Obituary of Pastor Karl Arthur Fuhlbrigge
Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Pastor Karl Arthur Fuhlbrigge died peacefully in his home on Monday, August 28, 2017, with his wife Mary by his side. He had been ill a year with pulmonary disease. He is safe in the arms of Jesus.
Pastor Fuhlbrigge was born to the Reverend William A. and Hilda A. (Rieck) Fuhlbrigge in Coleman, Wisconsin on December 21, 1933.
He graduated from Northwestern Prep School in 1951 and Northwestern College in 1955, both located in Watertown, Wisconsin. He graduated from the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1959. Pastor Fuhlbrigge was ordained by his father in Zion Lutheran Church, Mission, South Dakota in July of 1959.
After leaving South Dakota he served dual parishes in Marlette and North Branch, Michigan. He served as a pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Findlay, Ohio for ten years and Immanuael Lutheran Church, Toledo, Ohio for fifteen years, retiring on December 31, 1998. Pastor Fuhlbrigge then served as in interim pastor in various Michigan congregations, ending his ministry serving Trinity Lutheran Church, Monroe as Visitation Pastor for four years. Teaching a Men’s Bible Study at the Lutheran Home in recent years was one of the great blessings in his life.
Pastor Fuhlbrigge served as both Secretary an Chairman of the Mission Board of the Ohio District, Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and Chairman of the Church Extension Board of the Ohio District, LC-MS.
Pastor Fuhlbrigge married Barbara Post on June 6, 1959. She died in February 1993. He then married Mary Bork Amolsch on August 19, 1994.
He is survived by his wife, Mary, two children, Stefan Fuhlbrigge and Robin Stearns, both of Toledo, Ohio, two steps-sons, Dr. Kurt Amolsch of Oak Park, Illinois, Christian (Tess) Amolsch of Washington D.C., and two step-daughters, Katherine (Mark) Seeliger of Winfield, Kansas and Karen (Mark) Horrigan of Leawood, Kansas, a grandson, Benjamin Stearns of Toledo, three step-grandsons, Jon (Jess) Seeliger of Wellington, Kansas, Brett Seeliger of Shawnee, Kansas, and Axel Amolsch of Washington D.C., two step-granddaughters, Adler Amolsch and Ames Amolsch of Washington D.C. and two step-great grandchildren, Harper and Holden Seelinger of Wellington, Kansas, a brother, Dr. Armin (Shirley) Fuhlbrigge of Leesburg, Florida, and a sister, Lois Goeres, of Lincoln, Nebraska.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Barbara, his parents, and infant sister, Carol and a granddaughter, Nicole Stearns.
Friends may gather from 2:00pm until 8:00pm on Thursday, August 31, 2017 at Merkle Funeral Service, 2442 North Monroe Street (734) 384-5185. He will lie in state from 10:00am until Funeral Services at 11:00am on Friday, September 1, 2017 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 323 Scott Street. Pastor Jeffrey Heimsoth and Pastor Daniel Potts of Trinity and Pastor Carl Demeritt, Karl’s prayer partner, will co-officiate. Procession will follow to Roselawn Memorial Park in LaSalle for burial.
Memorials may be given to Trinity Lutheran Church, Monroe, Michigan. Online guests may leave words of inspiration and comfort, share a photo, or send a floral tribute by visiting www.merklefs.com.
The family would like to thank Dr. John Kalenkiewicz and his staff for their compassionate care this past year, and more recently the Promedica Hospice Team.