The Rev. Wallace F. Misterek
Nov. 17, 1926-Dec. 20, 2013
Wallace Floyd 'Wally' Misterek
Wallace Floyd “Wally” Misterek received an early Christmas gift on Dec. 20, 2013, when he passed away peacefully to be with his Lord at age 87. He was husband to Dorothy, father to six, grandpa and great-grandpa to 14, pastor to hundreds, and joyful servant to all.
Wally was born Nov. 17, 1926, to Carl and Eva Misterek at the family farm in Harrold, S.D., the second-oldest of five children. After graduating prep school, he studied for the ministry at Concordia College, St. Paul, Minn., and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo. He met Dorothy Leininger at a church picnic while he was serving as a vicar in North Dakota. They married in Kensal, N.D., on June 17, 1951.
After his ordination in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Wally was called to full-time church ministry in Van Nuys, Calif., (First Lutheran Church); San Diego, Calif., (Faith Lutheran); Joliet, Ill., (Redeemer Lutheran); Warrensburg, Mo., (campus pastor at Central Missouri State University); Olympia, Wash., (Trinity Lutheran); and Yakima, Wash., (Mt. Olive Lutheran). In 1993, Wally “retired” in the halfhearted way typical of pastors of his generation. He and Dorothy moved to Gresham, Ore., where he filled several pastoral vacancies around the Portland area and served leadership positions in the synod’s Northwest District office. He was involved in Latino ministry and went to Alaska four times to shepherd churches between pastors.
As a young man, Wally enjoyed long road trips on his Indian motorcycle with college and seminary pals. In his middle years, he liked family car camping trips and a good game of racquetball. In his retirement, he loved traveling with Dorothy, walking his dog, and watching grandchildren’s events. In his last few years at Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Center, Wally still had simple pleasures like singing in chapel, pitting cherries or shucking corn with his grandkids. Advancing age couldn’t put much gray in his hair. And the cloud of Alzheimer’s Disease never stole the twinkle in his eye.
Wally is survived by Dorothy, his beloved wife of 62 years; six children, Paul (Maureen) of Phoenix, Ariz.; David (Mari) of Gig Harbor, Wash.; Rachel (Doug) Hovde, of Oakesdale, Wash.; Tim, of Phoenix; Debbie Misterek Adams, of La Center, Wash.; and Matt (Kari), of Gig Harbor; four siblings, Noma (Wolf), Leon, Roger, and Yvonne; 13 grandchildren; and one great grandson.
A memorial celebration will be held Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 6700 NE 29th Ave., Portland.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Ascension Lutheran building fund, 1440 SE 182nd Ave., Portland, Ore., 97233; or Concordia Seminary (c/o student scholarships), 801 Seminary Place, St Louis, Mo., 63105
David H. Huseth, 81, died June 7, 2011, in Tacoma. He was born May 18, 1930, in Calamus, Iowa, and served two years in the U.S. Army. He was a Lutheran pastor and counselor who had led Trinity Lutheran Church in Enumclaw from 1965 to 1971. He also served churches in Wisconsin and Tacoma and worked with clergy in Seattle. He earned a master's degree in theology from the Lutheran seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, received a master's in counseling from Seattle University and obtained a doctorate in counseling from the University of Oregon.
He is survived by wife Helen; daughters Mari Misterek and husband David of Gig Harbor, Washinton, and Lori Clark of Salem, Oregon; brother Joseph Huseth of Madison, Wisconsin; sisters Hildegard Sather of Loveland, Colorado, and Marilyn Pettit of Vancouver, Washington; and six grandchildren.
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