John E. Stigge, Sr.

John E. Stigge, Sr., 88, passed away Friday, January 4, 2008, at Washington County Hospital in Washington, Kansas.

A funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 8, 2008, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, southwest of Greenleaf, Kansas. Pastor David Gruoner officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Gina Miller played the organ while Erin Toole sang “The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want.” The congregation sang “The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done” and “Jerusalem the Golden.”

Pallbearers were Ian Stigge, Ryan Ohlde, Larry Stigge, Peter Stigge, Randy Tenbrink, Alan Stigge and Dennis Stigge.

John was born near Barnes, Kansas, on October 8, 1919, the son of Fred and Ida (Bolle) Stigge. On December 21, 1919, John was baptized by Rev. G.W. Ruhl at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

When John was 10 years old, his parents moved the family west of Washington, where John attended rural public school. As he approached confirmation age, John moved back with relatives at Barnes so that he could receive his confirmation instruction. In 1934, John confirmed his baptismal vows of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in the rite of confirmation under Rev. L.W. Temme.

In March 1941, John was drafted into the United States Army. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he served his country with distinction in the Aleutian Islands Theater of Operations and was awarded a Bronze Star.

On June 30, 1946, John was united in marriage to Loretta Niemann at Trinity Lutheran Church near Hanover. Their union was blessed with four children, John, Orvill, Carolyn and Steven.

The family made Bethlehem Lutheran Church near Greenleaf their home congregation, where John served as an elder and was a member of the Men’s Club. John was a farmer and stockman at heart and worked hard at it all his life. He also served the Washington community as a member of the school board.

John enjoyed spending time hunting, fishing and trapping. His greatest joy, however, was spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two children, Carolyn in 1986 and Orvill in 1998; five brothers, Lawrence, Otto, Leo, Marvin and Orville; and two sisters, Agnes Kasperek and Luella Shum.

Survivors include his wife, Loretta, of the home; two sons, John Stigge and his wife, Kathryn, and Steven Stigge, all of Washington, Kansas; son-in-law, Gene Helms of Linn, Kansas; ten grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one sister, Ivalo Bisping of Alma, Kansas; sisters-in-law, Mildred Stigge, Florence McGrath, Marie Mishey, Leona Wiechman and her husband, Albert, Selma Kolle and her husband, Raymond, Norma Haley and her husband, Robert, and Verla Harrison and her husband, Bud; and brother-in-law, Walter Niemann.

A memorial fund has been established, and contributions may be sent in care of Ward Funeral Home, Washington, Kansas.