Rev. Fred Mueller

The Rev. Fred Mueller, age 91, of Willmar, died Friday morning, April 13, at Bethesda Pleasant View Nursing Home in Willmar.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, April 20, at Vinje Lutheran Church. Interment will be at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Clara City. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.

Pastor Fred Mueller was born November 29, 1920 in Burnstad, North Dakota. He was the second of seven siblings of the Henry A. and Emelia Mueller family. He died April 13, 2012 at the age of 91 years. He completed his formal education at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa and Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. He was ordained into the Lutheran ministry on June 16, 1946 in his home congregation, St. Luke's Lutheran of Wishek, North Dakota.

On June 2, 1946 he was married to Lorraine G. Laabs, his loving and supportive wife and pastoral partner of 43 years. They had 5 children, Tom, Sandra, Paul, Joan (still born), and John. After Lorraine's death in 1989, Fred was married to Tetkea G. Grussing for 13 years and after her death, he married Margaret T. Trulson.

Pastor Mueller served congregations in Max, North Dakota, Madison, South Dakota, Clara City, Willmar and Mapleton, Minnesota during 36 years of active ministry. In retirement, he was a supply preacher for 27 years to over 78 congregations. He was noted for his gospel oriented, persuasive and powerful preaching along with strong church administrative skills. During his pastoral career, he held numerous elected offices on the conference, district, and synod levels including Secretary and Vice President of the Dakota District, Vice President of the Minnesota District and Treasurer of the SW Minnesota Synod. He also served 3 years as full time Administrative Assistant in the SW Minnesota Synod.

His avocations included wood working and relief carving, fishing, writing and RV family vacation activities. He constructed many furniture pieces, carved numerous small still life figures and relief scenes, caught many large fish, and wrote numerous short essays on topics including family history, social and theological issues in addition to many sermons, homilies, and Bible Studies.

His life was guided by lessons learned in his parental home including obedience, respect, diligence, thrift, foresight, decisiveness and determination. But his most important guide is summarized by his favorite Bible verse from the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:33, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be yours as well." His favorite hymns, "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Wake, Awake", emphasize his unshakable belief in the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the dead and the gift of eternity in heaven for all true believers.

He was a good man, a caring husband, father, and grandfather, and a concerned and believing Christian who had a sense of humor. He was loved and will be missed.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret of Willmar; his four children, Thomas (and Vickie) Mueller of Willmar, Paul (and Jamee Ard) Mueller of New York City, John (and Bea Soong) Mueller of New York City and Sandra (and Dan Boyd) Mueller of St. Michael; two grandchildren, Sara Lynn (and Greg) Zastoupil of Coppell, TX., and David (and Kari) Mueller of Minneapolis and three great grandchildren, Aiden and Andrew Zastoupil and Thomas Frederick Mueller. Also surviving are five siblings. Arnold Mueller of Topeka, KS., Alvina Boschee of Petaluma, CA., Leonora Mindt of Post Falls, ID., Hulda (and Glen) Chambers of Aitkin and Irene Sayler of Wishek, ND.; besides other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Theodore Mueller of Madelia, MN.