Wrightman, A. Bruce 1933-2009
WRIGHTMAN, BIRCH, HAGEMANN, CLEFISCH, ZOLIK, HERPEL
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 12/20/2012 at 14:26:23
A. Bruce Wrightsman, age 76, of Decorah, died October 4, 2009 at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota from complications of primary amyloidosis following a recent car accident. Professor Emeritus of the Department of Religion and Philosophy and Russian Studies, Bruce taught at Luther College from 1967, retiring in 2001 and continued to teach as visiting professor part-time through 2008. He also taught math, physics and philosophy at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN from 1960-63.
Bruce was born in Decatur, Illinois July 19, 1933 to Amos and Virginia Wrightsman. He was raised in Decatur and Chicago, Illinois and Portage, Wisconsin. He served actively in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1950-54, specifically serving in the Korean War where he received two purple hearts and a bronze star. He also served in the Marine Corp Reserves from 1954-1963 and Naval Reserves from 1963 to 1979 where he served as a chaplain.
He received his BS degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin, a master of divinity degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN and a PH.D in history and philosophy of science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Bruce was an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and served Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison, WI from 1963-67 as well as interim pastorates in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota between 1967-2008. He co-wrote and taught the Bethel Bibles Series and conducted numerous training seminars in Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan.
He led numerous student study trips to the USSR/Russia and Eastern Europe including three trips with the Luther College Nordic Choir and was director of the Nottingham, England program (1973-74). He helped initiate Luther College’s first support group for gay/lesbian students, Aware, and worked with Luther’s Upward Bound program. He performed in numerous campus plays and enjoyed acting in several Decorah community drama and musical productions. Bruce enjoyed reading, traveling the world, visiting until all hours of the night and many, many cups of black coffee!
Bruce was preceded in death by his first wife, Edith Wrightsman, in 1983. He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Amy Wrightsman, of Decorah, children: Stephanie Birch (Jerry) of Anchorage, Alaska; James Wrightsman (Craig) of Dallas, Texas; Jessica Hagemann of Shoreview, MN; David Wrightsman (Lauren) of Stillwater, MN; step-children, Ky Clefisch of Garnavillo, IA, and Heather Clefisch (Nate Zolik ) of Madison, WI; and 9 grandchildren. He is also survived by a sister, Shirley Herpel (Bud), of Portage, Wisconsin and many other family members and friends.
A visitation will be held from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 8th at Luther College in Valders Concourse. A Celebration of Life service will be held following the visitation at 5:00 p.m. at the Center for Faith and Life. A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 9, at 11:00 a.m. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Garnavillo, Iowa where he and his wife, Amy Wrightsman, are members and where Bruce most recently served as interim pastor.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to The Bruce Wrightsman Memorial Fund, % Bank of the West, 120 West Water Street, Decorah, IA 52101. There is also a Caring Bridge website set up at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/brucewrightsman
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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