Pastor Oscar A. Gerken

Oscar Arnold Gerken was born near Monroeville, Indiana, on August 7, 1924, the seventh of nine children of Rev. & Mrs. August F. Gerken. He was baptized by his father at the age of ten days in St. John Lutheran Church, Monroeville, raised in central Ohio, and was confirmed by his father on April 10, 1938, in St. John Lutheran Church, near Marysville, Ohio.
He received his pre-ministerial training at Concordia High School and College, Ft. Wayne, IN and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO, graduating from the seminary in June 1948. As part of his training he served a year of vicarage from 1946-1947 at Trinity Lutheran, Palo Alto, CA. He earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 1986.
Following graduation from the Seminary, Oscar was united in marriage with Tracy Jane Schoene on June 6, 1948 at Immanuel Lutheran, St. Charles, MO. The marriage was blessed with four children and twelve grandchildren. Within weeks of their marriage, Oscar was ordained into the holy ministry and began serving his first pastorate at Trinity Lutheran, Casey, IL where he served until 1950. During his pastorate at Casey, he founded Concordia, Marshall, IL.
In 1950, Pastor Gerken accepted the call to St. Matthew's Lutheran, Walled Lake, MI, and Christ Lutheran, Milford, MI. He served this dual parish for two years and then resigned his pastorate of the Milford church and worked with his successor at Milford to begin St. Paul Lutheran, Hamburg, MI.
In 1960, Pastor Gerken accepted the call from the Michigan District mission board to organize Peace Lutheran, Warren, MI. In addition to his pastoral duties, during his tenure in Michigan he served as chairman of the Michigan District Stewardship Board and as news editor of The Michigan Lutheran.
In 1964, Pastor Gerken accepted the call to become pastor of Trinity Lutheran, Cape Girardeau, MO. In 1966, he was elected 1st vice president of the Missouri District and served in this capacity until he accepted the call to Eustis, FL in 1977.
Pastor Gerken served as pastor of Faith Lutheran, Eustis, until he “retired” in August of 1991. In retirement he continued to serve the church as 2nd vice-president of the Florida-Georgia District and as interim pastor at several congregations in central Florida. In 1993, Pastor Gerken accepted a position as a part-time chaplain for Hospice of Lake and Sumter Counties. While serving in this capacity he helped organize Trinity Lutheran, Summerfield, FL.
In 1997, Pastor Gerken returned to Faith, Eustis, as a part-time assistant to the administrative pastor and served as Pastor Emeritus for a number of years. A staunch supporter of Christian education, Pastor Gerken advocated for the excellence and availability of our Lutheran school system at every opportunity.
While his service in the church was a large portion of his life, he also enjoyed his family, golfing, playing cards, swimming and any number of word games. The latter helped to contribute to the “pun”ishment he delighted in sharing with others.
On October 28 the Lord called Pastor Gerken home to Himself in heaven. In addition to Pastor’s wife, Tracy, of 65 years, he is survived by four children: Sharon (Barry) Vonada of Davie, FL; Mark (Ruth) of Adel, IA; Krista (Gene) Koch of Ft. Wayne, IN; and Scott (Tracy) of Mount Dora, FL; twelve grandchildren: Jonathan, Rebecca, and Matthew Vonada; David and Jonathan Gerken; Sarah (Matthew) DeJong; Aaron, Adam, Sarah, and Hannah Koch; and Adeline and August Gerken. One of nine children, he was predeceased by six brothers and sisters and survived by two sisters, Dorothea Foelber, Oviedo, FL and Gertrude Klepper, Austin, TX.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations may be made to Faith Lutheran Church & School, 2727 South Grove Street, Eustis, FL 32726 or the Lutheran Haven Benevolent Fund, 2041 West SR 426, Oviedo, FL 32765.
Services will be held at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Oviedo on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow the 11:00 a.m. All Saints Day church service on Sunday, November 3, 2013 at the Faith Lutheran Church Memorial Garden, Eustis.