Leonard E. Pankuch

Leonard E.Pankuch

Died January 13, 2019 at Augustana Homes, Apple Valley. Leonard was born September 19, 1939, In Minneapolis. He is survived by his wife Betty who he married May 20, 1962. He has two daughters, Sarah (Cameron) Goodrich & Rebecca (Jeff) Copler;  and a son, Stephen (Sandra Redding) Pankuch. He has seven grandchildren: Ian and Duncan Goodrich, Matthew and Meghan Copler, Nick, Lincoln, and Blake Pankuch. He also is survived by sisters, Valorene (C. Wilson) Cohoon and Connie (Paul) Backstrom. He graduated from Augsburg College, Minneapolis, and Northwestern Lutheran Seminary, St. Paul. He was ordained into the Lutheran ministry June 1967. He served as a parish pastor at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Duluth, Faith Lutheran Church in Chisholm, First Lutheran Church in Buhl and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cokato. He finished his ministry as a chaplain at the Mayo Hospitals in Rochester. He retired in 2005. He served as a chaplain in the US Army Reserve. He started his military career in ROTC in high school and served as an Army Reserve Chaplain for 32 years. After retirement, he taught English as a second language in the Apple Valley School District. He helped to start a medical mission for “the poorest of the poor” in Bangladesh which continues to be supported by his wife. He also was instrumental in beginning a Lutheran ministry in Guatemala which he visited with a group from Grace Lutheran. Visitation will be at the Henry W. Anderson Funeral Home, 14850 Garrett Ave., Apple Valley, 55124, from 5-7 PM on April 22. The funeral service will be at Grace Lutheran Church (Cty. Rd. 42 and Pennock Ave.) on April 23 at 11AM with a Middle East lunch to follow. Burial will be at Lebanon Cemetery, Apple Valley, following lunch. The family suggests memorials to the Guatemala ministry or Special Olympics.