BOETTCHER, Alvin H. (1902-1998)

BOETTCHER

Posted By: Mary E Boyer (email)
Date: 2/19/2007 at 07:00:53

BOETTCHER, Alvin H (1902 - 1998)

ALVIN BOETTCHER

A memorial service for the Rev. Alvin H BOETTCHER, 95, of Grinnell, was held Wednesday morning, Feb. 11, 1998, at the Untied Church of Christ in Grinnell. Burial was in Buckingham Cemetery, rural Traer.

The service was officiated by the Rev. Vicki Englemann and the Rev. Bob Molsberry of the United Church of Christ in Grinnell. Organist was Alice Renaud and Bill Surbrug served as soloist.

Memorials may be made to the Mayflower Human Needs Fund and/or the United Church of Christ Congregation.

Alvin H BOETTCHER was born on a farm near New Hampton, in Chickasaw County, Ia., May 6, 1902. He was the eldest of three sons born to Adolph and Hannah (CHRISTOPH) BOETTCHER.

He received his elementary education in a rural school in Washington Township and graduated from New Hampton Community High School in 1921. He received his BA degree in psychology from the University of Iowa in 1925.

After helping with work on the family farm for a year, he enrolled in the Oberlin Graduate School of Theology in Oberlin, Ohio, in the fall of 1926.

Completing his preparation for the Christian ministry with a Bachelor of Divinity degree in May 1929, he was called to serve the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Metamora, Mich. He was ordained in that church Sept. 16, 1929.

In the spring of 1931 he was called to the pastorate of Ripley Congregational Church in Traer. On Aug. 7, 1935, he was married to Ruth R. BEECHER in Traer. He served in six other churches in the Iowa Conference including Olds, Denmark, Reinbeck, Dubuque (Summit), Emmetsburg and Belle Plaine.

The Rev. BOETTCHER retired from active parish ministry in June 1973 and moved with his wife to the Mayflower Home in Grinnell.

While fulfilling his responsibilities as a parish minister, he also served the wider interests of his denomination as a member of the Board of Directors of the Iowa Congregational Christian Conference, as a member of the Iowa Conference Ministries Council and as chairman of the Iowa Conference Board of Missionary Education and Stewardship.

He was active with the Grinnell Lions Club, the Boy Scouts of America and as a volunteer at the Mayflower Home.

His interests included photography and gardening and he was considered very creative and artistic. His family was important to him and he enjoyed sharing his time with them, particularly while traveling throughout America.

Preceding him in death were his parents and one brother, Arthur BOETTCHER.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth of Grinnell; two children and their spouses, Paul and Jan BOETTCHER of Cedar Rapids and Janet and George HANNASCH of Omaha; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild and one brother, Raymond BOETTCHER of Shelburne, Vt.