Rev. Earl Weis

Rev. Earl E. Weis, 85, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Jackson, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006, at his home.

He was born Oct. 4, 1921, in St. Louis, son of Professor E.C. and Clara Hopmann Weis. He and Lois Hilgendorf were married July 15, 1945, in Geneseo, Ill.

In 1986 Rev. Weis retired from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson, and then moved to Fairfield Bay, Ark. In 2003 they returned to the area and became members of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau.

Rev. Weis' educational history includes St. Paul High School and College, Concordia, Mo.; Huff Business College, Kansas City, Mo.; Washington University, St. Louis; and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, where he received his master of divinity degree.

His pastorates include Concordia Lutheran Church, Sikeston, Mo., 1945 to 1954; St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hammond and Munster, Ind., 1954 to 1968; St. Paul Lutheran Church, Jackson, 1968 to 1986; and Faith Lutheran Church, Fairfield Bay, 1987 to 1995.

Other affiliations include former chairman of Concordia College Board of Regents, Ann Arbor, Mich.; second vice president of Indiana District, LCMS; Missouri District Board of Stewardship chairman; Missouri District Board of Directors, former chairman of Southeast Missouri Lutheran Family and Children's Services; contact key pastor at the former German POW Camp in Marston, Mo., and many other offices and positions.

Civic affiliations include former chairman of the Red Cross, Scott County, Mo.; Paul Harris Fellow and former Rotary Club president in Sikeston, Jackson and Fairfield Bay; public school board, Shirley, Ark.; and hospice board, Fairfield Bay.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Lois of Cape Girardeau; a son, the Rev. Bill (Karen) Weis of Michigan; four daughters, Connie (Andrew) Alsip of Ohio; Christine Leed of Pennsylvania; Rebecca (Franz) Mayer of Missouri; Beth (Kim) Gipson of Alabama; 11 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two sisters, Ellen Spitz of Texas, and Carol (Rev. Milton) Stohs of Missouri.

Friends may call today from 4 to 8 p.m. at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson.

In accordance to his wishes, funeral service and burial will be private.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Lutheran Home Hospice or St. Andrew Building Fund.

Sympathy messages may be sent to the family online at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.