Rev. Martin J. Klaus
1913 - 1960
Rev. Martin J. Klaus, pastor of St. Paul's, Garner, was born Nov. 5, 1913, at Ute, Iowa. He died in the Lord on Saturday morning, Sept. 24, 1960, at Rochester, Minn. He had been ill for about a month; he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on Sept. 5.

He attended the Christian day school of St. Paul's, Ute, Concordia College, St Paul, Minn., and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, from which he graduated in 1938. He spent a vicarage year teaching school at Ute, where he himself had attended.

After graduation he served the church briefly as a "Call of the Cross" representative. In 1938 he was ordained to the ministry and installed as pastor at St. Paul's, Sac City, where he served till 1943. On Oct. 4, 1942, he was married to the former Irene Juengel of Fort Dodge.

From 1943 to 1950 he served as pastor of Trinity, Royal. In 1950 he accepted the call to Saint Paul's, Garner. Pastor Klaus served the Lord faithfully during a ministry of 21 years. Under his guidance St. Paul's Congregation of Sac City was organized, and new churches were built by each of the three congregations he served.

Rev. Klaus served the church as a Circuit Counselor, as pastoral adviser to the District Lutheran Women's Missionary League and the Walther League. Here he manifested the same selfless spirit of service which characterized his entire ministry.

Surviving Rev. Klaus were his wife, Irene, and three children, Charles, Thomas and Evelyne. He also left seven brothers and their families and two sisters and their families. His parents, two sisters, and three brothers preceded him in death.

God be praised for what His grace did for His faithful servant, making him a child of His already in Holy Baptism, calling him to the high office of the ministry, and for what his grace enabled him to accomplish to the glory of God in his role as husband, father, and pastor.

The Lutheran Witness, October 18, 1960, St. Louis, Mo.