Pastor Robert Schlicht

Pastor Robert W. Schlicht entered his heavenly home on January 7, after being hospitalized at Arrowhead Hospital in Glendale, Arizona. His Christian Funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 19th at Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine with Pastor John Meyer officiating. Visitation will precede worship from 9:00-11:00 a.m.. Burial at The Lutheran Home Cemetery will follow lunch at the church. Though the nation suffered during the summer of the second year of the Great Depression, the Lord brought joy to the home of Carl and Ida (nee Schatzke) Schlicht by blessing them with the safe birth of their first child, a son they named Robert William. His birth in Coon Valley, Wisconsin, on July 7, 1931 brought happiness to many in the small community. God blessed Robert to be born to a faithful Christian couple who followed their Savior's command by bringing their son to also become a son in the family of Christ through Holy Baptism. This miracle of new life took place on August 2, 1931 at St. Peter's Ev. Lutheran Church in Chaseburg, Wisconsin with Pastor E. H. Palechek as officient. His sponsors were William Schlicht and Bertha Schaetzke. The faith begun at Robert's baptism grew in both grace and knowledge through his elementary education at First Lutheran Elementary School in La Crosse, Wisconsin. On March 25, 1945, at First Ev. Lutheran Church - in a class that included his brother Earl - he celebrated his Lutheran Confirmation with Pastor Walter A. Schumann as his instructor in the Word. After one year of high school in La Crosse, Robert ("Bob") transferred to Dr. Martin Luther High School in New Ulm, Minnesota and graduated in 1949. With a desire to prepare for the pastoral ministry, he continued his education at Northwestern College in Watertown, Wisconsin and graduated in 1953; and at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin. As part of his Seminary training, Bob's vicar year was spent organizing the first WELS congregation in Canada; Our Savior's Ev. Lutheran in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Robert graduated from the Seminary in 1957 and received God's call to serve Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church in Globe, Neillsville, Wisconsin. In 1959, the Lord led him to accept the call of Trinity Ev. Lutheran in Belle Plaine, Minnesota. He served as their pastor until 1976; during which time a new church and school were built. During 1961, Pastor Bob was also called to serve as the administrator of The Lutheran Home in Belle Plaine. This service, after fifteen years, expanded when he was called to be chaplain and administrator full-time in 1976. God richly blessed his service at "The Home" through several building expansions including the Hope Residence, the first home for those with mental disabilities in the WELS, and by personal growth into being the first President and CEO of The Lutheran Home Association. He served the aging community within the WELS: serving on the Special Ministries Board and co-founded the Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors; and nationally: where he twice served as national president of The American College of Health Care Administrators and was awarded as the Administrator of the Year in 1982 by the Association of American Homes for the Aged. Our Lord gave Pastor Bob a very diverse set of interests and skills as reflected by his being a member in the Audio Engineering Society of America, being a Certified Fund Raising Executive, being a registered Locksmith, and being a member of the American Society of Association Executives. He retired in 1994, but still served in areas of pastoral, personal, and family ministry. During Robert's years at Dr. Martin Luther High School, the Lord lead him to meet and fall in love with Loretta Mae Manthe from Pemberton, Minnesota. After a lengthy courtship, they were given special permission to marry before his vicar year (due to the remoteness of his vicaring location). Pastor E. E. Kolander represented the Lord as they exchanged their vows of Christian marriage on July 23, 1955 at St. John's Ev. Lutheran Church in Alma City, Minnesota. God blessed their marriage with two sons, Stephen and Daniel. Loretta and Bob's marriage endured, with God's strength, through severe heart problems for her, the loss of three fingers on his right hand for him and a major car accident for both of them. In His wisdom, the Lord ended their wedded partnership by calling Loretta to her heavenly home on Bob's birthday in 1992. On January 14, 1995, God blessed long-time friend and coworker Lois Dahlke and Pastor Bob to join their lives in Christian marriage. Their wedding took place at their Schalet near Belle Plaine, Minnesota. His brother, Pastor Dennis, preached; his son, Pastor Steve, officiated, and their children served as their wedding party. They lived in Belle Plaine for a time, then moved to a rural home in Henderson, Minnesota, and finally moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Lois and Bob enjoyed nearly twelve years of marriage before the Lord called Lois to heaven on March 23, 2007. Pastor Bob has lived these last years alone in his home, but richly blessed by the great support of neighbors Warren and Ardella Shaub, Pastor Ross Else, and many members of Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church in Phoenix. Bob's heavenly Father asked him to let his faith shine through almost three years of increasing challenges in health. The Lord permitted Pastor Bob's sons to be at his side when He ended this struggle and called His servant to the home Jesus won for him. Among those will dearly miss him in this life, but, who in Christian faith rejoice that Robert is in heaven are his sons and daughter-in-law: Stephen & Kathleen, and Daniel; stepchildren: Renee (Paul) King, Douglas Dahlke, and Darwin (Susy) Dahlke; grandchildren: Sarah (Matt), Samuel, Lydia, & Peter (fiancé Rachel); great-granddaughter: Isabel; brothers and sisters-in-law: Earl & Doris, Dennis & Cheryl, Arlene Manthe, and Isabel Schlicht; nieces and nephews from both the Manthe and Schlicht families; and step-grandchildren, other relatives, and friends. By the grace of God, we may be confident of a blessed reunion with Pastor Bob and all who have fallen asleep in Jesus. Robert was preceded in death by two infant brothers: Carl, Jr. and Marvin; his parents; his first wife, Loretta; his second wife, Lois; and his brother, Stanley.

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