John Lautenschlager - Volunteer Of The Month
/Dr John Lautenschlager
Volunteer of the Month
Born in Idaho, John grew up in California. A near neighbor and the missionary she married became role models and by age 11, John knew he wanted to become a missionary. This commitment stayed with him through high school, college and eventual enrollment at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
During his first year at the seminary John, acting on a desire to serve as a medical missionary, applied for admission to the St. Louis University School of Medicine, and was accepted. Following four years of medical studies and two years of supervised post graduate general practice, John and wife, Bobbie – they had been married four years earlier – accepted a call to serve as medical missionaries in Nigeria with LCMS World Mission. They, together with two year old son David and one year old daughter Katrina, arrived in 1970.
Medical mission service included 15 years in Nigeria as part of an evangelistic missionary team working among the Ukele people, plus an additional four years in Sierra Leone serving with yet another missionary team among the Kono people. After returning to the USA, Dr. Lautenschlager served for 20 years as an outpatient primary care doctor for the St. Louis County Department of Health. For most of these years he also served as a volunteer physician at Concordia Seminary.
During the past five years John has served with CFNA as a volunteer medical consultant for the Health and Wellness Screening program – a service very much appreciated by the volunteers, including several nurses, who staff this ministry. As a nurse, Bobbie also served as a medical missionary in her own right, during their 19 years in West Africa. Her service as a volunteer nurse with CFNA also continued for an extended period of time until, having battled cancer for several months, she was called home to be with her Lord in August, 2012.
In addition to being a gifted physician, John is also a gifted craftsman, having provided many repairs and “fixes” to the Peace Center over the years.
We take this opportunity to honor as our volunteer of the Month, Dr. John Lautenschlager, as well as the memory of his beloved Bobbie.
From information provided by Dr. John Lautenschlager.
