OBITUARY: Wilbur Albert Troge, 1916-2005, Mitchell County, Iowa

[Based on obituary in the Mitchell County Press-News online, Feb. 23, 2005]





                             Rev. Wilbur Troge

The Christian funeral for Pastor Wilbur Troge was held Monday, Feb. 21,
2005 at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Appleton, Wis., with Rev. Robert
F. Raasch officiating.  Interment was in Peace Lutheran Cemetery, Oshkosh.

Wilbur Albert Troge, went home to heaven to be with his Savior, Jesus
Christ Tuesday, February 15 at the age of 89 years.  In lieu of flowers,
memorials may be directed to Fox Valley Lutheran High School, Grace
Christian School, or Mount Olive Ev. Lutheran School.

Wilbur was born February 6, 1916, in Mitchell County, Iowa, to Albert and
Minnie (Hartwig) Troge. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran
Church, Mitchell County, a church that grandfathers on both sides helped
to establish.  He attended the public grade and high school in Osage, Iowa.
He graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor's degree in
business and was planning to attend law school.  However, God called him
to the preaching ministry, and he enrolled at Wartburg Lutheran Seminary
in Waverly, Iowa.  His first parish was in Garden City, Kansas; he served
there for two years.

On Jan. 10, 1948, he married the former Helen Brockdorf in Milwaukee.
They celebrated 50 years of marriage in 1998.  God blessed them with five
children.  In 1948 Pastor Troge was called by Grace Lutheran Church of
Appleton, Wisconsin.  He served the rest of his ministry there.  During
those 33 years Pastor Troge helped the congregation in two building projects
and the establishment of Grace Christian Day School.

During his retirement he and his wife moved to Oshkosh where he served at
Bethel Lutheran Home as a chaplain and also several pastoral vacancies in
the Oshkosh area.  His last years were spent at the Greenfield Manor,
Little Chute and at the Renaissance Assisted Living, Appleton, where he
held a weekly Bible class for his fellow residents.  He currently resided
at the Rennes Health Center, Appleton, and was a member of Mount Olive
Lutheran Church, Appleton.

Wilbur Troge was preceded in death by his parents Albert and Minnie Troge,
his wife Helen in 1998, a son Kurt in 2004, a brother-in-law Charles Trusty,
and a sister-in-law Beverly Brockdorf.

Survivors include four children: Christine Gallipeau of Spring, Texas and
her fiance Adrian Luecke; Eric (Arlyss) Troge of Hortonville; Melissa
(Howard) Estervig of Jacksonville, Fla.; Gretchen (Pastor Stephen) Gallo
of St. Peter, Ill.; a daughter-in-law Debra Troge of Manitow; 17 grand-
children; 12 great-grandchildren, and a former grand-daughter-in-law Renee'
Gallipeau-Aguiluz. Other survivors include a sister Harriet Trusty of Osage
Iowa; three brothers-in-law: Carl Brockdorf of Mecosta, Mich.; William
(Berniece) Brockdorf of West Bend; and Robert (Jeanette) Brockdorf of
Milwaukee; cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Arrangments by Wichmann Funernal Home, 537 N. Superior Street, Appleton,
Wisconsin.



     Copyright 2005, K.L. Kittleson