Rev. Thomas Elmer Eggold

REV. THOMAS ELMER EGGOLD was born on November 11, 1945, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to parents Henry J. and Madalene (Brandhorst) Eggold. He was reborn in Holy Baptism on November 18, 1945, at Holy Cross Lutheran mission, and was confirmed in the Christian faith on March 22, 1959, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Springfield, Illinois. He was united in marriage to Kathryn Adele Walle on June 29, 1968, in Fort Wayne, and they were blessed with 55 years of married life together. God also blessed them with three sons; Thomas A. (Sonya) Eggold of Fort Wayne; Joshua M. (Bridget) Eggold of Fort Wayne; and Daniel A. (Lindsey) Eggold of Lafayette, Indiana.

The Lord blessed Tom and Kathy with many special friends and fellow workers in the Kingdom as Tom served God’s people in the following ministries:

He was an Intern Teacher at St. Philips Lutheran School in Detroit, Michigan from 1966-1967; 1968 he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Concordia Teacher’s College in River Forest, Illinois; 1968-1969 he was the Director of Christian Education at Ascension Lutheran Church, Littleton, Colorado; from 1970-1974 he served as the first full-time Executive Director for Camp CILCA in Cantrall, Illinois; 1970-1974 was the Youth Director at Central Illinois District in Springfield, Illinois; 1974-1981 was the Principal and Teacher at Concordia Lutheran School in Springfield, Illinois; 1981-1983 he was a Teacher, Guidance Counselor and Coach at Lutheran High in Springfield, Illinois; Tom earned his Master’s in Education Administration at Sangamon State University in 1982; 1983-1984 he was a student at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana; 1984-1985 he was the Vicar at St. John Lutheran Church, Clarinda, Iowa; 1985-1987 became the Pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in  Clarinda, Iowa; from 1987-1993 he was the Pastor for Christ Lutheran Church in Anderson, Indiana; in 1993-2006 he was the Pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana; in 2006 he became the Regional Director of LCMS Great Lakes Urban Ministry until 2009; from 2009-2011 he was the Director at Cross Connections Counseling in  Fort Wayne, Indiana; from 2009-2020 he was the Outreach/Pastoral Assistant at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana and from 2015-2020 he was the Pastoral Assistant at Lutheran Senior Care Ministry in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

He is survived by his wife and three sons and their wives, eight grandchildren, Madalene (John) Ripke, Ella (Brendan) Keen, Audley Eggold, Samuel Eggold, Oscar Eggold, Isaac Eggold, Theodore Eggold, and Kasper Eggold; one great-grandson: Joshua Ripke. He is also survived by his mother, Madalene Eggold of Fort Wayne; two sisters, Mary (Alan) White and Kathryn (Rev. Steve) Ahlersmeyer, both of Fort Wayne; and a brother, H. John (Julie) Eggold of Springfield, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his father, Henry.

Visitation for Tom will be at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 917 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN  46807 on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. and one hour prior to the services on Thursday. The funeral service will be held at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Thursday, August 10, 2023, at 3:00 p.m.  Burial will follow at Concordia Cemetery Gardens at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, Rev. Eggold’s family requests that memorials may be made to following: Cross Connections Counseling; Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne; Grace Lutheran Church, Lafayette, Indiana; ProMedica (hospice).  Donations can be mailed to the Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home, 520 N. 2nd Street, Decatur, IN  46733

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15).