On July 12, 1931 Pastor Lemke was ordained at Zion Lutheran of Morrison, WI. He retired nearly 50 years later - on July 20, 1980.His seminary training began in Wauwatosa, but finished at Wisconsin Lutheran Serminary, Mequon in 1931.
Though his first call was to the parishes of Crandon-Argonne and Enterprise-Monico, he was ordained at the church of his hometown of Morrison, where he was born on September 23, 1905. While serving the aforementioned parishes, he also organized services at Hiles.
God called Lemke to serve many different churches during his ministry:
1938-1941 Manistique-Germfask in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
1941-1944 Enterprise-Monico
1944-1951 St. John's in Lomira, WI (began a Christian day school)
1951-1958 Trinity in Lincoln, MI (organized a new mission in Mio)
1958-1962 Memorial Lutheran in Williamston, MI
1962-1980 Emmanuel in rural Hartford & Zion in Town Theresa, WI
While at Crandon, Pastor Lemke married Ethylin De Leers of Green Bay on July 8, 1936. She died a couple years later. In 1940 he married again. God blessed him with four children.
(information found in: Harlyn Kuschel's article: Fifty Years in the Holy Ministry. Northwestern Lutheran. Volume 68, number 22, 10-25-1981)
