Obituary of John William Israel

Rev. John W. Israel of Loveland, Colorado, a true man of God, answered his final call on earth Thursday evening-ushered into the arms of his Lord and Savior. Born on April 4, 1930 in Huron, South Dakota, he was the fourth child of the Rev. William J. Israel and Esther (Schornack) Israel. He was received into the Kingdom of God through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism April 6, 1930 in The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Yale, South Dakota. On the 27th day of August, 1944, he reaffirmed his faith in Christ through the Rite of Confirmation, held in The Evangelical Trinity Lutheran Church in Kronethal, Mercer County, North Dakota. Pastor Israel received his elementary education in the public schools of Steen, MN and Kronethal, ND. He attended High School in Beulah, ND for one year, then transferred to Concordia High School in St. Paul. MN. He graduated from that institution in 1949 and entered Concordia Junior College-St. Paul. After graduating from Concordia Junior College in 1951, he enrolled in Concordia Theological Seminary, St. Louis, MO to prepare for the Holy Ministry of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. His Vicarage year took him to North Dakota where he served parishes in Driscoll, Arena, Goodrich, and Wilton. As part of his seminary training, his summer field work assignments took him to churches in Austin, IN and rural Aberdeen, SD. On November 7, 1954, during his Vicarage year, he married the love of his life, Jeane D. Jauer at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hinton, Iowa. They met in St. Louis on a blind date. On May 6, 1956, Pastor Israel completed his seminary training and received his first call to serve St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lexington, Kentucky and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Ottenheim, KY. He also served as Campus Pastor at the University of Kentucky-Lexington. In 1960, Pastor accepted a call to Grace Lutheran Church in Three Lakes, Wisconsin and Our Savior Lutheran Church in Eagle River, WI. During these years, he also served as the Pastoral Advisor to the NW District Walther League and Chairman of the District’s Commission on Fraternal Organizations. Five years later, Pastor Israel was called to serve a much larger parish, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Tomahawk, Wisconsin where he faithfully ministered to his congregation and community for 27 years. During those years he was also Circuit Counselor and a member of the NW District Board of Directors as well a vacancy pastor. In his retirement, he filled in at various churches as needed. In 1995, Pastor and Jeane moved to Loveland, CO where he continued to serve as Pastoral Assistant at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, visiting shut-ins, assisting with communion, and preaching. He truly had a heart for visiting and ministering not only to his congregants but to the community at large. All his life, he thoroughly enjoyed God’s great creation, traveling and camping with Jeane, hunting and fishing with family and friends. Pastor loved to preach, sing, and share the Word of God. He preached what he believed and believed what he preached. At his request, his memorial service will be a Celebration of the Resurrection. Pastor is survived by: his Wife of 66 years—Jeane Daughter --Debra McCarthy(John) Son ---------Mark Israel(Sondra Bell) Son---------David Israel(Linda) And 7 Grandchildren Tim and Steven McCarthy, Janae and Stefan Israel, Amy, Luke, and Maggie Israel. Funeral Services will be held Burial will be Thursday November 11, 2021 at 11:00am at Friday November 12 at 10:30am at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church Loveland Burial Park 3411 S. Taft Ave. Loveland, CO The family asks that all memorial gifts be designated for Mt. Olive Lutheran Church---Loveland