Jack LaMar, Elcho's "community parson," who in July announced a difficult decision to retire as pastor of the United Church of Christ congregations in Elcho and Kempster next spring, died today, Nov. 23, 2012 at Langlade Hospital. He was 76 years old.
The pastor was taken to Langlade Hospital on Sunday after he failed to arrive for the usual worship service in Kempster. At the time of his death, his family was with him and he was under the care of the LeRoyer Hospice.
The sign of the Elcho United Church of Christ proclaims it as the town's "community church" and Rev. LaMar certainly qualified as the community's pastor. He was instrumental in growing the church's food pantry into an area-wide charity, with discretionary funds that have helped people, regardless of denomination, handle everything from utility payments and rent to a variety of other social needs. The pastor was involved in establishing the local youth center and a safety coalition and served as a commissioner of both the Langlade County Commission on Aging and Housing Authority. His reach into the community was so deep that the church has named its new community hall "The Jack LaMar Pavilion."
During his tenure, the local congregation grew from 80 members when he arrived in 1997 to well over 200 today.
Rev. LaMar was born on April 4, 1936 in Evansville, Ind., a son of the late Robert and Valada (Lambeck) LaMar. He married Carol Schaefer on April 12, 1996 at Green Bay. She survives. The couple was planning to retire to Pine Grove, Calif., in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where she has a home. He grew up in Evansville, graduating from high school there; and received his bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and preparation for the ministry from Elmhurst College in Illinois in 1958. Rev. LaMar continued his studies at Eden Theological Seminary, Webster Grove, Mo., earning his bachelor of divinity degree in theology in 1961. He was ordained in his home church, St. Lucus United Church of Christ in Evansville.
He served his first pastorate at Bethany United Church of Christ in Oshkosh from 1961 to 1964 and then moved north, with his second pastorate at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Rhinelander from 1964 to 1968.
In 1968 Rev. LaMar took a leave from the ministry and entered the public sector, working for the Office of Equal Opportunity in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and later for the Department of Corrections in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where he was known as "Preach" or "Preacher Jack." He was active in the mental health field for 25 years, including as executive director of the Mental Health Board of Northeast Minnesota in Duluth, dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues. During that time, he returned to Eden to receive his master of divinity degree in 1971.
In 1997 his career took a turn again, when he received a phone call asking if he would cover two small churches in northern Wisconsin "for a couple weekends," he recalled. That was 15 years ago and he never left. "I had a long-standing wish to get back into the ministry and this was an opportunity," he said when he announced his retirement. Last year, Rev. LaMar published a book of sermons entitled "Life Just Keeps Coming At Us: Sermons by a Searcher."
He was commissioned as a chaplain in the United States Naval Reserve in 1964 until his honorable discharge in 1982. He remained active in local veterans organizations, regularly offering the prayer at local Memorial Day services, and most recently gave the invocation and benediction at the Elcho Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 9.
In addition to his wife, Carol, survivors include a son Mark (Wendy) LaMar, St. Louis, Mo.; two daughters Cheryl LaLonde, and Cindy (Ron) Maurer, all of St. Louis; six grandchildren, Ben, Alex and Sarah LaLonde; Mitchell and Harrison LaMar; and Anna Maurer. Rev. LaMar is also survived by his wife's family, which includes his stepdaughter, Louise (Edmund) Mateo, Pioneer, Calif.; a stepson, John Marton, Sacramento, Calif.; and a step-granddaughter, Haliee Marton.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Terry LaLonde, and a grandchild, Joseph LaMar.
Memorial services will be held on Tuesday at 11 a.m. at United Church of Christ, Congregational in Elcho with Rev. Wes Jedras officiating. Burial will take place in Elcho Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday at the Bradley Funeral Home and at the church on Tuesday from 10 a.m. until the time of services.
Memorials in Rev. LaMar's name may be directed to Eden Theological Seminary 475 East Lockwood Ave. St. Louis, MO 63119 or Elmhurst College 190 South Prospect Ave. Elmhurst, IL 60126.
