Rev. Robert E. Kass

Robert Edward Kass, or just Bob as most of us knew him, was a devoted pastor, son, husband, father, grandfather, teacher, and veteran of WWII. The Lord took him home November 29th, after a life of service that lasted 97 years. Bob was born August 6th, 1926, in Duluth, Minnesota. His parents, Albert and Lydia Kass, made a home there for a short time before returning to Chicago where their first child, Ruth, had been born. Two more children—Emil and Erna, would complete the family picture. Living down the street from St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church and School, Bob and his siblings were nurtured in faith through a strong Lutheran upbringing. The prayers taught on Lydia’s knee were quoted by Bob to the end of his days. But a childhood lived during the Depression brought challenges for Bob and his family. To help out, 11-year-old Bob, assisted by Emil and sometimes little Erna, rigged up a wagon to include a scale, bartered with wholesalers for vegetables and then went up and down the Southside neighborhood streets selling fresh produce. Any leftovers fed the family, and, with proceeds from sales, Bob bought Lydia her first washing machine. World War II was raging during Bob’s high school years, so upon graduation, he served in the United States Navy for two years. For five months of that term—thanks to his German language skills, Bob was tapped to teach English to German prisoners of war. Also, while posted in San Francisco at Treasure Island, Bob taught Sunday school at St. Paulus Lutheran Church. Impressed with the young sailor’s dedication and teaching abilities, the pastor at St. Paulus asked Bob if he had ever considered full time ministry. Bob did consider this, and after honorable discharge from the Navy in 1946, he headed to Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, Illinois. As part of his pastoral training there, he served as vicar at Immanuel Lutheran Church, and taught the middle grades at the parish school. Upon graduation in 1953, Bob was ordained to serve as pastor of not just one church, but a three-congregation parish (Grace, Zion and Hope) in North Dakota, also pastoring for a fourth congregation--The Finnish Lutheran Church, there. During his seven years in North Dakota, Bob chanced to meet the lovely Grace Frederick while traveling across the plains on the Western Star train. Grace, who was teaching physical education and health at the University of North Dakota, was charmed by the “pastoral visits” Bob made to see her and the two were married in 1958. Their first child, Stephen Robert, was born in North Dakota in 1959. With Grace at his side, Bob would go on to serve as pastor for many more congregations: First came Trinity Lutheran in Riesel, Texas, where daughter Monica Ruth was born, then First St. John’s in Ukrainian Village, Chicago, where youngest child, Rebecca Grace, was born. Following this, Bob pastored at Our Redeemer Lutheran in Taylor, Michigan, and then St. John Lutheran in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. Throughout these years, Bob never preached the same sermon twice, always writing a new one for each service. He was known for his caring visits to the ill and elderly, loved to sing hymns, and on Holidays when extra cheer was needed, took his children along to sing for the shut-ins. Outside of work, there were fun times, too. Bob loved baseball, was a lifelong White Sox fan, and an excellent ice skater. Grace liked to entertain with Bob, hosting gatherings for friends and family. During the summer, Bob and Grace took the kids canoeing, camping, fishing, and hiking, plus road tripping throughout the States, some of Canada and even Mexico, for a 3-month Spanish language intensive. After 38 years of full-time ministry, Bob and Grace moved to Seabrook, Texas, close to Grace’s family in Houston. But Bob never fully retired. He served as vacancy pastor at two Houston churches (Mt. Olive and Gloria Dei) until Grace passed away in 1997. Moving back to Chicago and still wanting to aid where he could, Bob continued to help with vacancy pastoring at Bethlehem Lutheran in Evanston and other Chicago-area churches. He also got back to teaching. For another 15 years, Bob taught conversational English classes for international students at college campuses in the Chicago area. Bob’s legacy of service will always be remembered and appreciated: By his brother Emil, his three children, 9 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, many nieces, nephews and cousins, and of course, all of you. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to support the work of the Lutheran Braille Workers, Lutheran Bible Translators, or Lutheran Missions in Bob's memory.

Rev. Robert E. Kass

August 6, 1926 - November 29, 2023