Paul Richard Rebelein

Of New Brighton, MN Went to be with his Lord on Jan.17, 2010. Survived by wife, Dana, children Robert (Dayle), Drew (Karyn) and Janet (Peter) Ampe; step-children Jeff (Krista) Brandt and Marika (Billy Doss) Brandt; grandchildren Sam Rebelein, Peter, Preston and Will Ampe, and Jaedyn and Hannah Brandt; brother Verlyn (Charlotte); sister Ruth Ellen Rebelein and brother-in-law Afton Davis. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Cheryl Ann Davis. Born Jan. 20, 1938, Paul grew up in Iowa and finished high school at Elroy, WI. He earned a BA from Wartburg College in Waverly, IA, and a Masters in math from the U of MN. Paul worked with the earliest, room-sized, computers at Aberdeen Proving Grounds and participated in the first transmission of computer data from MN to CA over phone lines while employed by Control Data. Most of his career was as systems engineer and project manager with Honeywell and Alliant Tech Systems. He developed the algorithm used to schedule experiments for the Apollo XIII mission. After retirement, he worked for the Lutheran Laity Movement as a consultant for Lutheran churches doing capital fund drives and pursued his avocation as a grandfather, at which he excelled. Paul served on the New Brighton City Council for 7 years and as president of three Lutheran congregations. He was instrumental in starting Community Partners with Youth, a non-profit organization serving at-risk youth. He was largely responsible for developing companion relationships between local congregations and churches in Tanzania and Nigeria. Because of his initiative, a medical clinic is opening in Bille, Nigeria, a community of 30,000. He is credited with starting the St. Philip's Disaster Relief Team, served on numerous congregation and synod committees and was awarded an honorary Paul Harris Fellowship by the New Brighton/Mounds View Rotary Club in recognition of his service to the local and global community. Memorial service at St. Philip's Lutheran Church, Fridley, Friday, Jan,.22 at 10:30am; visitation Thursday, Jan. 21, 5-8pm at Washburn-McReavy Columbia Heights Chapel. Memorials to St. Philip's Lutheran Church in Fridley, Global Health Ministries in Fridley, The Rotary Foundation, or the charity of one's choice.