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Antigo, WI 54409
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Elcho, Wisconsin 54428
Ive been out of touch, for quite a while, and did not know of Jacks passing. He helped me thru some rough times. He is missed.
I will always remember Rev. LaMar for his leadership of our youth activities @ Bethany UCC in Oshkosh. He and Lois were the first occupants of the new parsonage we built there. I'm so glad we (my twin brother and I) got to visit him for a church service in Elcho only last September. He was the pastor who performed the marriage ceremony for our sister. Peace
Good bye Dear Roommate. Thanks for sharing yourself with me last summer. You have and will always occupy a special place in my heart. I know someday we will be roommates again. Your an inspiration for all of us.
Reverend Jack Lamar is a trusted friend and charismatic human being who was fun to be with. My friendship with Jack is based on his years in Duluth, between preaching opportunities, during which time, at lunch, he several times quoted Matthew 6:34, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." His oratory and debate were powerful and just: he spoke truthfully from his heart at all times without fear. The world desperately needs more like Jack Lamar. My prayers to Mark, Cindy, Cheryl, and Carol. (And, as I have heard much about Bill Siegel and Bob Koller, greetings to you. I have heard much about you.)
The "House that Jack Built"...Siegel cabin in Michigan.
We have lost a true friend! Jack was like family since our days together in Rhinelander in the early 60's. The Siegel's and LaMar's "grew up together" and shared some really really special times, with Jack & Bill (Sr. Siegel) setting the pace. Jack & Bill got to know one another during Jack's time at UCC in Rhinelander, where Bill Sr., served as Deacon. That soon led to their mutual passion for duck hunting. We hunted with Jack and his son Mark for many years. The highlight was our annual family duck hunting trip to Lake of the Woods.
Jack also had great love for the UP of Michigan, and built a cabin in Paulding. Jack was the inspiration and "General Contractor" as we built our log cabins just across the river from Jack in the 70's. We still use the cabins today, mainly for hunting, and Jacks' passion and presence remains in the core of those logs. We partied, reflected, had deep philosophical discussions and spent many nights reading Robert Service. This was one of Jack's favorites from Robert Service....
There's a race of men that don't fit in,
A race that can't stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will.
They range the field and they rove the flood,
And they climb the mountain's crest;
Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood,
And they don't know how to rest.
If they just went straight they might go far;
They are strong and brave and true;
But they're always tired of the things that are,
And they want the strange and new.
They say: "Could I find my proper groove,
What a deep mark I would make!"
So they chop and change, and each fresh move
Is only a fresh mistake.
And each forgets, as he strips and runs
With a brilliant, fitful pace,
It's the steady, quiet, plodding ones
Who win in the lifelong race.
And each forgets that his youth has fled,
Forgets that his prime is past,
Till he stands one day, with a hope that's dead,
In the glare of the truth at last.
He has failed, he has failed; he has missed his chance;
He has just done things by half.
Life's been a jolly good joke on him,
And now is the time to laugh.
Ha, ha! He is one of the Legion Lost;
He was never meant to win;
He's a rolling stone, and it's bred in the bone;
He's a man who won't fit in.
----------------------------------------
We will miss Jack. He was larger than life and loved by all. Our sincere condolences to Carol, Mark, Cheryl, Cindy and all the family.
With Sympathy, The Siegel Family
Pastor Jack was my confirmation Pastor at Bethany UCC in Oshkosh...way back! I can still see him standing in the pulpit giving a "social justice" sermon, which so impacted me I decided right then to commit my life to helping people in need and his words have been a touchstone all my life. I know those who were his family, friends, parishoners, and colleagues are grieving a deep loss, and I grieve with you. The world is a better place for having him show Jesus to all who were blessed enough to know him.
My sincere sympathy. Jack was a neighbor here in Rhinelander and a hunting buddy of my late husband. May they now share more hunting tales in the everlasting hunting grounds.
