Chester Raymond Ploeger

REV. CHESTER R. PLOEGER

GARNER - Rev. Chester R. Ploeger, 85, of Garner died Sunday (August 21, 2011) at the Concord Care Center in Garner.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M., Wednesday, August 24th at Peace Reformed Church south of Garner with Rev. Harvey Opp officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 P.M., Tuesday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. 4th St., in Garner and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Peace Reformed Church in his name.

Rev. Chester Raymond Ploeger, one of seven children of Fred and Amelia (Luelf) Ploeger, was born September 1, 1925 at Schaller, Iowa. He was baptized in Immanuel Reformed Church in Schaller on September 13, 1925 by Rev. Herman Greimann. Chester grew to manhood on his father's farm located seven miles northeast of Schaller. On May 28, 1939, he received the Rite of Confirmation by Rev. Willard Sherman. He received his elementary education in the rural schools of Eden Township and graduated from Hayes Consolidated High School at Storm Lake in 1942. In 1946, he graduated from Mission House College in Plymouth, WI with a bachelor of arts degree and from the Mission House Theological Seminary with a bachelor of theology degree in 1949. He was examined and licensed by the Germania Classis, Reformed Church in America at Lennox, SD on July 8, 1949 and ordained into the Holy Ministry by the Same Classis on July 27, 1949. On June 18, 1950, he married Miss Grace Grether in the Salem-Ebenezer Reformed Church in Manitowoc, WI by the Rev. K.J. Stuebbe. Chester served the following pastorates: Logan Reformed Church in Dell Rapids, SD from 1949 to 1952, Peace Reformed Church in Garner from 1952 to 1965, Zion Reformed Church in Menno, SD from 1965 to 1970, Peace Reformed Church in Napoleon, OH from 1970 to 1973, Salem-Ebenezer Reformed Church in Manitowoc, WI from 1973 to 1976, Grace Reformed Church in Bakersfield, CA from 1976 to 1983, Peace Reformed Church in Loveland, CO from 1983 to 1985 and Eureka Reformed Church in Eureka, SD from 1985 to 1990. In 1990, Chester retired from the ministry and moved with Grace back to Garner. Chester was elected to Pastor Emeritus by the Peace Reformed Church in Garner on July 15, 1990. From 1990 to 2000 he did substitute preaching in various Reformed churches in the area.

He is survived by his wife, Grace Ploeger (nee Grether) of Garner; a sister, Evelyn Currie of Storm Lake; a sister-in-law, Mardelle Ploeger of Sioux Center; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Ivan (Genevieve) Ploeger and Everett (Verna) Ploeger; fraternal twin brother, Lester Ploeger; two sisters, Opal (Lyle) Langner and Mildred (Bill) Demers; and a brother-in-law, Wilbur Currie.