Rev. Donald E. Urbach, 86, of Glencoe

Rev. Donald Urbach

The Rev. Donald E. Urbach, PhD, 86, of Glencoe, died Sunday, May 27, 2018, at his home.
The funeral service was held Friday, June 1, at St. John Lutheran Church in Hollywood Township, New Germany, with the Rev. Dean Mahlum officiating.
Casket bearers were Duane Haag, Orville Brinkman, Marlow Hecksel, Rollin Stoeckman, Ben Urbach, Josh Urbach, Corinn Kitchen and Jason Alsin. Interment was in the St. John Lutheran Cemetery.
The Rev. Urbach was born Dec. 19, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Albert and Irene (Treskow) Urbach. He was baptized on Jan. 17, 1932, in Chicago, by his grandfather, the Rev. Treskow, and was confirmed in his faith on April 2, 1944, at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tinley Park, Illinois, also by his grandfather. On Aug. 20, 1955, he was united in marriage to Carol Luedke at St. John Lutheran Church in Hollywood Township, New Germany.
He graduated from Concordia High School in River Forest, Illinois, and later received his degree from Concordia College, also in River Forest. Lutheran education was his life. He taught in Lutheran grade school, high school and colleges for 32 years. Preaching was his love and he served 10 years as parish pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Holton, Kansas, and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Netawaka, Kansas. In retirement, he was an assistant pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Glencoe, vacancy pastor in the surrounding area and chaplain at Grand Meadows Senior Living in Glencoe. He was a prayer warrior for his family, extended family, friends and parishioners.
Rev. Urbach loved watching and playing with his great-grandchildren whenever he had the chance. He enjoyed singing in the church choir and with the Singing Friends. He loved spending hours sorting his coin collection, collecting golf balls, cheering on his sports teams, singing, preaching, ballroom dancing and, most of all, he loved his family.
He was active in sports his whole life. He played football, baseball and softball, golf, intramural basketball, and swam and jogged to stay fit. He was a sports fan, watching countless ball games, especially his beloved University of Michigan football, the Chicago Cubs and the Minnesota Vikings. He was a coach and an assistant coach at Concordia College and was a high school sports referee.
He is survived by his loving family, including his wife, Carol Urbach; daughter and son-in-law, Kristine and Tim Alsin of Shawnee, Kansas; son and daughter-in-law, David and Jerolyn Urbach of Seward, Nebraska; grandchildren, Jason (Brehanna) Alsin, Corinn (Cyle) Kitchen, Benjamin Urbach and Joshua Urbach; great-grandchildren, Jayden Alsin, Mycah Alsin, Paxton Alsin, Caelyn Kitchen, Caliana Kitchen and Carston Kitchen; brothers-in-law and sister-in-law, Sheldon Luedke of Spicer and Don and Carol Luedke of Fort Wayne, Indiana; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Irene Urbach.
Arrangements were with the Johnson Funeral Home in Waconia, www.johnsonfh.com [1].