REV. ROBERT CHARLES RAEDEKE,age 79, of Luverne, died Monday, September 13, 2010, at the Sanford Hospice Cottage in Luverne. He was born March 16, 1931 at Calgary, Alberta, Canada to Rev. Walter and Esther (Stelzer) Raedeke, the third of four sons. He grew up and attended schools in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. In 1952 he entered Concordia Seminary, Springfield, IL, graduating from that school in 1958 with a Bachelor of Ministry Degree. He was ordained June 15, 1958 by the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod. From 1957 to 1990 he served congregations in Detroit, MI; Sioux City, IA; Worthington, Robbinsdale and Rochester, MN; Packwoood, WA;Polson, Dayton and Colstrip, MT. With music as a special interest he directed choirs for over twenty-five years in the churches he served as well as directing a male chorus for special music at his church?s regional conventions. In 1967, while serving at Worthington he printed a church cookbook with over 1,000 recipes, which led to his acquiring his own offset press and equipment. He printed most of the printed materials in the churches he served since that time. On September 21, 1996, Robert was united in marriage to Marian Ommen in Worthington. For more than forty years he portrayed Biblical characters in costume during the seasons of Lent and Easter. He introduced Community Easter Sunrise Services in many of the areas where he served. In retirement he continued to serve as a guest speaker and also as an interim pastor. Church financial stewardship became one of his special interests. Having had a number of successful financial campaigns, he offered his leadership and printed materials to hundreds of congregations throughout the country. One of his programs was picked up as a national offering by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Robert?s service to the church included serving on the Presbyterian Council, Glacier Presbytery, Communication and Stewardship Committee of Olympia Presbytery, District Stewardship Committee, serving 225 churches with stewardship help and materials, District Evangelism Committee, writing materials and helping plan seminars and programs. Robert also was an editor for Evergreen, an Olympia Presbytery publication and he owned and operated an offset press. His publications included The Lutheran Witness, Minnesota South Lutheran, Lutheran Digest and Hymns You LikeTo Sing, a collection of favorite hymns of which he sold over 75,000 copies. Robert is survived by his wife, Marian Raedeke, Luverne, MN; two sons, John Raedeke, Monticello, MN; Robert Jr. Raedeke, Shakopee, MN; four daughters, Pamela (Tim) Aho, Loveland, CO; Linda (Daniel) Webster, Rochester, MN; Karen (Mark) Frankel, Minneapolis, MN; and Marilyn (Dan) Sanford, Osseo, MN; three step-daughters, Linda Anderson, Moorhead, MN; Pat McCord, Brandon, SD; Pam Schweigert, Windom, MN; one step-son, Larry Heeren, Windom, MN; ten grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, six step-grandchildren, one brother, Gerald Raedeke, Enterprise, OR. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Walter and Ronald Raedeke.

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