“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, then he is a new creation; the old has passed, behold, something new has become.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Pastor Rolf Hembach of Germany passed away on March 8, 2018.
Rolf was born on Nov. 25, 1927, to Paul and Paula (Wolsky) Hembach in Wuppertal, Germany, the middle of three sons.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Octavia (“Tave”); by his parents; and by his brothers, Helmut and Hans Dieter.
He is survived by his sisters-in-law, Elizabeth and Hannelore; and nieces and nephews, Renate, Reinhard, Thomas, Christine, Ruth, Eva, Martin, and Simone.
He is survived by several grandnieces and grandnephews including Carolin, Sebastian, Sarah, and Lea.
He is also survived by 30 “American” nieces and nephews: Keith, Lois, Charlotte, Sharon, Barby, Betty, Wally, Don, Al, Paul, Phil, Tom, Trina, Torrey, Ellen, Mary, Naomi, Suzanne, Bonnie, Nancy, Myron, Esther, Joe, Mary, Becky, Tim, Dave, Carolyn, Marie, and Kathy.
He was preceded in death by four “American” nieces and nephews: John, Art, Peggy, and Mark.
At age 15, Rolf was drafted into the anti-aircraft division of the German military, and was a POW in France for several months during World War II. When the war ended, he was still only 17 years old. After the war, Rolf completed his schooling in Wuppertal. He later studied theology at the Ecclesiastical College in Wuppertal, finishing at the University of Heidelberg. He served as a chaplain for the British army in Libya, where he met Tave in 1954. On Aug. 17, 1957, Tave and Rolf were married in Germany and lived in Bonn for a short time while he finished additional studies and met testing requirements for his pastoral ministry. From 1957 to 1965, they lived in Essen, where Rolf served as a pastor. In 1965, they moved to India, where they ministered to Germans in Rourkela, Calcutta, and New Delhi. In 1971, they returned to Germany, serving parishes in the Zell area until 1977. They continued to live in the Mosel River Valley, making Bullay their home for the next 25 years. Rolf retired from his pastoral ministry in 1987. In 2002, they moved to Kalkar, where Tave died in 2007. In 2011, Rolf moved to St. Helena Home for Seniors, where he died on March 8, 2018.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 4, 2018, at Forest Home Cemetery, Wittenberg. Pastor John Stennes-Spidahl will officiate.
Schmidt and Schulta Funeral Home, Wittenberg, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements. Memories and condolences may be shared at schmidtschulta.com or at Schmidt and Schulta Funeral Home on Facebook.