Century up for LCA’s oldest living pastor

Pastor Colin Scheer, the LCA’s oldest living pastor, turned 100 on 27 May and marked the occasion with a visit from his sister Val Kriewaldt and brother Kevin Scheer, who travelled from South Australia to be with him at St Paul’s Lutheran Aged Care at Caboolture in Queensland.

Around 25 people, mostly family members, gathered for a party to celebrate the milestone two days later, including Pastor Colin’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Kevin said the secret to his brother’s long life was simply ‘healthy living’ and that there was longevity in their family. They had an ancestor in Germany, Josef Scheer, who lived from 1635 to 1735, and a cousin, Mavis Tscharke, who turned 100 on 7 May this year but who had since died.

Pastor Colin was ordained on 6 February 1944 at Palmer SA, having graduated from Immanuel Seminary North Adelaide in December 1943. He served as a parish pastor at Corowa Field NSW, Albury NSW, Hatton Vale Queensland, Beenleigh Queensland, Berri SA, Petrie Queensland and Crows Nest Queensland, before retiring in 1987.