Reverend Norbert Eugene Hattendorf Passes

The Reverend Norbert Eugene Hattendorf died Tuesday, April 23, 2014. He was born May 14, 1932 to Gerhard C. and Elsie E. (Mahler) Hattendorf in Nagercoil, India. Gerhard and Elsie were Lutheran missionaries in South India. Norbert spent his first 13 years in India, graduating from Koehne Memorial School (Loch End), now integrated into Kodaikanal International School.
 
He continued his education at St. John’s Academy and College, Winfield, KS, and then at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO. He did graduate work at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, and took classes at Washington University, St. Louis, Macalester College, St. Paul, the University of Minnesota, and Iliff Seminary, Denver.
 
After a year of internship at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Hickory, NC, (1954-55), Norbert taught at Concordia Academy, St. Paul, MN, (1956-62). In St. Paul, he also served as assistant to the pastor at Pilgrim Lutheran Church. From 1962-95, he was pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Boulder. He was elected Counselor and Vice-President of the Colorado District, Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Bishop of the Mountain States Province, Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, and Dean of the Boulder County Conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
In 1982-83, he spent a sabbatical year teaching at Kodaikanal International School, Kodaikanal, India, and traveling around the world.
 
In Boulder, Norbert served with the Chamber of Commerce and was a member of Cosmopolitan Club, Rotary Club, and Torch Club. He moderated Religion in the News at KBOL radio in Boulder and a panel of Lutheran pastors at the CBS-TV outlet in Denver. He was a Boulder Community Hospital ER chaplain associate. He was also a certified instructor in Couples Communication Program and Parent Effectiveness Training.
 
Norbert married Ruth Ann Schweppe August 4, 1956. That marriage celebrated the arrival of Nancy Ann (Giehl) and Paul Mahler Hattendorf in St. Paul, MN, and Andrew Peter John Hattendorf in Boulder. Norbert has treasured his grandchildren Julie, Megan and Jonathan Giehl and Jenna, Wilson, Elsie and Grace Hattendorf. Parents Elsie and Gerhard and brother Daryl died in 1946, 1994 and 1992, respectively.
 
Norbert has enjoyed theology, reading, travel, motor homing through most the U. S., Canada and Mexico and Western Europe and cruising America’s Great Loop and the Inside Passage to Alaska in his cherished boats, “Maharani” and “Two If By Sea.”
 
Funeral services will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, 13th and Euclid, on University Hill, Boulder, on Sunday, April 27 at 2:30pm. Interment will be in the church’s columbarium. Memorials may be given to Grace Lutheran Foundation.