The Reverend Arthur M. (Morten) Vorhes (1924-2008)

VORHES, LEE, QUANDAHL, PIPER, SCHEMPER, AUGUSTINE

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 5/10/2008 at 17:57:40

THE STORY CITY HERALD, Story City, Story County, Iowa, Wednesday, April 23, 2008.

The Reverend Arthur M. (Morten) Vorhes, 84, of Eau Claire died Sunday, April 13, 2008, at Clairemont Nursing and Rehabilitation in Eau Claire. He was born Feb. 12, 1924, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Carl A. and Mable (nee Lee) Vorhes. He grew up in Milwaukee and Wauwatosa until the spring of 1936 when his family moved to Marshalltown, Iowa. He graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1941. From 1942 to 1946 he attended and graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. He then attended Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota until his graduation in 1950. He served an internship in a parish in Viroqua, Wisconsin.

On June 12, 1948, he married Barbara Jean Quandahl. They met in Luther League and attended St. Olaf together. Following his graduation from the seminary, Arthur was ordained on July 2, 1950, and served his first call to parish ministry near Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin in the North Kickapoo and South Kickapoo Lutheran churches from June 1950 to August 1954. They then moved to Hayward, Minnesota where Arthur served a call to Hayward Lutheran and Trondhjem Lutheran churches until August 1959. They then moved to Perham, Minnesota to help organize a mission congregation, Calvary Lutheran Church. Arthur served there until November 1965. They moved from there to Hayward, Wisconsin and he served a call to First Lutheran Church in Hayward from November 1965 to June 1973. He also served a call to First Lutheran Church in Stone Lake, Wisconsin from November 1965 to January 1969. They moved to Menomonie, Wisconsin where Arthur served a call to Peace Lutheran Church from June 1973 to January 1980. He was Executive Director of Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp, near Story City, Iowa, from January 1980 to January 1988 when he retired to Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

After retirement, he served as a volunteer in the Luther Hospital Step Force program, as an evening chaplain and in various other roles. He enjoyed traveling to Israel, Norway, and Holland with Barbara to visit family and friends and to Poland and Slovakia on mission trips to work with Herb Brokering and others to help improve facilities at bible camps in both of those countries.

Arthur is survived by his wife, Barbara; four children, son, Peter Arthur, an ELCA pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Calumet, Michigan and his wife, Liz Siivola; daughter, Ruth Naomi Piper, a teacher in Perryville, Missouri; son, Stephen Lee, an attorney in Eugene, Oregon; and daughter, Mary Elizabeth, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota; four grandchildren, Erik Vorhes (Erica Schemper), Kirstin Vorhes (fiance, Ryan Sellers), Richard (Melissa) Piper, and Roman (Rachel) Piper; and one great-granddaughter, Zora Jean Schemper Vorhes.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl A. and Mable Vorhes; his brother, Carl; sister, Pauline Augustine; and two nephews, Frank and Martin Vorhes.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 17, 2008, at Trinity Lutheran Church with Pastor Kurt M. Jacobson officiating. Friends could visit Wednesday, April 16, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Lenmark Gomsrud Linn Funeral Home and again from 10:00 a.m. Thursday morning, April 17 at Trinity Lutheran until the time of service. Interment was at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 18, 2008, in the Ames Municipal Cemetery in Ames, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp, 3001 Riverside Rd, Story City, Iowa 50248 (www.riversidelbc.org); Luther Park Bible Camp, P.O. Box 153, Chetek, Wisconsin 54728 (www.lutherpark.org); Luther Seminary, 2481 Como Ave., St. Paul, Minnesota 55108 (www.luthersem.edu); and Trinity Lutheran Church, 1314 E. Lexington Blvd., Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 (www.trinity-ec.org).

To express condolences online, please visit obituaries at www.lenmarkfh.com.