PAUL W. LUDWIG SR.

GORDONVILLE -- The Rev. Paul W. Ludwig Sr., 93, of Ft. Wayne, Ind., died Monday, July 20, 1992, at Lutheran Hospital in Ft. Wayne.

He was born Dec. 28, 1898, at Appleton, son of the Rev. Reinhold and Hedwig Huebner Ludwig. He married Thekla C. Fredrich, who died Feb. 3, 1978.

Ludwig was ordained Aug. 30, 1924. He served as pastor of seven churches in the Missouri Synod including Kansas, Nebraska, Texas and Missouri.

He was pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Gordonville from 1957-63, and served as a vacancy pastor several years at the Lutheran church in Tilsit.

Ludwig semi-retired in 1964, and served as assistant pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Decatur, Ind., until retiring in 1976.

Survivors include eight sons, Paul Ludwig Jr. of Columbia, S.C., Robert and Philip Ludwig of Houston, Texas, Richard Ludwig of Gaithersburg, Md., John Ludwig of Nederland, Texas, Theodore Ludwig of Valparaiso, Ind., David Ludwig of Hickory, N.C., Thomas Ludwig of Holland, Mich.; four daughters, Eunice Fink of Decatur, Thekla Sebaugh of Elm Springs, Ark., Elizabeth Wiening of West Chester, Pa., Charlotte LePere of Mentor, Ohio; a sister, Hedwig Ehlers of Twin Falls, Idaho; 39 grandchildren, and 31 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by five sisters and three brothers.

Funeral service was held July 24 at Zion Church in Decatur, with the Revs. Edgar Walz and Roger Olson officiating. Burial was in Decatur Cemetery, with Zwick-Sefton and Jahn Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.