Harold E. Oelschlager

Harold E. Oelschlager, 95, passed peacefully into eternal life on Monday, July 28, 2025, at the Village at Victory Lakes in Lindenhurst, Illinois. He was born on February 22, 1930, to Otto and Della (Heitman) Oelschlager in Princeton, Minnesota. Harold graduated from Princeton High School and attended Wartburg College, in Waverly, Iowa, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English. He completed seminary training at Wartburg Lutheran Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa and was ordained in 1956. He later earned a master’s degree in sacred theology and pursued doctoral work in Old Testament theology.

Harold served in the parish ministry at Lutheran churches in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Indiana. He also worked with Social Services in Dubuque, Iowa. In later years he worked as a Lutheran Brotherhood representative. During retirement Harold and his beloved wife of 65 years, Kathryn (Kathy), traveled to Malawi to share educational ideas with Malawian Lutheran pastors and teachers. He and Kathy were instrumental in developing the sister synod relationship between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi and the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He remained active in retirement, doing visitation ministry as well as leading worship services at the campground where he and Kathy camped each summer near Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. In May 2012 he received the Loehe award from Wartburg Seminary for his years of faithful ministry and service.

Harold enjoyed spending time with family and friends. He enjoyed reading, corresponding, traveling, fishing, camping, and gardening. He began collecting stamps when he was in grade school and continued this hobby into his last years, when he turned it into a craft project, making Love stamp magnets to give to family, friends, and caregivers at Victory Lakes.

Harold was preceded in death by his dear wife Kathy, son Thomas, and his parents and siblings. He is survived by his children Jean (Tim Jorgenson) of Clarkdale, Arizona, Lynn (Chip English) of Woodbury, Minnesota, Steve (Patty Moyer) of Grayslake, Illinois, grandchildren Zachary Isenhart and Katie (James Eagle), Caroline and Emily Jorgenson, and Hannah and Andrew Oelschlager, great grandsons Walden and Brit Eagle, brother-in-law Rev. Edward (Dianne) Zaiser, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A combined memorial service for Harold and Walter M. Moyer will be held on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1151 N. St. Mary’s Rd., Libertyville, IL 60048. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Central time with the memorial service to follow at 11 a.m. The service can be watched online at this link: https://vimeo.com/event/5289116.  A family graveside committal service will be held on Sunday, August 31, 2025, in Elroy, Wisconsin.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Malawi Fund of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin, 944 24 ¼ Street, Chetek, Wisconsin 54728 https://nwswi.org/malawi or to Wartburg Seminary, 333 Wartburg Place, Dubuque, Iowa 52003. https://www.wartburgseminary.edu/

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