Walter Louis Zeile's Obituary
Well done, thou good and faithful servant.?áPastor Walter L. Zeile passed away July 1, 2012 after a life in which he felt truly blessed and a life he devoted to others.?áHe was born January 28, 1918 in Saginaw, Michigan and graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO.?áHe was ordained into the Lutheran Ministry April 14, 1945.?áHis first congregation was St. John?ÇÖs in Palmer, Alaska.?áThere, he met Ruth Clemetson, a public health nurse from Duluth, Minnesota.?áThey married April 27, 1947.?á They moved to Davison, Michigan in 1948 where he assumed the ministry of Trinity Lutheran until 1961 when he undertook the mission congregation at Somerset Hills Lutheran Church in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.?áBoth churches thrived under his love and leadership.?áIn 1972, he was elected the first president of the newly organized New Jersey District for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.?áHe was the spiritual leader of 40,000 people and 62 congregations until his retirement in 1985.?áSince then, Pastor Zeile had been actively involved with the parish ministry at Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, Florida. He leaves his beloved wife, Ruth, of Fort Myers; daughter, Mary and her husband Robert; son, William and his wife Patricia; son, Thomas and his wife Sharon; grandchildren and two new great-grandchildren.?áTheir daughter Jane passed away in 2007. A gathering to remember Pastor Zeile will be held at Cypress Cove Senior Living on Saturday, July 7th at 3:00 PM.?áA worship celebration for his faith and life will be held at Zion Lutheran Church, Sunday, July 8th at 11:15 AM.?áAll are welcome. Donations in his memory may be made to Concordia Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis, MO or Zion Lutheran Church.?áEither contribution should be sent to Zion Lutheran Church, 7401 Winkler Road, Fort Myers, Florida 33919.?áCondolences may be left online at www.fortmyersmemorial.com.
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