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Obituary: The Rev. E.H.C. Mueller
This obituary appeared in the printed program for Opa Mueller’s funeral August 25 and on page 324 of The Lutheran Witness for October 5, 1948. A Todesanzeige, written auf Deutsch by his son, Rev. Herbert C. Mueller, appeared on page 356 in Der Lutheraner, “The Official Organ of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod,” October 26, 1948.
The Rev. E.H.C. Mueller (died Aug. 21, 1948), born June 28, 1874, the son of William and Adelheid Mueller (his sainted mother known to her readers as Frau Erica, attained some renown as a writer of religious poems), near Kendallville, Ind. Later the family moved to Kendallville. In November 1887, his father became superintendent of Concordia Cemetery, Forest Park, Ill. He was trained for the ministry at Concordia College, Milwaukee, and at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, being graduated in June 1898.
His fifty years of service in the ministerial office began on Aug. 28, 1898, when he became pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Arelia Township, Madison, Minn. He returned to Chicago the following spring and was married to Helene Hedder, April 12, 1889.
He soon began conducting services in the town of Madison, where he guided a group of faithful Lutherans in organizing a congregation in 1903. He regularly served these two congregations until September 1911, when he moved to Immanuel Church, Freedom Township, Waseca County, Minn. Here he served until the time of his death, a period of thirty-seven years. He was pastor of St. John’s Church, Vivian Township, until Jan. 7, 1945, when that congregation unanimously decided to dissolve. He also was pastor of the First Lutheran Church of Waldorf, Minn., until September 1944, when that congregation called its own pastor.
His union in marriage was blessed with nine children, a son preceding his father in death on Feb. 21, 1923. His widow and eight children survive, four daughters and four sons. Two sons are pastors of our Church, Gerhardt at Cordova, Nebr., and Herbert at Niagara, N. Dak. One daughter, Norma, is the wife of Armin Grams of Chicago, teacher of a Christian day school.
He departed this life on Saturday evening, Aug. 21, the day before the fiftieth anniversary celebration of his ordination to the Lutheran ministry. His congregation had planned an elaborate and fitting observance of that event for Sunday, Aug. 22.
His mortal remains were committed to the ground on Wednesday, Aug. 24. The undersigned conducted a brief service in the house in the forenoon, whereupon the remains were conducted to the church. The Rev. R. Eggers served as liturgist, Professor W.A. Poehler delivered the sermon, the undersigned spoke in behalf of the circuit and read the obituary and also officiated at the cemetery. Many brethren of the ministry as well as a large host of friends attended the funeral services. He attained an age of 74 years, one month, and 23 days. Rev. 14:13.
CARL J. GUNDERMANN
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