A. Roger Gobbel Papers

The Rev. Dr. Alfred Roger Gobbel was born June 24, 1926, son of the late Henry Roy Gobbel and Alice Vermel McClendon Gobbel at Columbia, South Carolina, and died October 17, 2015, at Palmyra, Pennsylvania.

He was graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic High School, Baltimore, Maryland in 1944, from Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1947 with a bachelor of arts degree, from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1950 with a bachelor of divinity degree, from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois in 1957 with a master of arts degree, and from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois in 1967 with a Ph.D.

Pastor Gobbel was ordained by the Maryland Synod, United Lutheran Church in America, May 24, 1950, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, while he was a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church, Baltimore, Maryland. He served as pastor of Manor Lutheran Parish, Frederick County, Maryland, 1950 – 1954; campus pastor, Lutheran Student Foundation of the National Lutheran Council, at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, 1954 – 1966; Central Regional Director of the National Lutheran Campus Ministry, Chicago, Illinois, 1966 – 1968; associate professor of Communication and Education, Director of Continuing Education, professor of Christian Education and English Bible at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 1968 – 1990 when he retired.

During his active ministry, Pastor Gobbel served as acting dean of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, 1976 – 1977; acting director of the Washington Lutheran House of Studies; chair of the Lutheran House of Studies Council; director of admissions, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg; creator of the Seminary Explores radio program; member of the boards of the LCA Deaconess Community, Susquehanna University, College Education and Church Vocation of the Lutheran Church in America, and the South Central Pennsylvania Community Action Agency. He was a member and past chair of the York Adams (Counties) Drug and Alcohol Planning and Implementation Council and member of his church council.

Pastor Gobbel was the author, with his wife Trudy, of The Bible – A Child’s Playground; with his wife Trudy and Thomas Ridenhour, Helping Youth to Interpret the Bible; and, with Don and Elaine Matthews, On the Glorious Hill. He was co-author of Along with Children in Worship as well as the author of chapters of books and articles in journals.

In retirement, Professor Emeritus Gobbel served as Sunday Church School teacher, supply pastor, and member of congregational committees.

On June 17, 1950, at the Church of the Abiding Presence, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, he was married to Gertrude “Trudy” Gustafson Gobbel, who survives him. Their marriage was blessed with three children, all of whom survive him: Karl Alan and wife Tina, Karin Jill Gobbel, and Kristen Holly Gobbel-Swanson and husband B. Lars Swanson. He is also survived by grandson Lars Magnus Swanson, brother Harold Roy Gobbel, sister Jo Carrol Counts, stepsister Shirley F. McMichael-Tanner, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother Henry Donald Gobbel.

At the time of his death, Pastor Gobbel was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Hummelstown, Pennsylvania. His memorial service was held October 24, 2015, at the Church of the Abiding Presence, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, with the Rev. Dr. Gerald Christianson presiding, the Rev. Dr. Nelson Strobert preaching, the Rev. Edward Keyser serving as lector, and the Rev. Dr. Stephen Folkemer, organist. Interment immediately afterward was in the garden of the Church of the Abiding Presence, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.