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May 30, 2005
Obituary
Pastor Leif Alan Pohl, 64, Muscatine, Iowa died Saturday, May 28, 2005, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics of complications due to gastric-esophageal cancer.
The family of Pastor Pohl will meet with friends from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 1, 2005, at the Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home, 1931 Houser Street, Muscatine.
Bishop Phillip Hougen, former Bishop Paul Werger, the Reverend Don Sondrol, chaplains Cindy Ford Breed, Martha Lang and Vicki Pedersen will co-officiate at a memorial service to be held at Grace Lutheran Church, 2107 Cedar Street, Muscatine on Thursday, June 2, 2005 at 10:30 a.m.
Per his wishes, his body has been cremated. The Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Lutheran Chaplaincy Outreach at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, the Grace Lutheran Church Renovation Fund. Checks for Lutheran Chaplaincy Outreach may be sent to the synod office, PO Box 3167, Iowa City, IA 52244. The family also asks that people donate blood in his honor.
He was born Sept. 22, 1940, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of Neil Alan Pohl and Frieda Herma Auguste Radtke-Pohl. He married Janice Jean Forsyth on May 28, 1966, at Grace Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Iowa.
He was a 1958 graduate of Brookfield High School, Brookfield, Wisconsin. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Botany in 1962 from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He attended Maywood Seminary in Maywood, Illinois from 1962-1966. During his third year of seminary, he interned at Luther Memorial Lutheran Church in Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from Maywood Seminary on May 19, 1966, with a Masters of Divinity degree.
He was ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Lutheran Church of America now known as Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on June 12, 1966, in Colorado Springs, Colorado He served as an associate pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Muncie, Indiana, and part-time campus pastor at Ball State University from June 1966 until March 1969. He served as pastor of Faith Lutheran Church, Owensboro, Kentucky, from March 1969 until March 1976. He served as pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in South Haven (Valparaiso), Indiana, from March 1976 through July 1985. He has served as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Muscatine, Iowa, from August 1, 1985, until his death, May 28, 2005.
Over the course of his ministry, one of Leif's greatest joys was supervising seminary students during their intern year. The twelve students he supervised came from a variety of seminaries. They are: Gene Hollingsworth, Gary Sherman, Walter (Skip) Courter, John Santoro, Lauren Ley, Tom Miller, Ian McFarland, Tim McKenzie, Bill Kirsh-Carr, Kim Holt, Margie Olson and Brad Pohlman.
He was Dean of Conference No. 7 (Iowa City area) of the Southeast Iowa Synod of the ELCA for the past two years. He was a member of the Gifts Discernment Committee of the synod. He was an active member of the Muscatine Ministerial Association. He is a past board member of the Commission on Aging, now known as Senior Resources. He served as chaplain of Unity Hospice. He was serving on the board of Lutheran Chaplaincy Outreach for the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. And he was a regular donor to the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center.
Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Janice Jean Pohl of Muscatine; three sons, Eric Alan Pohl and wife, Christina Lyn, of Rock Island, Illinois, twin sons, Andrew James Pohl and wife, Cassandra Marie, of Troy, Ohio, and Thomas John Pohl and wife, Christina Ann, of Urbandale; one daughter, Jennifer Lynn Pohl-Staack of Urbandale, and her special friend, Nathan Jon Carlson; nine grandchildren, Devin Gregory Staack, Christian Thomas Staack, Sean Alan Pohl, twins, Matthew Leroy and William Arthur Pohl, Catelyn Elizabeth Pohl, Neil Andrew Pohl, Megan Elizabeth Pohl, and Joshua John Pohl; and two sisters, Merry Joan Lobrecht and husband, Richard Paul Sr., of Kingwood, Texas, and Kathleen Carol Lobrecht and husband, David, of Mounds, Oklahoma; nieces and nephews, Murray Ann Mallett-Stein and husband, Fred, of Atlanta, Georgia, Mark Adam Mallett and wife Andrea and children, of San Diego, California, Megan Alane Mallett, of Tampa Bay, Florida, Richard Paul Lobrecht, Jr. and wife Mary and children, of Pearland, Texas, Juliana Lobrecht-Crownover and husband Matthew and children, of Garland, Texas, Nathan Dorr Lobrecht of Mounds, Oklahoma; cousins, Robert Pohl and wife, Ann, of Jacksonville, Florida, William Pohl and wife Dawn, of Rushville, Ohio, and Elizabeth Pohl, of Charlestown, Massachusetts.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and one sister, Nancy Ann Mallett and his uncle and aunt, Robert and Marge Pohl.
