Rev. Willard Kassulke

SULLIVAN, Mo. -- Willard John Kassulke, 71, of Sullivan was born Aug. 8, 1939, the first child of Otto and Leona Freitag Kassulke residing in West Milwaukee, Wis.

He was baptized and confirmed at Ebenezer Lutheran Church. A year after confirmation he began studying for the ministry at Concordia Academy and Junior College in Milwaukee. He completed his college education at Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, Ind. In 1965 he completed his seminary education at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; oldest son, Wesley in St. Louis; a daughter, Dori in Redwood Valley, Calif.; a son, Marty and wife Tara of Gulf Breeze, Fla.; two sisters, Carmen Ryan and husband Dean of Ixonia, Wis., Christine Curro and husband John of Milwaukee; two in-laws by marriage, Russ Fabritz of Milwaukee, Sue Kassulke of Eagan, Minn.; numerous relatives and a host of former members and friends.

Willard was preceded in death by his parents; a kid sister, Kathy; and his only brother, Karl.

Willard's vicarage, under the supervision of the Rev. Elmer Koberg, occurred at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was during his vicarage that he became engaged to Carolyn Wachsmann, a Concordia Seward graduate in her first year of teaching at Trinity. After his final year of seminary training, Willard and Carolyn were married June 12, 1965, at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Manheim, Texas.

He served the following parishes during his ministry: Bethel Lutheran Church, New Orleans, La., 1965 to 1967; Trinity Lutheran Church, Colby, Kan., 1967 to 1972; St. Paul Lutheran Church, Utica, Neb., and Immanuel Lutheran Church, Gresham, Neb., 1972 to 1975; St. John Lutheran Church, Pilger, Neb., 1975 to 1982; Trinity Lutheran Church, Altenburg, Mo., 1982 to 1997; Immanuel Lutheran Church, Salisbury, Mo., 1997 to 2004.

In addition to those called parishes, one third of his ministry was spent in serving vacancies, including vacancies after retirement in St. Clair, Sullivan, and the LMP parishes in Southeast Missouri.

The Kassulkes have lived in Sullivan since 2004. They have enjoyed full retirement since the start of 2010 until the Lord decided to call him home Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 528 N. Church St., Sullivan.

The service will be at 7 p.m. at the church, with the Rev. Tim McCarty officiating. Burial will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Local visitation will be 1 to 4 p.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg.

A celebration of life memorial service will follow at 4 p.m. at the church, with the Revs. Ray Mirly and Steven Dressler officiating.

In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to Perry County Lutheran Historical Society or charity of choice.

Young and Sons Funeral Home in Perryville, Mo., provided the arrangements.