Luther Theophilus Weindorf

I was born on January 6, 1934, in the Grace Lutheran Church parsonage in rural Goodhue, Minnesota, about 15 miles from Redwing, Minnesota. My parents were Frederick Weindorf and Nancy Spelbrink Weindorf Stiemke. I was the youngest of my brothers Clemens, Richard and Kenneth.

I was baptized on January 28, 1934, at Grace Lutheran Church, in Goodhue, MN. I attended grade school at Grace Lutheran School until the 3rd grade, and skipped two grades while attending St. John’s Lutheran School about 3 miles away. My confirmation was at St. John’s Lutheran Church in rural Goodhue, MN, May 19, 1946. Next, I attended Martin Luther High School in New Ulm, MN and graduated in June 1950. My education continued at Northwestern College in Watertown Wisconsin and graduated on June 6th of 1954 with a Bachelor of Arts. I married Valeria Martha Poehler on June 13th, 1954 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. In that same year, I was called to be a teacher at East Fork Lutheran Mission in Apache Land four miles southeast of White River, Arizona where I taught English, Latin and German in our WELS high school. While teaching, I started Seminary correspondence classes with Pastor Paul Schliesser as my mentor. While at East Fork Mission, we were blessed with two sons, Paul and Thomas. In September of 1956 I was asked to conduct the church services due to the death Pastor Earnest Sprengler until March 1957.

After moving back to Milwaukee, WI in 1958, I attended Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary at Mequon, WI, and graduated in 1960. Upon ordination into the Holy Ministry, I was called to be a missionary in Japan. We served at Tokyo, Mito City and Tsuchiura. While in Mito, my third son Mark was born at Saiseibyoin hospital. In 1963 we moved to Tsuchiura and were privileged to construct a parsonage and small chapel. We had a white lighted cross on the steeple of the chapel which could be seen miles away. It was really very special to us and to our Japanese flock.

Upon accepting a call to Grace Lutheran Church in Seattle, WA, we moved back to the states in 1966. It was during this time that Hans and Annette were added to our family.

In 1975, we moved to Upper Michigan and served at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Gladstone and St. Martin’s Lutheran Church of Rapid River.

We moved to California in 1978 and settled in Sylmar. In California, we served at Messiah Lutheran Church, N. Hollywood. A parochial school was also built then and our son, Thomas, became the first teacher. Among his pupils were his brother Hans and sister Annette. We served at Messiah Church until 1996 when I retired from the ministry. We then moved to Mount Vernon, WA, where we spent our retirement years and attended St. Luke’s Lutheran Church while also periodically serving as a guest preacher. My dear wife, Valeria, affectionately whom I called “Tudie”, passed on to her heavenly home on August 7, 2017.

We were blessed with five children; Paul (Christie), Thomas, Mark (Eva), Hans (Robin), Annette Weindorf Anderson (Eric). Our grandchildren are Mary Jo, Michael, Steven, Linda, Jonathan, Sarah, Luke, Allison, Adam, Allanis, and three great- grandsons, Alexander, Bruce and Teddy and four great granddaughters Lilly, Ember, Emilie and Ava.

God called Luther Weindorf home to heaven on August 13, 2026 at The Bridge at Mount Vernon.

Ephesians 2 v. 8-10. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God – not by works, so that no on can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

1 John 1 v. 7-9. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

A Funeral Service will be held, Tuesday August 18th, 2026, 11:00 a.m. at St Luke Lutheran Church, 1524 E. Blackburn Rd. Mount Vernon, WA.