H. A. Reischauer, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of H. A. Reischauer
REV. REISCHAUER
The following is a brief outline of my ministry, and our coming to Valparaiso.
The Rev. H. A. Reischauer, BT, and Anna G. (Woidke) Reischauer. I was born 5/19/99 in Tulare, S.D. My father was a missionary in this frontier country. Our first parsonage was a sod hut. The fuel for the winter was dry cow chips and straw. Often our meals consisted of frozen potatoes and homemade bread. Mrs. Reischauer was born in Cleveland, O., 7/26/02. She attended Western Reserve U., and worked as librarian for 10 1/2 years. We were married 8/29/28.
I was graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfierd, Ill. 5/28, and received my first pastorate at Trinity Lutheran Church, Arcadia, Mich. Which I served six years to the date, 9/2/28 to 9/2/34. Our son Ronald was born here 7/30/29. Besides leading the congregation in the transition from German to English, I also taught parochial school, 8 grades. Mrs. Reischauer assisted in teaching art.
On 8/26/34 I received a call to Our Savior Lutheran (mission) Congregation in Flint, Mich., which I served for 21 1/2 years. Besides the mission work of building the congregation, I also taught school here for two years. Our daughter Lois (Prahlow) was born here 9/30/38. It soon became evident through the growth of the mission that larger quarters for worship and the school had to be provided. A new site was purchased, and in 1947, after building restrictions were lifted, the construction of a Modern Gothic Stone Church and School was begun. This structure was dedicated to the Glory of God on 10/10/48. The congregation had grown from 68 to 544 communicants, and 359 baptized children.
In June 1955 I received and accepted a call to St. Marks Lutheran Church, St. Charles Ill., which I served for 10 1/2 years. Here I led the congregation in remodeling a former Methodist Church which was given to the congregation by Mr. Ed. Baker. For continued growth and expansion the remainder of the block was purchased, and the plans for a Sunday-school and Fellowship Hall were drawn in the spring of 1965.
At this time the Christian Community Action Association of Valparaiso was in need of House Parents for Greenwich House, which had been started the previous year. On 11/29/65 we moved to Valpo. Mrs. Reischauer became the House Mother of Greenwich House. In 3 1/2 years it was our prvilege to help 33 ladies of Beatty Hospital to live back into society. Four of these ladies are still actively employed in Valpo.
In 3/10/68 Immanuel Lutheran Church asked me to take over the pastorate to the sick and shutins of the congregation, and to assist in the Sunday Services. We have enjoyed our residency and work in Valpo immensely. The Lord has blessed us abundantly and given us the joy of being near to our daughter and son-in-law Lois and August Prahlow, and their five children, Christopher, Joseph, Timothy, Deborah, and Nathan. We also have a grand-daughter Ruth Flunder and a great-grand-daughter, Anne Marie, living in Detroit, Mich., and an adopted grand-son David, who lives with our son and daughter-in-law Ronald and Evangeline Reischauer, in St. Charles, Ill. Our hobby is woodwork and decoupaging. The Lord has been good to us all these years, we give praise and glory to His Holy Name.
Source: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County. 1976. A Biographical History of Porter County, Indiana. Valparaiso, Indiana: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County, Inc. 180 p.
Page(s) in Source: 149
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook