Chuck Hartung
From Chuck’s sister Judy (received Sep. 25 2025). “Wanted to let you know we lost our brother Chuck Hartung last week Wednesday he is now resting in Jesus loving arms after a 3 yr decline in his health, no more toil, no more anxiousness, he’s at peace. His daughter Charlene, a nurse, was with him. Memories of PNG and all the people who had touched our lives are deep in my heart. Chuck would say when I visited he just wanted to go “home”. So he is home. “Blessed assurance Jesus is mine.”
Chuck and his sister Patti
Kenneth G. “Ken” Grosch – June 6, 2025
Kenneth G. Grosch: 1938-2025
Well done, good and faithful servant.
Ken Grosch, 87, of Arden Hills, MN died June 6th, 2025 after a brief illness. Ken was born in Albert City, IA on February 19, 1938. He served in the Army from 1959-1961, received his BA degree in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University, and earned an MA degree in Business from California State College, Fullerton. In 1963 Ken married Rosalie Grangaard in the chapel at Iowa State. Together Rosalie and Ken raised two daughters, Heidi and Greta. Ken began his career in the aerospace industry and was an engineer on the first Apollo. In 1971 the family moved to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to teach in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church school. Upon their return Ken was assistant to the Bishop in the Iowa Synod of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) and later worked for a Rural Electric Cooperative. In 1981 the family accepted a call as missionaries to Lae, Papua New Guinea where they lived for five years. Ken was then hired as the first full time director of Global Health Ministries, a non-profit Lutheran agency based in MN that supports Lutheran Health Care in 17 countries. After retirement Rosalie and Ken taught in Fujung, China for one summer.
Ken loved to putter. He took great joy in tackling projects and spent his later years building and expanding their home on Goose Lake. He looked forward to regular trips to Menards, gatherings with his woodworker’s group from church, and believed it’s better to ”have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.” Ken leaves his family a legacy of scrap lumber and other miscellaneous precious items they may never need.
A man of humor, of solid faith and an amazing problem solver, Ken was interested and interesting, collected both people and things, gave great hugs, and was always GRATEFUL. His was a life well-lived and Ken was a man well-loved. He will be missed.
Preceded in death by many loved ones, Ken is survived by wife Rosalie, son-in-law Morten, daughters Heidi and Greta, sister Delores Meissner, and a multitude of cherished family members and friends. Celebration of Life will be held Tuesday, July 15, 11:00 a.m. at Incarnation Lutheran Church, 4880 Hodgson Rd, Shoreview, MN with visitation one hour prior to the service. Internment Wednesday, July 16th, 1pm at Calvary Lutheran Church, 600 Rush Point Dr, Stanchfield, MN with an ice cream social to follow. Memorials to Incarnation Lutheran Church, Global Health Ministries or donor’s choice.
Jimmy Wan – June 24, 2025
Many thanks for Philip Holzknecht for passing on this information to share with Wantoks. In the PNG Bung Report circulated recently, there is a book about Wan Jin Wah’s life, titled ‘A caffeinated faith: The life of Jimmy Wan’, including how Chinese survived during WW2 in PNG. Jimmy has supported the renovations of numerous Lutheran churches in PNG. Book was written by Shane Thamm, a great-nephew of Myrna Thamm.
Leon Fredrick Philippi – June 27, 2025
Donald Ruthenberg – May 1, 2025 (date of funeral)
The Funeral Service for the late Don Ruthenberg, formerly of Ampo, Lae, and long-time servant of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea, was held on Thursday, 1 May 2025 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cairns Queensland.
The following entry is from Seedtime and Harvest, when Donald Ruthenberg first went to New Guinea Lutheran Mission.
Lola May Auricht – April 20th, 2025
Lola May Auricht was called Home on Easter Sunday, aged 86 years.
*Served at Kitip 1967-68, correspondence lessons to Son David. Guided Getaba,etc.
*Moved to KLS – R.I. teacher at Kaisenik; Guesthouse server; one day per week Kitchen assistant
Farewell Celebration Service…FRIDAY..11.30 A.M., 2nd May, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Buderim.
Thanks, and Blessings Norm & Family
Irmgard Bergman – April 2nd, 2025
Elinore Radke has informed us of the passing away of Irmgard Bergman, elder daughter of Rev Wilhelm and Loise Bergman, pioneer missionary in the Chimbu district. The funeral was held at Bethany Lutheran Church, Raceview (Ipswich) on 15 April at 10am Qld time. The funeral directors were Sylvan funerals.
Rev. Hartley Hage – March 8th, 2025 (date of funeral)
Hartley with Myrtle (deceased) was a long-time missionary in PNG (1955-1972). He was involved primarily with Bible Schools, Teacher Training and the vernacular/Pidgin Village Bible School program that was developed when English became the official language for ‘schools’.
Karl Bergmann – February 19th, 2025
Our thanks to Alan (George) Zwar and Elinor Radke for passing along this news.
Hello Wantoks,
I hope you are well. I have just received news of the passing of Karl Bergmann as below.
Debbie (Hueter) Quast has asked me to forward these details since she does not use email herself.
Wednesday 19/02/25, Karl Bergmann died in his sleep. God granted him peaceful relief after long, painful cancer.
He was 81 years old and Wilhelm and Luise Bergmann’s 7th and youngest child. (Ed. Wilhelm and Luise started the mission station Ega, before WW2). Debbie says she always thought there were 6 children, but learned recently that the 5th one, Anna, died soon after birth and was buried at Ega.
Karl Bergmann taught Math and sports at St Peter’s Lutheran College in the 1960’s.
Funeral will not be until 7th March (waiting on some members of his family to be able to come down from further north Qld. Karl’s remaining siblings are #2 Agnes Farmer, b. 1928, who lives with #6 Irmgard b. 1939 (beyond Ipswich). Irmgard said that the funeral will be ‘video streamed’. Hilda #3 b. 1934, and Noel Schmocker’s daughter in SA can supply details of that.
Em tasol mipela finis tok nau.
Alan (George) Zwar.
From my SPLC memories, Mr Karl Bergmann was my Math teacher in the years 1966 & 1967. Em tasol. God i ken i stap wantaim yupela olgeta – Elinor Radke, Meri Madang
Dr. Carson Dron – 2-7-2025
Memorial Service, Dr. Carson Dron https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl9JFv3bLOM
John Sandager – 1-21-2025
Dr Bage Yominao – 10-25-2024
Eric Theile – 9-23-2024
Pastor Karl Kirsch – 6-21-2024
Karl and Heidi served in Kotna, Alkena, Rintebe, and Kainantu, before returning to minister to rural parishes and the wider church in Australia in 1970. They returned to PNG at Lae in 1989 and 1990 before going finish back to Australia. The funeral was held on July the fourth, at St. James Lutheran Church in Cleveland, QLD, with Reverend Stephen Nuske as the Celebrant. Karl’s Memorial Gallery has been updated with the edited funeral service video. Here is the link for family and friends for viewing:
https://www.tastefultransitions.com.au/pastor-karl-kirsch/
Malcolm Zimmerman – In Memory 7-20-24
Lester Rohrlach Eulogy, 4-1-24
Oscar Joppich obituary (2 pages), 3-29-24
Heidi (Reitz) Carlson obituary, 2-8-24
Bruno Matuschka obituary, 2-1-24
Rev. Ian E. Kleinig obituary, 11-21-2023
Esther Winter obituary, 9-1-23
PNG-KLS-SPLC Reunion 