Deepest symphathy to Carol my cousin and all of Jack's family. We have wonderful memories of Jack's spirtitual depth and sense of humor. May God be with you. Love, Charles Engelke, Kathy, Sarah, and family
Deepest sympathy to Jack's family We were blessed to have Jack as a Pastor and close friend while
he was Pastor at Bethany U.C.C. in Oshkosh.He was a dynamic preacher with a great sense of humor .He was always searching for answers and challenged you to search with him.I remember the discussions in the early morning hours. I still have a very old silver dollar from him. He was a special person.
I'm praying with you in your time of loss. I think about my elder colleagues and their families. I think about the Christmas mornings, the Easter mornings, the interrupted dinners or the unexpected phone call that cut a game of scrabble short or a caused us to never see the end of the movie. We willingly make these sacrifices, but they are still just that... sacrifices. Jack's dedication to the church is commendable, and I am proud to have him as my colleague. I hope to have a legacy like Jack's when some day I die. I hope my obituary is as beautiful as his. With heartfelt love, I offer you my prayers!!
Dear Family of Jack:
I remember Jack's great, effective, and dynamic preaching from when he was at Oshkosh, and then his urging to and I believe marching down south for Martin Luther King. He was a pastor who was unafraid of the controversy that usually comes with taking a stand on justice issues.
Certainly he was in the halo of the great prophets of old like Joel and Amos. God be praised for such servants, and God be praised for his continuous community involvement, even in small communities like Elcho. May he rest in peace with all the saints in glory.
May the eternal arms of sympathy comfort all of you.
The Rev. Harvey Kandler, Retired clergy, formerly at Eagle River, now
Kaukauna, WI
I have so many fond memories of Jack. He had a way of always being so positive and upbeat. Thank you for all the memories and for taking the time our of your schedule to drive downstate to marry Bob and I when we asked you. My deepest sympathies to Carol and the family.
Deepest sympathies.
Pastor was a great friend, boss, mentor, and all around wonderful person. Never was he without something good to say or a smile on his face.
We did stay in touch, after I left the area a few years ago. I will certainly miss those phone calls and emails. Happy you are finally home with Jesus.
God Bless you, too, Carol and family.
I first met Jack in 1956, when he transferred from Purdue to Elmhurst College. Jack lived on the other side of the old Army barracks left over from the Korean War that still housed a few of us single students in those years.
We knew each other well while in college, sharing some classes and social activities together, even though Jack was a year ahead of me.
Jack went down to Eden for his seminary training; I went east to Lancaster, PA. Jack took a small church in Oshkosh; I took a small church in DePere, WI.
We talked often on the phone and his trustees always wondered why the phone bill was so high! Jack went on to the Congregational Church in Rhinelander, left there, got involved in a variety of human service activities.
He spent some time in Duluth, MN, where the picture was taken of the two of, when I went to visit him in 1984. He had a boat then, and the two of us enjoyed our time together, both on land and sea. Ours was a friendship that covered over 56 years.
I used to tease Jack, when he was wandering around doing other work, when he was going to come back to "Mother Church." And, he did when he came for a few Sundays and then stayed twelve more years at Elcho-Kempster.
We continued to talk on the phone every couple of months, or so. Although he had announced his retirement for next year, he really didn't want to retire. He loved the church; he loved the people, not only of the church, but the community, as well. And everyone knew that of Jack.
Jack was truly my friend. I will miss not picking up the phone and talking to him. I will miss sending him emails and jokes that I understand he sometimes used at church, when appropriate.
Now, God has the last word with Jack, "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' Matthew 25:21
Pastor Jack will always be remembered as a person who knew and greeted everyone by name and always presented his Christian message in a brief and meaningful way. He will be sadly missed by many of us.
Preach, you were loved by so many. You inspired so many people. You helped my family through our darkest hours. Thank you so much Jack for the inspiration and the blessing of knowing you. Rest in Peace my dear friend.
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