GERTNER, Willis S., age 82

Died: Friday, June 12th, 2015

Memorial Service: 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2015 at GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH in Eau Claire with Pastors Paul and JaneAnn Settergren officiating

Visitation: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home and at 10:00 a.m. until time of service at church on Saturday

Interment: will be held at a later date

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given to either: Willis and Betty Gertner Religious Studies Scholarship Fund UWEC Foundation
214 Schofield Hall, Eau Claire, WI  54702-4004 or
Adult Lutherans Organized for Action (ALOA)
P.O. Box 4367, Clearwater, FL  33758
or the charity of the donor's choosing

Willis Stanley Gertner, loving husband and father, devoted teacher and loyal friend returned peacefully to our Lord on June 12, 2015 at the age of 82.

Willis was born on August 2, 1932, the 2^nd of 7 children, to the late Gustav and Anna (Woelter) Gertner in Westbrook, Minnesota. He married Betty Jane Erwin on July 23, 1960 and after 55 years is survived by Betty and their children; Marcia Bowman, Sandra (David) Weissinger, and Eric (Kate Collier) Gertner as well as grandchildren; Sarah Bowman, Laura (Bowman) Olson, Natalie Weissinger and Oscar Gertner, as well as 6 siblings, a brother-in-law and their spouses.   

While his early academic interests were agriculture, industrial arts and music, he was ultimately drawn to the ministry. After attending Waldorf and Iowa State Teachers Colleges, he studied at Wartburg Theological and New York Theological Seminaries where he received his Bachelor and Master of Divinity Degrees. Willis was ordained in 1958 and was called to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Detroit, Michigan. He continued study at The Merrill Palmer Institute (where he met Betty) and Wayne State University where he earned his Ph.D. 

In 1961, Willis was called to Eau Claire to serve as the first Lutheran Campus pastor at UWEC.  His work as a careful listener, expansive thinker and skilled orator led to the formation of the Ecumenical Religious Center and the Department of Religious Studies. During his career at UWEC, Willis developed courses in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, World Religions, Old and New Testaments, Contemporary Theology, and Philosophy of Religion. He had faculty exchanges and study abroad opportunities including Tunisia, Syria, Japan, Latvia and Israel.  The UWEC faculty honored him in 1990 with the Distinguished Service Award and in 1993 Waldorf College presented to him its Distinguished Alumni Service Award. 

For the community, he directed the Annual Biblical Seminar, Chippewa Valley Communiversity, and the Summer Institute for Clergy. In 1994, after 27 years at UWEC, he retired and continued to serve the community by leading educational events for seniors called Adult Lutherans Organized for Action (ALOA) Lutherhostels. 

He was a member of Grace Lutheran and Immanuel Lutheran Churches, First Wisconsin Toastmasters, Kiwanis, a barbershop quartet with three clergy colleagues, and a Trialogue Conversation Group of participants in Western Religions. 

Willis's interest in working with his hands endured as he became known as the person who could "fix anything." He enjoyed driving and tinkering with vehicles of all kinds. He and Betty made many memories while traveling together. Willis loved life and was always thankful for the tools that enabled him to do his life's work.