Lester W. Schierenbeck, 91
Lester William Schierenbeck entered the Church Triumphant and the arms of his Savior in Eau Claire, Wis. on April 27, 2009. He lived to the Lord and he died to the Lord. He is the Lord’s. (Rom. 14:7-9)
He was born on June 17, 1917 in New Ulm, Minn. to Pastor Reinhard and Irma (Blauert) Schierenbeck. He spent his childhood in Renville and Sanborn, Minn. After graduating from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Thiensville, Wis. in 1941, he served as interim pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Austin, during that summer. After serving dual parishes in Darfur, Minn. and Butterfield, Minn. from 1941-1944, he then received and accepted the call to return as pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Austin, in 1944. In 1969, he was led to accept the call to Messiah Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, Wis. and thirteen years later as professor at Immanuel Lutheran College and Seminary until his retirement in 1991. He was married to Agnes Strege of Watertown, S.D. in 1942.
The Lord blessed Lester and Agnes, who passed away in 2005, with four children: Pastor John (Sharon) Schierenbeck, Winter Haven, Fla., Pastor David (Mary) Schierenbeck, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., Barbara (Prof. John) Pfeiffer, Eau Claire, Wis. and Mary Beth Schierenbeck, Eau Claire, Wis. In addition to his children, he is survived by 14 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and 3 awaiting birth, and many dear friends from his 50 years of ministry.
After a lifetime filled with the blessings of good health, he faced a variety of physical challenge since 2007. Yet over and over again, the Lord restored his health through rehab in a nursing home, so he could return to his home with Mary Beth, until his greatest wish came true and he entered his permanent Heavenly Home.
A Victory Service will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, at Messiah Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, Wis., with a private burial earlier and visitation at the church beginning at 3 p.m. The family requests that memorials be directed to the Immanuel Lutheran College Student Aid Fund (SAF).