Oviedo, Fla. - The Rev. Orville A. Buntrock, a native of Columbia, S.D., died April 10, 2006, and will be buried in Mt. Lebanon, greater Pittsburgh, Pa., on Monday April 17, 2006. He was the son of Ernest and Selma Podoll Buntrock, born on a farm northwest of Columbia on Nov. 5, 1917. On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 29, 1917, he was the first person baptized in the newly constructed St. John Lutheran Church, Columbia, where he was also confirmed. He received two years of elementary education at Brainard Public Township School and five years at St. John Lutheran School in Garland Township. Beginning with the ninth grade he received his preministerial training at Concordia Academy and College, St. Paul, Minn., graduating from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in May 1943. His AB, BD, MDIV degrees were Concordia conferred. In 1943 he accepted the call to the China Mission Field. While waiting for transportation on a munitions ship across the Pacific he specialized in Oriental studies at two St. Louis Graduate Schools, Concordia Seminary and Washington University. He then served as pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church, Kirkwood, Mo., and First Lutheran Church, Little Rock, Ark. He married Miss Cecelia Huber, RN, of Hillsboro, Mo., on March 14, 1945, and they left for China in 1946. He served as student pastor in Wuhan, China. Due to their daughter's health they were transferred to the Philippines where he was the founder and first pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Pasay City. Upon returning to the USA on advance furlough he served congregations in Texas and in Georgia. While serving Redeemer Lutheran in Lubbock, Texas he founded the University Lutheran Church near Texas Tech University. His last parish was at St. Stephen Lutheran, greater Pittsburgh from 1964-1984. Serving as pastor to a congregation was his most important mission. During his 40 years in the active ministry he was elected and appointed to many positions on the area and regional level. He served as Circuit Visitor-Counselor in Texas and Pennsylvania for 14 years. He served as Pastoral Advisor to the Texas District Lutheran Laymen's League (LLL) and the Lutheran Women's Missionary League conventions. He represented the Armed Services Commission of the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod in China, the Philippines, Texas, Georgia and Pennsylvania. For a year while there were no Lutheran chaplains at Clark Air Force Base, north of Manila, he held weekly services on Thursday, baptizing, etc. which was often broadcast over the Armed Forces Radio network. Pastor Buntrock served as Secretary of the Lutheran Philippine Mission and it's Executive Committee. He was also secretary of the 26 LCMS English District College of Counselors. He was an active Scouter for 40 years and served as a Lutheran Chaplain at the 1973 National Boy Scout Jamboree-East. He received the Scouting Lutheran Lamb Award in 1967. He was listed in the First Edition of the Marquis "Who's Who in Religion." He retired in 1984 at age 66 for health reasons. He and his wife, Cecelia, moved to Oviedo Florida in 1991. On March 14, 2006, he and Cecelia observed their 61st wedding anniversary. He is survived by his widow and four children: daughter, Jane Moran (husband Rev. Brian Moran, sons Kevin and Paul, married to Jenny, and great-grandson Evan Michel), son, Steve Buntrock (wife Joan, sons Christopher and Ryan, married to Kristin) son, Kenneth Buntrock (wife Barbara and their children Mark and Rebecca), and son, Tim Buntrock (wife Suzanne and daughter Clare). He is also survived by one sister, Ellen Hall of Long Beach Calif., sister-in-law Luella, widow of brother Harold, and Rev. Arnold Mueller, husband of deceased sister Ruby. He also had a brother, Darvin Donald who died at age 6 months. Memorials can be sent to St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 55 Forsythe Road, Pittsburgh PA 15220, or Lutheran Haven, Caring Beyond 2000, 2041 W. State Rod 426, Oviedo, FL 32765.
Published in the Aberdeen News on 4/16/2006.