Obituaries
Obituaries of ordained ministers, widows of pastors, and commissioned workers rostered in the Nebraska District LCMS
Please note: Our office relies on families, congregations, and schools to provide obituary information. If you do not see an obituary here that you believe should be shared with the district, please contact communications@ndlcms.org to notify us.
Below are recent obituaries from the District.
Barbara Friedmeyer, July 10, 2025
Mrs. Barbara June (Loehr) Friedmeyer, wife of the Reverend A. Norman Friedmeyer, Lincoln, Nebraska, departed this life on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at the age of 86. She was born on June 3, 1939, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Leonard and Barbara (Weber) Loehr.
June’s life in Christ began at her baptism on July 2, 1939, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altheim, Missouri. She was confirmed in her faith on May 10, 1953, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Chesterfield, Missouri, and was a lifelong member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. She was involved with and served as an officer in the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, as well as many other organizations and groups in the church.
In 1957, she graduated from Eureka High School in Eureka, Missouri. Following graduation, she began her career as a secretary and administrative assistant at many places, most notably Fleischman Hillard in St. Louis and Brownell Talbot College Preparatory School in Omaha, Nebraska.
She married Arthur Norman Friedmeyer on May 15, 1965, at St. James Lutheran Church in University City, Missouri, a union that lasted over 60 years and was blessed with 4 children, 13 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren. Her children and grandchildren were the light of her life.
June was awarded a PHT (“Putting Husband Through”) certificate from Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, supporting Norman throughout his ministry, and was very proud to be a pastor’s wife as he served at various congregations in Nebraska, including Trinity Lutheran (Friedensau) in Hebron and First Lutheran in Plattsmouth.
Throughout her life, June was involved in volunteering and serving at Midlands Hospital in Papillion, Nebraska, and with the election commission, and found joy in sewing, quilting, and gardening, often sharing the fruits of her labor with friends and family.
June is survived by her devoted husband, Rev. A. Norman Friedmeyer of Lincoln, Nebraska; her loving children, Ellen (Mike) Ullman of Lincoln; Lisa (Josh) Rudin of Arvada, Colorado; Greg (Sheila) Friedmeyer of Blair, Nebraska; and Kathy (Eric) Elmer of Edwardsville, Illinois; her cherished siblings, Larry Loehr, Roland Loehr, Robert Loehr, Michael Loehr, and Julie (Loehr) Grateke; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and an infant sister.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with family greeting guests at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 510 S. 33rd Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. Funeral services will be held at Redeemer Lutheran Church on Thursday, July 17, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. A graveside service will be held on Friday, July 18, 2025, beginning with a brief graveside visitation at 3:00 p.m. followed by a committal service at 3:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in California, Missouri (located at the intersection of Mill Street and West Patrick).
Memorials may be directed to Orphan Grain Train and Lutherans For Life.
Condolences may be sent to Rev. A Norman Friedmeyer, 2715 Docs Drive, Lincoln, Nebraska 68507.
Virginia Ann Temme, March 21, 2025
Mrs. Virginia Ann (Schmitzer) Temme, widow of the Reverend Elton Temme, Blue Hill, Nebraska, departed this life on Friday, March 21, 2025, at the age of 89. She was born March 11, 1936, to Verna and Oswald Schmitzer at St. Luke’s Hospital in Saginaw, Michigan. She was baptized and confirmed at Christ Lutheran Church. She attended grade school and three years of high school in Birch Run, Michigan. She then attended Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw and was the vice-president of her senior class. She continued her education at Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, Illinois, for two years.
After graduation, she was called to Immanuel Lutheran School in Kansas City, Missouri, and taught 5th grade. The next year, she was offered a position teaching 2nd grade at Calvary Lutheran Church in Kansas City. Her life-long partner and future husband, Elton Temme, was serving as vicar at Calvary, and love soon blossomed. Virginia’s last year of teaching was at Concordia Lutheran School in St. Louis. Elton was serving a nearby church and graduated from seminary that year. They were married on September 3, 1958, in Birch Run, Michigan, with Elton’s brother, Rev. Norman Temme, officiating.
They enjoyed 59 years of marriage. They had three daughters: Ann, Lori, and Teresa. Virginia and Elton both loved children and made their home a magical place to grow up. The neighborhood kids would gather for many adventures after which Virginia would have Kool-Aid and her famous chocolate chip cookies waiting for them. In 1968, Virginia suffered an aneurysm that affected her left side and the use of her left hand. She refused to acknowledge that she had a disability and adapted any task to be completed with one hand. She made sure that her children grew up in a loving household, with wonderful home cooked meals. Virginia loved baking, keeping a sparkling clean house, raising her three daughters, and keeping up to date on the latest fashions. Virginia and the girls were known to sneak off on shopping adventures, which may or may not have been within the budget of a pastor’s salary!
Virginia served by her husband’s side as a pastor’s wife, called to: St. John’s in Tyler and First English in Fairmont, North Dakota (1958-1960); St. Peter’s in Barnes, Kansas (1960-1962); Reformation in Charlotte, North Carolina (1962-1965); St. John’s in Oberlin, Kansas (1965-1974); Trinity in Blue Hill, Nebraska (1974-1978); Grace in Larned, Kansas (1978-1986); and Zion in Farmington, New Mexico (1986-1992). They retired in Hastings, Nebraska, to be close to family. Virginia was also an accomplished pianist, organist, and led several children’s choirs. Later in life she served as a teacher’s aide and volunteer at Zion Lutheran Church, Hastings, Nebraska.
Virginia is survived by her three daughters, Ann (Greg) Auten of Blue Hill; Lori (Evan) Halsey of Jacksonville, Florida; and Teresa Temme-Dietz (John Frenaye) of Annapolis, Maryland; five grandchildren: Tim Auten of Lincoln, Nebraska; Lindsey (Auten) and husband Ben Welch of Lincoln, Nebraska; Tyler Auten and wife Kate (Ruth) of Blue Hill, Nebraska; Annalise Dietz of Baltimore, Maryland; and Alayna Dietz of Annapolis, Maryland. Virginia is also survived by four great-grandchildren that brought much joy in her final years: 17-month-old triplets Dean, Cooper, and Ella Auten of Blue Hill, Nebraska, and five-month-old Phoebe Welch of Lincoln, Nebraska.
The service will be Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, Blue Hill, Nebraska, with Pastor Glen Wurdeman officiating. Burial will be in the Blue Hill Cemetery, Blue Hill, Nebraska. Memorials can be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mertenbutlermortuary.com. Merten-Butler Mortuary, Blue Hill, Nebraska, is in charge of arrangements.