Posted by Jenn at May 30, 2005 01:20 PM
Comments
Jan and Family,
Our deepest sympathy goes out to you for your loss. We have enjoy the time Leif was in our life and value that time as an important part of our family. Even though we undersand the difficulty of the day to day living you are experiencing now, we know that Leif is with God and able to continue his ministry through all of us. We are greatful that God allowed Leif to touch our lives and help us through our times of trouble. Please allow us to help you through your time. God bless each of you and may His grace shine upon you as you enter yet another phase in your life.
Posted by: Judi ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://leif.pohl-family.net/nav-commenters.gif)
at May 31, 2005 10:50 AM
Jan & Family,
We at Palo Alto County Extension would like to extend to you & your family our deepest sympathy and prayers!
May God grant you peace in the knowledge that Leif is in a much better place.
Bless you
Denise, Julie & George
Posted by: Denise at May 31, 2005 02:56 PM
Jan and family;
I remember well the many pericope studies and other events which I shared with Leif during our time together in Northwest Indiana as younger pastors. It was not the same after he left for Iowa. I remember also his collection of watches -the first person I ever knew who collected them. Sadly, I seem to be the only one left from our pericope group of the mid-1970's.
Rest assured that Molly and my prayers are with all of you, who like us, mourn Leif's death. I know that the God whom he proclaimed for these many years has now received Leif to himself where there is no more suffering or pain or struggle. However, we do praise God for his love for Leif and ask for Christ's comfort to be with all who are left to mourn his passing.
Jim Swanson, Retired
(Hammond, Indiana)
Posted by: Jim Swanson at June 1, 2005 05:46 PM
Jan and family;
I remember well the many pericope studies and other events which I shared with Leif during our time together in Northwest Indiana as younger pastors. It was not the same after he left for Iowa. I remember also his collection of watches -the first person I ever knew who collected them. Sadly, I seem to be the only one left from our pericope group of the mid-1970's.
Rest assured that Molly and my prayers are with all of you, who like us, mourn Leif's death. I know that the God whom he proclaimed for these many years has now received Leif to himself where there is no more suffering or pain or struggle. However, we do praise God for his love for Leif and ask for Christ's comfort to be with all who are left to mourn his passing.
Jim Swanson, Retired
(Hammond, Indiana)
Posted by: Jim Swanson at June 1, 2005 05:47 PM
Jan and family;
I was 15 or 16 years old with I met Leif. It was at the Indiana/Kentucky Synod of the old LCA at IU and I was the delegate for my congregation in Vincennes, IN. I had seen him at Evansville District meetings and enjoyed his sense of humor there. But I really got to know him at the assembly. He was the head of Reference and Counsel at that time and I sat in on thier meetings for the delegates. After talking with Leif and telling him I was on the way to seminary and that Dr. Wick had endorsed me as a lay preacher for the synod, in the late 60's that was a new thing and I was one of the first, Leif had me supply at Rockport several times. Beside that Leif became my inspiration to learn all I could about parliamentary prodeedure for the Synod Assembly. I have had the privilege of serving as chair of Reference and Counsel several times for the Synod and as parliamentarian occasionally. Those memories of Leif will always be with me.
Please know that my prayers are will all of you as you remember Leif and make you way through the upcoming days and years. May God give you the comfort you seek as you mourn this great loss of such a wonderful man of God who touched the live of so very many people. I just happen to be one of the lucky ones that was touch.
Shalom
John Hawkins
Bethany Lutheran
Indianapolis, Indiana
Posted by: John at June 2, 2005 11:49 AM
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