Lehman, Louis A.
Louis A. Lehman of Albany, Oregon died January 21, 2022 after a series of strokes.
He was born Nov. 7, 1933 near Kidron, Ohio to the late Aaron J. and Edna (Amstutz) Lehman. In his early life he was a member of the Sonnenberg Mennonite Church at Kidron, Ohio where he was baptized, established his strong faith in God and made his commitment to Christ under the Evangelist, Sanford Shelter. He went to Frog Pond Grammar School, Mt. Eaton Junior High and Sonnenberg High School. He farmed with his Dad and took care of the orchard on Western Road for many years before going to college.
He attended EMC his freshman year in college and then transferred to Goshen College where he met Carmen Ebersol and married her on Aug 4, 1956. Louie graduated from Goshen College with a BA in Music in 1957. He performed his I-W Service at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital in Downey, California. After attending University of Southern California and Long Beach State College, he returned to Goshen College in 1960 to complete his Secondary Music Teaching Degree.
After Louie received his Master’s Degree from Western Michigan University in 1953, he and Carmen were called to serve as Missionary Teachers at the American Girls College in Izmir, Turkey for three years. Louie also taught Choral Music at the American School in London, England for two years.
Returning to the states, Louie taught Junior High Music in Bradenton, Florida. He also directed the Sarasota Mennonite Community Men’s Chorus and conducted a South American Tour with this Chorus in 1974. He established the Sarasota Choral Festival in 1975. That year Louie and Carmen were called to teach Music and English in Harrisonburg, Virginia and from there they moved to Salem, Oregon Where Louie taught Choral Music at Salem Academy for three years. In 1980 they were called to help with the Youth and Adult Ministry at Trinity Mennonite Church in Phoenix, Arizona.
Louie and Carmen returned to Salem, Oregon where he attended Western Evangelical Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Louie decided to change professions from being a High School Music Teacher to become a Chaplain. After taking one and a half years CPE training at Oregon State Hospital, he was ordained by the Pacific Coast Mennonite Conference. He became the first full-time Chaplain at the Mennonite Home in Albany, Oregon where he served for 13 and a half years until 1997. He then served as Associate Pastor at Sweet Home Mennonite Church for 1 year.
After Carmen’s death in 1999 from cancer, Louis met Marilyn Baker Leppke, a classmate at Goshen College, and married her in 2001 in Roseburg, Oregon. They lived there for 6 years before moving to Albany, Oregon. They were members of the Fairview Mennonite Church for 14 years and Lebanon Mennonite Church.
After he retired, he served on the Board of Love INC. He also served the homeless every Tuesday evening at Monteith Park in downtown Albany for 13 years.
Surviving are his second wife, Marilyn (Baker) Lehman, his son Evan and wife Laurie Lehman of Salem, Oregon; and sisters-in-law Phyllis Lehman and Eileen Lehman. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Carmen (Ebersol) Lehman in 1999; all his siblings, Vernon, Nathan, Martha, and Freeman Lehman; sister-in-law Eleanor (Martin) Lehman; and brother-in-law Clair Geiser.
There will be a viewing at Fisher Funeral Home on February 1, 2022, 4:00 – 6:00 pm. There will be a Memorial Service led by Rob Gerig, assisted by Brandon Funk at Fairview Mennonite Church on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 11:00 am, followed by a burial officiated by Chaplain Byron Gingrich at the Fairview Mennonite Cemetery. Please wear a mask.
Memorial contributions may be made to MCC Relief Work in care of Fisher Funeral Home, Albany, Oregon.
Fisher Funeral Home is handling arrangements. (www.fisherfuneralhome.com)
