Jonathan J. Lu

Jonathan J. Lu

May 5, 1927-February 9, 2023

CEDAR FALLS-Jonathan J. Lu, 95, of Cedar Falls, died Thursday, February 9, 2023, at his home.

He was born May 5, 1927, in Puli Village, China, the son of Lu Yong Fu and Yang Bao Cong. He came to the United States in 1956 attending the Asbury Theological Seminary, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ohio State University, and earning his PhD in Geography from the University of Washington. On September 1, 1961, he was united in marriage to Sayoko Utagawa from Japan. He began his career teaching at Humboldt State College. The family moved to Cedar Falls in 1973 where he taught Geography at the University of Northern Iowa and co-founded the Biblical Geography section of the American Geographic Society. He retired from UNI in 1992 and accepted the position as president of Holy Light Theological Seminary in Taiwan where he became an ordained minister. He continued to teach and preach the gospel until the age of 93.

Jonathan is survived by his wife, Sayoko; three children: Alice (Tom) Pei of Cedar Rapids, Caroline (Doug) Keiser of Cedar Falls, and David (Mary) Lu of Firestone, CO; grandchildren: Andrew, Susan, and Emily Pei, Erin (Jonathan) Haverdink, Brian (Rebekah) Keiser, Abigail Keiser, Kristina (Tate) Williams, Morgan (Zach) Carpenter, and great grandchildren Mara Haverdink and Cody Keiser.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Huiliang Lu.

Visitation will be 2:00-4:00 p.m. next Sunday, February 19, 2023 at Richardson Funeral Service. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. next Monday, February 20, 2023, at Trinity Bible Church in Cedar Falls.

Memorials may be directed to the family where they will be sent for a church plant in Taiwan.

Online condolences may be left at www.richardsonfuneralservice.com.