Rev. John Quintus Dede

The Rev. John Dede died peacefully on January 3, 2025, after a brief illness. His daughter, Elizabeth, was by his side.
John was a faithful pastor in the Lutheran Church and served most of his ministry in Florida. He was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI., but did not like winter. While still a seminary student, he met Ginger Stallmann in Holyoke, MA, and one year later they were married.
Their first assignment was to Selma, AL, in 1956. At the time, the South was rigidly segregated, and public education was not available for African American people. They served five small Lutheran Churches, which also had schools. In addition, John was a professor of Latin at Alabama Lutheran, an HBCU in Selma. Their daughter, Susan, was born in Selma in 1957.
Later that year, the family was sent to Nigeria, West Africa. John served seven Lutheran Churches and was principal of the Lutheran Academy near Eket. A daughter died in infancy there, and in 1960, their daughter, Jocelyn, was born. Later that year, Nigeria celebrated its independence from colonial England, and after the celebrations, the family returned to the U.S. for a year's furlough.
While back in Massachusetts with Ginger's family, John received a call to a mission congregation in Fort Lauderdale, FL. In 1961, the family moved there, and Elizabeth was born shortly thereafter. The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd was a small African American congregation in the still rigidly segregated South. The family was actively involved in tearing down those walls through worship, table fellowship, and faithful acts of civil disobedience, including helping to integrate the public beaches in Fort Lauderdale and the private school, Lutheran Central. Their son, Charles, was born in 1963.
In 1968, John received a call to Miami, FL, to serve a racially and ethnically diverse congregation, Mount Olive Lutheran Church. The family faithfully served there for more than 20 years, helping to start a Spanish-speaking congregation, a daycare, and an elementary school.
In 1989, John received a call to Bethany Lutheran Church in Leesburg, FL, where he and Ginger served until their retirement. They remained active members until 2017.
In September 2017, John and Ginger moved up to Americus, GA, to be near their daughter, Elizabeth. They both remained active members of the Lutheran Church until their deaths. A memorial service will be held on March 15, 2025, at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Plains, GA, and their ashes will be buried at the Picnic Hill Cemetery at Koinonia Farm in Americus, GA.
Rev. John Dede is survived by his daughters, Susan Heckler (Douglas) of Southport, NC; and Elizabeth Dede of Americus. A son, Charles Dede (Houston Carruth) of San Antonio, TX and a son-in-law, Donald Moore. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Michael Heckler (Mary), David Heckler (Allison Key), Ethan Moore, and Andrew Moore; two great-grandchildren Henry Heckler and Mark Heckler.
In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Stallmann Dede, a daughter Jocelyn Moore; a sister, Jane Powell and three brothers, Roland Dede, Eldred Dede and Albert Dede.
To sign the online guest book and share your condolences with the family please visit aldridgefuneralservices.com. Aldridge Funeral & Cremation Services is in charge of these arrangements.