Reverend Arnold Paul Moede was born on September 22, 1925 to Ernest John and Beata Emma Schlechte Moede in Devils Lake, North Dakota.
He passed away at the age of 92 on August 24, 2018 in Seguin, Texas.
Arnold was preceded in death by his parents, by his wife of 69 years Beth Moede, by his daughter Maren Joyce Moede, and by his son-in-law James Schultz.
He is survived by his sister Janet Moede; by his children Lisa Schultz, Eric Moede (Peggy), Molly Retterer (Keith), and Kurt Moede (Lauren); by his grandchildren Austen Moede (Andrea), Leah Gaide (Ben), Christian Retterer, Casey Retterer (Caitlyn), Ian Moede (Rachel), and Megan Moede; and by his great grandchildren Owen Moede, Colsten Moede, Adelyn Moede, Jocelyn Gaide, Victoria Gaide, Lydia Gaide, Jackson Moede, and Cora Moede.
Arnold grew up in schools in Fargo, ND; Wisner, NE and Hildreth, NE. He graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1946, with a BA in History, Philosophy and English. He received a Master of Divinity from Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary in Minneapolis, MN in 1950. He completed special studies in Cultural Anthropology and Linguistics at Hartford Seminary Foundation in 1956. He later taught Cultural Anthropology at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.
He married Beth Louise Noerenberg in 1949 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Arnold served as Pastor 4 years at Hope Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. After a year of language study in the interior of Liberia, West Africa, he served 9 years at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Monrovia, Liberia, building the Church and school there. He served his last parish for 23 years, St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Corpus Christi, TX (Pastor Emeriti). There he recruited and mentored six minister interns. He organized ministries for Lutheran Social Services child adoption, community family counseling, services for older adults, military outreach at the Naval Air Station and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. He served on the Board of Regents at Texas Lutheran College for 12 years (Regent Emeriti).
After retiring in Seguin, TX, he continued to serve the Church through Interim Ministry assignments to 22 parishes from 1989 to 2002:
Kirby - Lord of Life;
Woodsboro - Peace;
Three Rivers - Our Savior;
Castroville - Zion;
San Antonio - Hope;
Georgetown - Christ;
Arneckeville - Zion;
San Antonio - Hosanna;
Karnes City - St Paul;
Universal City - Christ the King;
San Antonio - MacArthur Park;
Sinton - Grace;
New Braunfels - Peace;
Yorktown - St Paul;
Fredericksburg - Zion;
Corpus Christi - First;
Beeville - Faith;
Kenedy - Good Shepherd;
Poth - St Paul;
Floresville - First;
Seguin - Elm Creek - Christ;
San Antonio - Prince of Peace
Beth said he was engrossed in the life of the parishes he had served, in the people, what they did and why. His interests included carpentry from playhouses to elaborate bird houses. His sports included fishing, hiking (once thru Switzerland), cycling and canoeing. His favorite explorations included Europe, West Africa (esp. Timbuktu) and Mexico. He collected stamps, studied trains and later in life collected bricks.
Inurnment will be at Emanuel's Lutheran Church in Seguin on Sunday, September 30th
at the 10:30 am Worship Service.
