Oct. 18, 1922 – Dec. 15, 2011
Rev. Theodore Herald Vogel, 89, of Sweet Home died Dec. 15, 2011.
He was born Oct. 18, 1922 in Clarinda, Iowa, the son of Rev. Theodore and Mrs. Elizabeth Vogel.
He attended elementary and high school in Clarinda, graduating in 1940. In high school and then at the University of Nebraska he set records for running the mile. He attended the American School of Commerce in Omaha, Neb. and the University of Nebraska, then went on to Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, Ill., where he graduated in 1947 with a bachelor’s degree in theology.
He vicared in Bethel Lutheran Church in Sweet Home in 1945-46, then was ordained as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Amenia, N.D. on Aug. 3, 1947. Most of his 62 years of serving the Lord were spent in the Midwest states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wyoming. He also served in Pearsall and San Antonio, Texas before returning, full-circle, to Bethel Lutheran in Sweet Home, where he retired on April 26, 2009.
As a pastor, his extracurricular activities were many and varied, including: working among the Dakota Sioux; becoming the first Lutheran pastor to serve as Protestant chaplain in the Wyoming State Penitentiary; founding and promoting the first Alcohol Anonymous group in Rawlins, Wyo.; and such activities as service clubs, Boys Scouts of America, and many others.
Rev. Vogel was editor of the North Dakota District Lutheran Witness and, for six years, wrote a regular weekly column, “The Pastor,” for the Pearsall Leader local newspaper. He also wrote articles relevant to Christian service, prison life and Indian concerns for the Frio County DWI School, for which he also served seven years as a certified instructor.
In 1976 and 1977 he organized and led 15-day tours of several dozen people from six states and Canada to Europe and the Oberammergau Passion Play.
In his retirement years he spent time researching, collecting information and pictures, and filing data of his family history.
In 1977 Concordia Seminary presented him with the “Servus Ecclesiae” award in special recognition of effective ministry in today’s world.
Rev. Vogel is survived by his wife, Rachel of Foster; brother Luther of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; sons Theodore of Portland, Stephen and daughter-in-law Cecilia of Milwaukee, Wis., Rev. Daniel and daughter-in-law Paula of Manning, Iowa, and Michael and daughter-in-law Christel of Bozeman, Mont.; a daughter, Mary and son-in-law Scott of Cary, N.C.; stepsons Laurence and stepdaughter-in-law Diane of Albany, Kerry and stepdaughter-in-law Alice of Aloha, and Gary and stepdaughter-in-law Lynn of LaFollett, Tenn.; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and sisters Wilma Reinke and Thekla Mathemaier.
Services were held Dec. 20 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lebanon.