The Rev. Eldor Kuehnert

CONOVER, N.C. -- The Rev. Eldor Paul Kuehnert, 81, of Conover died Friday, Aug. 22, 2003, at his home.

He was born Nov. 21, 1921, in Cape Girardeau, son of Paul and Marie Kuehnert. He and Lila Gilbert were married Aug. 10, 1947.

He attended St. Paul's College in Concordia, Mo., and the former Southeast Missouri State Teachers College in Cape Girardeau and graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

He was service pastor to military personnel for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod from 1945 through 1950 and was student pastor to Lutheran students at North Carolina State University and Wake Forest University. He also worked with missions in western North Carolina and served at Dorthea Dix State Hospital.

He was the pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church in Macedon, N.Y., from 1950 to 1977. He also served in numerous positions in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. He organized a new mission church, Good Shepherd Church in Canandaigua, N.Y. From 1980 until his retirement in 1984, he was the full-time chaplain at the V.A. Hospital in Batavia, N.Y.

He was named Citizen of the Year in Macedon in 1972, served as president of the Farmington, N.Y., Chamber of Commerce and was named citizen of the year in Farmington in 1975 and 1981. In 1990, he was awarded the Bronze St. Martin of Tours Medal for his services to veterans, the only nonmilitary chaplain to receive the award.

Survived include his wife; a daughter, Deborah Kuehnert; three sons, Daniel Kuehnert, Don Kuehnert and David Kuehnert; a brother, Arlen E. Kuehnert; 13 grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Drum Funeral Home in Conover.

The funeral will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Concordia Lutheran Church in Conover with the Revs. Donald Oldenburg and John Greig officiating. Burial will be in Conover City Cemetery.