THE REV. KARL TRAUTMANN

The Rev. Karl H. Trautmann was born on April 21, 1918, in Waymansville, Indiana, the son of the Rev. Karl R. And Ella Engelbrecht Trautmann. After attending elementary schools in Indiana and Ohio, he enrolled at Concordia College, Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the fall of 1931 to begin his preparation for the holy ministry. He graduated from the preparatory school in June of 1937 and in September of the same year entered Concordia Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. Pastor Trautmann, whose seminary training included one year as vicar at Iroquois Avenue Christ Lutheran Church, Detroit, completed his formal preparation for the ministry in June of 1941.

Upon his graduation from the seminary he spent several months as candidate-assistant to the Rev. Emil Voss at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Saginaw. Late in 1941, he received and accepted a call to the pastorate of the Blendon-Robinson-Agnew parish in western Michigan and was ordained and installed by his father on January 25, 1942.

After four years in his first parish he accepted the call to Our Savior Lutheran Church, Bad Axe, Michigan, where he served eleven years. Late in 1956, he received the call to Charity Lutheran Church, Detroit. He was installed at Charity on February 3, 1957, and served there until he retired at the end of June 1983.

In November of the same year he accepted Pastor Eberhard's invitation to be an assisting pastor at Historic Trinity Lutheran Church in Detroit.

During his fifty years in the holy ministry, Pastor Trautmann also served the church-at-large in various capacities. He was Counselor of the Thumb Circuit for one year, a member of the District Board of Directors for two years, a member of the District Mission Board for seven years, Chairman of the Student Aid Committee for two years, and Chairman of the Church Extension Board for six of the eight years he served on this board.

On June 19, 1942, Pastor Trautmann was united in holy matrimony with Doris Rutkowsky, the daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Frederick Rutkowsky. Their marriage was blessed with three children: Margaret (Craig), Karl (Cheryl), Mark (Cindy). Their grandchildren are Michael and Timothy Schley, Matthew and Natalie Trautmann, Katie, Sarah and Andrew Trautmann.

Rev. Trautmann went to his heavenly home June 10, 2002.