Funeral services for Pastor Theodore Letzring of Alta will be 3:00 P.M., Sunday, August 12, 2018, at the St. John Lutheran Church, Hanover, IA. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday from 5:00 to 7:00, with the family present, at the St. John Lutheran Church at Hanover. Services are under the direction of the Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia.

The soul of Reverend Theodore Alvin “Jackie” Letzring was taken by his guardian angel from his home on Monday, August 6, 2018 at the age of 89 years, 5 months, 28 days into the eternal presence of the One True Triune God.  Pastor Letzring was the only son born to Theodore August Letzring and his wife Helen Minnie, nee Oestreich.  He was born in his home in New Salem, North Dakota on February 8, 1929 and was baptized in the Holy Christian faith at Zion Lutheran Church, New Salem under Rev. Ralph T. Schuriet.  Confirmation of his faith took place in July 1944 under Rev. Walter A Haneman.

He attended public elementary school and high school at New Salem, graduating in 1947.  In 1949, at the suggestion of Pastor Vernon Harley, he enrolled in Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, IL and graduated in 1956. As a member of the Concordia Seminary Choir during his school years, he sang for the Lutheran Hour Radio Broadcast and had many chorus tours in the United States and Canada.  The choir also went on a six week tour to England in 1951.

He was married to Caroline Bargmann of New Salem in 1955.  His wife is a graduate of Concordia Teachers College of Seward, Nebraska.  She taught public grade schools in North Dakota and in a parochial school in Minnesota.

Rev. and Mrs. Letzring have five children:  Carlotta Lee (1956 – married Ron Ohm in 1979); Thomas Theodore (1957 – married Mardi Schwichtenberg in 1979); Timothy Albert (1958 – married Janice Hoganson in 1990); Crystal Lynn (1962 – married Steven Friedrichsen in 1981); and Charlene Ruth (1966 – married Roger K. Elyea in 1990).  They were blessed with fifteen grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.

Pastor Letzring vicared at Council Bluffs under the tutelage of Dr. Lobeck, the former president of Iowa District West.  After graduating from the Seminary, he was ordained and installed as Pastor at Anthon, serving there from 1956 – 1959. His next parish was Yorktown 1959-1966.  He then served the dual parishes of Zion, Auburn, and St. Peters, Sac City from 1966 until 1975.  Next he served at Immanuel in Schleswig from 1975 until 1981.   He served in Iowa District East at Immanuel in Charlotte from 1981 until 1988.  He finished his called ministry at Trinity in Royal from 1988 until 2002.  He served many vacancies and pulpit coverage throughout the years.

Other services and works of the Lord were performed as a member of the Concordia Cub Weeks staff for 25 years and as a board member of Io-Dis-E-Ca Camp in Eastern Iowa for six years.  He served as circuit counselor numerous times throughout his ministry.  He attended State of the Church and Free Conferences as he stood firm in his desire to uphold the tenets of the One True Faith.  He daily enjoyed reading Christian News and kept informed on world politics through Fox News.

Pastor Letzring is survived by his wife, his children, his grandchildren and his great grandchildren.

Posted in Obituaries