Rev. Robert E. Lange

Rev. Robert E. Lange, 86, of Fenton, MO died early Sunday morning, July 2nd, of an apparent heart attack. Only the day before, he had returned from a week long Lange Family reunion in Branson, MO with some 90 relatives. His funeral service will be held at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Fenton (1500 San Simeon Way) on Thursday, July 13th, at 10:30 a.m. with a visitation at the church beginning at 9:30 a.m. There will also be an evening visitation on Wednesday, July 12th, from 4-8 p.m. at Jay B. Smith Funeral Home 777 Oakwood Drive (at 141) in Fenton. Graduating from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 1959 Rev. Lange served as a pastor in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod for nearly 60 years. His first call was to serve on the staff at his alma mater and in his home town at St. Paul’s College and High School in Concordia, MO. He would continue to be affiliated with and serve this school in some way for the rest of his life. In 1961 Rev. Lange took a call to serve as Pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Kirksville, MO where he led a building program for a new church, something that would become a pattern in his ministry. During that time he began work in two nearby towns both of which have worshipping congregations still today. Kirksville was where the Lord began leading him to what became his primary area of ministry service — working with college students — as he also served Lutheran students at Northeast Missouri State (now Truman) University, in addition to serving his parish. In the summer of 1967 Rev. Lange accepted a call to serve full-time as Lutheran Campus Pastor at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, MO. During his 10 years of service there a new campus ministry building with chapel was built. He also demonstrated an ability to influence students he worked with to consider full-time ministry in the church, as the first of at least seven different students was led to enter the pastoral ministry. His time in Cape included significant work among foreign students, a focus that would only grow through the years. In August 1977 Rev. Lange took a call to serve as Lutheran Campus Pastor at Illinois State University in Normal, IL, serving there nearly 15 years. Once again his ministry included leading a building program for a new campus center with chapel for Lutheran students. At Illinois State, ministry to the growing numbers of international students began there with a peer ministry program that developed into a full time ministry. Despite the fact that he was older than many students Rev. Lange was very effective during this time in sending out many capable laymen and women leaders as well as encouraging additional men to go to the seminary to study for the ministry. Recognition of his expertise and experience in campus ministry led Rev. Lange to spend most of 1991 serving as interim Counselor for Campus Ministry for the entire church body, traveling to St. Louis almost weekly to fulfill those duties. In late 1991 he took the call to that position full-time, moving to the St. Louis area, and settling in Fenton where he and his wife Nancy have lived for the past 25 years. Serving in this capacity until retiring in 1997, Rev. Lange was able to travel extensively throughout the country and be a mentor to many who served in student ministry. During those years the number of LCMS campus ministries that reached out to international students increased from four to forty-four In retirement he took on the job of Executive Director for International Student Ministry (ISM), working part-time from home to help coordinate the activities and responsibilities of ISM chapters located on many public university campuses throughout the United States. Upon retiring from ISM, Rev. Lange was employed on a part-time basis for a few years at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Chesterfield, MO, as Pastor for Evangelism and Assimilation. In the years since he continued to serve the church at large as a circuit counselor and as a vacancy pastor at St. Paul Lutheran in Wildwood, MO. Right up until his death he was leading a Saturday afternoon Bible study and discussion group for international students on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. He was a very active member of Our Savior Lutheran in Fenton, serving on many committees and other volunteer positions. Bob met his wife, Nancy, when both were teenagers. He was working on a relative’s farm in central Missouri and both attended the same local social gathering. They continued to develop their relationship and were married in June of 1955 after his first year at the seminary. Their marriage of 62 years was blessed with five children: Rev. Steven (Karen) of Orland Park, IL; Susan (Rev. John) Mehl of Seward, NE; Rev. Michael (Kristi) of Brentwood, CA; Dr. Daniel (Linda) of Bloomington, IL and Rev. Thomas (Beth) of Concordia, MO. From these five children have come 16 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Besides his wife and children, Rev. Lange is survived by three brothers, Rev. James Lange and Mr. Donald Lange, both of the St. Louis area, Rev. Alvin Lange of Austin, TX and his only sister, Joan Hiltner, who lives in the Baltimore area. He also has many nieces and nephews who benefited from his joyful and encouraging presence. He is preceded in death by his parents and brothers William, John and Harold. Rev. Lange served 2 years in the Army in Europe during the Korean War era (1952-54) and will be buried in Jefferson Barracks cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to International Student Ministry (ISM) International Student Ministries, Inc.PO Box 22, Stevens Point, WI. 54481-0022 715-677-4877- isminic@isminc.org or Our Savior Lutheran Church.1500 San Simeon Way, Fenton, Mo 63026

Rev. Robert E. Lange

April 14, 1931 - July 2, 2017