Rev. Dr. James Vernon Bachman

June 14, 1946 - October 25, 2024

The life and times of James (Jim) Vernon Bachman complement those of Jim’s wife of more than 55 years, Susan (Happel) Ortmeyer Bachman. As a fitting end to their beautifully intertwined lives, they passed away within 24 hours of each other.

Jim was born to Louise and Merle Bachman on June 14, 1946 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Jim was the oldest of five children, with brothers Bruce and Charles and sisters Susan and Jeannie, the last of whom passed away in childhood. Jim showed both academic and musical talent at an early age. Jim especially loved math, despite a grade school teacher who told him he had no aptitude for it (a story he would later tell with relish in light of his multiple Math and Philosophy degrees.) Jim’s family moved to Hopkins, MN in the 1950’s and Jim attended Concordia St. Paul High School boarding school. Besides traditional classes, Jim studied German and played piano and organ for ensembles. Jim later attended Valparaiso University where he studied Math, Philosophy, and multiple biblical languages. During this time Jim met Susan Ortmeyer, a smart and beautiful student studying English and German with mutual interests in choral singing, religious studies, newspaper editorship, and languages. Jim’s courtship of Susan included both socialization and serious attention to their classwork.Jim would later listen to Susan tell stories of this time period and then chime in with “Well, actually….”

(Grandchildren are the keepers of other courtship stories, to their delight.) Jim and Susan were married at

Trinity Lutheran Church in Jefferson City, MO on June 14, 1969. They started their married lives in England, where Jim completed a Master’s of Divinity degree at Cambridge University, UK on a Fulbright Scholarship. They returned briefly to St Louis, MO for Jim to finish seminary training, after which Jim was posted to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lake City, Florida. It was this time in the 1970s when Jim’s boundless energy allowed him to juggle raising three children, teaching at the community college, playing tennis, and shepherding his first congregation.

The 1980s were spent almost entirely in Tallahassee, Florida during which Jim became Pastor of the University Lutheran Center at Florida State University. Jim achieved his PhD in Philosophy, taught college classes, and preached regularly at Epiphany Lutheran Church. In 1989, Jim was offered the position of The Eckrich Professor for Religion and the Healing Arts at Valparaiso University, along with taking the role of Chair of the Philosophy Department. Jim taught entirely new curricula while also preaching frequently at both the Chapel of the Resurrection and Immanuel Lutheran Church. One special semester entailed both Jim and Susan taking a sabbatical to teach at the Lutheran seminary in St. Louis, MO. In 1999, a remarkable opportunity arose when Jim and Susan were both offered positions at Concordia University Irvine (CUI). Jim became the Director of the Graduate School of Theology, and again carried out pastoral duties at their church, Light of Christ Lutheran. Jim jointly ran the debate team along with Susan, and in 2015 they initiated and co-led the first two years of the CUI Study Abroad program in Cambridge, England. In 2017, Jim retired with Susan to Estes Park, Colorado. True to form, they became parishioners and leaders for Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church. But perhaps Jim’s greatest legacy was that of being “Grandpa” to eight grandchildren. From electronics hobbies to singing silly songs to camping vacations to telling happy hour stories, Grandpa was first and foremost devoted to his family. The ultimate demonstration of Jim’s devotion was to Susan as she battled ALS, a motor neuron disease with a 100 % mortality rate. God, through Jim, showed us the ultimate example of caring for a loved one. Jim is survived by sons Josh and Nate, daughter Katie, and eight grandchildren.