The Rev. Kurt V. Grotheer, 95, died Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008.
He was born Nov. 13, 1912 in Oxford, Neb., where his father was serving as pastor. In 1914, the family moved to Niles, Ill., from there to Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
His vicarage was spent teaching in a mission station in Three Rivers, Texas, on the Mexican border. His first call, in 1939, was to two churches in the adjoining towns of Foley and Elberta on the Alabama Gulf Coast.
In 1945, he became pastor of The Lutheran Church of St. Luke in Itasca, Ill., where he served for 23 years and presided over the construction of new church and school buildings on 10 acres on Rush and Washington Streets. In 1968 he accepted a call to St. Peter, Arlington Heights, where he spent the final years of his full-time ministry.
Following his official retirement, he continued to be active as a supply pastor in the Chicagoland area, as well as vacancy pastor in many parishes, including St. John’s, Mt. Prospect, where he celebrated 50 years in the ministry. He also led many tours to Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, the Holy Land, the Scandinavian countries, and Spain.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Elvira Meyn Grotheer of Mt. Prospect, who died Dec. 7, 2006 at age 92.
Survivors include four children, Corinne E. Ramming of Fairhope, Col. Kurt V. Grotheer Jr. of Tampa, Fla., Pamela G. Dammen of Novato, Calif., and Valerie L. Grotheer of Evanston, Ill.; 10 grandchildren, Christopher Ramming of Palo Alto, Calif., Dr. Scott Ramming of Asheville, N.C., Caroline Hahn of Rowayton, Conn., Laura Scialabba of Orlando, Fla., Paul Grotheer of Seattle, Nikolaus, Christina and Stefan Dammen of Novato, Calif., Anna and Julia Graston of Evanston, Ill.; and four great-grandchildren, James, Oliver and Nikolaus Ramming, and Catherine Helena Hahn.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9 at the Lutheran Church of St. Luke, Itasca, Ill. A private burial service will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery, Mt. Prospect, Ill.
The family requests memorial donations be made to the Bach Cantata Series at St. Luke Lutheran Church, 1500 W. Belmont, Chicago, IL 60657.
