Lewin G. Clefisch

Lewin Gene Clefisch was born on November 2, 1944 in Manchester, Iowa to Earl and Romilda (Lewin). He was born a child of God in the waters of Baptism on November 26, 1944 and confirmed on April 14, 1957 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Elkport, Iowa. He graduated from Guttenberg High School in 1962, Guttenberg, Iowa and received his B.A. degree from Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa in 1966, majoring in Greek and German and his M.Div. degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa in 1970. A year of Graduate School followed at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. He was united in marriage to Larrel Delene Benton on May 25, 1968. He was ordained on August 22, 1971 at his Internship congregation, Trinity Lutheran Church, Ingleside, Illinois. Following Larrel’s death, he was united in marriage to Karen Ann Hermann on September 25, 2014. Karen passed away on May 19, 2019. Lewin later married Elmira Hattie Hogness on January 10, 2020. They made their home on Pickerel Lake, near Detroit Lakes, MN.

He served the following congregations: Associate Pastor at Emmanuel Lutheran, Bremerton and Silverdale Lutheran, Silverdale, Washington 1971- 1975; Immanuel Lutheran Church, Everson, Washington 1975-1988; Associate Pastor at First Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls, Minnesota 1988- 1994; United Lutheran Church, Elbow Lake, Minnesota 1994-2004; and Associate Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church, 2004-2014, Moorhead, Minnesota.

He served as the Northwest Representative on the American Lutheran Church's Committee on Rural Ministry from 1976-1980, Dean of the Chuckanut Conference from 1982-1988 and on various other Synodical Committees throughout his career.

He is survived by his daughter, Krystel (Christopher) Hyer; son, Nathaniel; grandchildren, Adarius, Haylee, Sophia and Madalyn; sisters Linda Clefisch and Dixie (John)Thompson; step-daughter, Becca Hermann; as well as his wife, Elmira Hattie Hogness and her five children, nine grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by wives Larrel and Karen; his parents, and a brother, David in infancy.

Memorials are preferred to Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN.

Visitation will be Sunday, September 10, from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., followed by the memorial service with Livestream at 1:00 p.m., in Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN.

Interment will be at Ceres Cemetery, rural Guttenberg, IA.