John R. Lenker

Rev. John Rudolph Lenker, 92, of Grants Pass, Oregon went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, February 8, 2016 at Royal Gardens Health and Rehabilitation. Graveside services will be conducted 11:00AM, Saturday, February 20, 2016 in the Elmwood Cemetery in Gooding, Idaho. Friends may call at the Chapel of the Valley on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016 from 2:00-5:00PM. Memorial services will be conducted 11:00 am Saturday, August 6, 2016 at the Prospect Church of the Nazarene in Prospect, OR. He was born January 27, 1924 in Gooding, Idaho the son of John and Anna Zweifel Lenker. He was raised and educated in Gooding, ID, graduating high school in 1942. He worked in the ship yards in Oregon City, OR before serving in the US Army from May 12, 1943 until Dec. 29, 1945. He was in the landing on Omaha Beach and served until the end of the war. While fighting during the Battle of the Bulge he was separated from his unit and listed as Missing in Action, eventually being reunited with his unit. Upon his honorable discharge he enrolled at Northwest Nazarene College. On Dec. 27, 1947 he married Luceal Miller in Spokane, WA. Following his graduation from NNC in 1950 he attended and graduated from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO. He served as a pastor in the Nazarene Church from 1954 until his retirement in 1989. His pastorates included, Prineville, OR, Seaside, OR, Prospect, OR, Coquille, OR, Grants Pass, OR and Juneau, AK. Even in retirement he filled the pulpits of various churches as needed. John enjoyed hunting, fishing, woodworking, and family especially his grandchildren. He is survived by 10 children: Joan Bradshaw of Happy Valley, OR, Lewis (Jan) Lenker of Sagle, ID, Joyce Dierking of Prospect, OR, Patsy (Richard) Devenny and Darlene Derbesy both of Juneau, AK, Jeff (Kathy) Lenker of Eugene, OR, Philip “Bud” Cindy Lenker of Salem, OR, Jane Fischer of Grants Pass, OR, Verna Lenker of Bonanza, OR, Jerry Lenker of Juneau, AK; 29 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Luceal Lenker on Feb. 6, 2014, one son Pete Lenker, 2 brothers, 7 sisters, 2 sons-in-law and a great granddaughter Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bradshaw.