BRETSCHER, CARL W., (passed from this life: January 3, 2016) beloved husband of Elaine Bretscher (nee Beach); dear father of James (Terry); Donald (Karen), and David (April); dear grandfather of Shannon, Crystal, Amanda, Kelley, Brandon, Kristen, Derek, Kaitlyn, Jacob, and Nick; dear great-grandfather of many; dear brother of Paul (Constance), Manuel (Miriam), and the late Ruth (Henry) Ressmeyer, Dorothea Wessler, and Esther Gruell; dear uncle of numerous nephews and nieces.
Carl graduated from Concordia College Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and earned a Master’s degree in social work from Washington University, St. Louis. He served Lutheran churches in Guatemala; the Panama Canal Zone; Pensacola, Florida; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Las Vegas, New Mexico. He also worked for ten years as a social worker in the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry of the St. Louis University Medical Center and, following his retirement, as a part-time pastoral counselor for the Hospice Care division of the St. Louis Visiting Nurse Association. Carl and Elaine were married over 64 years ago, and have lived in the St. Louis area since 1979. He will be remembered for his sense of humor, love for people, extensive volunteering, allegiance to the St. Louis Cardinals, and positive Christian witness.
Visitation will be Friday, January 8, from 4-8 pm at Chapel Hill Mortuary, 10301 Big Bend Rd., Kirkwood, MO 63122 (I-44 and Big Bend) and funeral arrangements will be Saturday, January 9, at 11:00 am at Unity Lutheran Church, 8454 Glen Echo Drive, Bel-Nor, MO 63121 (south of the University of Missouri, St. Louis campus). In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bread for the World (50 F Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20001), Feed My People (St. Louis), Unity Lutheran Church (Bel-Nor, MO), or a charity of choice.
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