

He went to Minneapolis in 1968, as director of parish education for the national offices of the American Lutheran church. From 1971-74, he was senior chaplain as Fairbault State hospital in Fairbault, Minn., and accepted, the same position at Warren General-Murray Center, Centralia, when he left Minnesota.

The family moved back to Waverly less than a month ago.

Survivors include his wife, Shirley; two daughters, Mrs. Jeffrey (Karen) Hintz, Centralia, Ill., and Kim Kroepel, Waverly; three grandchildren; his mother, Mrs. Anna Kroepel, Ireton; and two brothers Melvin of Phoenix and Russel of Shenandoah.

He was preceded in death by his father and a brother, Alfred.

Akron Register Tribune
Thursday, June 14, 1984
Akron, Iowa