The Rev. Emil Bickel

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The Rev. Emil L. Bickel, 97, of Perryville died Thursday, June 19, 2003, at Perry County Nursing Home.

He was born Dec. 28,1905, in Frankenmuth, Mich., son of John and Regina Loesel Bickel. He and Agnes W. Ranke were married Aug. 24, 1930. She died April 6, 1994.

Bickel had been a Lutheran pastor since 1930. He was a former pastor at Concordia Lutheran Church at Frohna, Mo., and had been a vacancy pastor in area Lutheran churches. He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville and its Berean Bible Class and the Visitation Team.

Survivors include two sons, Eugene Bickel of Brentwood, Mo., James Bickel of Bowling Green, Ky.; a daughter, Maxine Fiala of Seward, Neb.; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by five brothers and a sister.

Friends may call at Young and Sons Funeral Home from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday, and from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. Friday.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Craig Otto officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.