When the Great Depression hit, it halted mission expansion in the WELS. Many seminary graduates waited for a long time before receiving a call. In 1937, the year in which Walter Koepsell graduated from the seminary, only 3 of the 46 candidates received calls. 17 of those candidates had already been waiting a year to receive a call. While Walter waited for his first call, he helped out at his father's creamery. On June 26, 1938 he married Gertrude Sigglekow (another familiar family name in our synod). Walter had first met her at the Junior College of Concordia where she worked in the kitchen.
A year and a half had passed since Walter's graduation, when the Lord worked through the head of the Forest County Highway Department's maintenance shop, who happened to be... Paul Siggelkow, Walter's father-in-law. As a member of St. Paul, Mr. Siggelkow pointed out to the Northern Wisconsin District's praesidium that the vacancy of the Crandon-Argonne-Hiles parish could be served by this graduate without a call. On December 4, 1938 Walter was ordained and installed. He served here until 1941.
While in Crandon, Pastor and Mrs. Koepsell were blessed with a girl, whom they christened Hildegard.
All four of their children entered into the public ministry as pastors or teachers: Hildegard - a teacher (died young from cancer); Paul - a teacher (died from Hodgkin's disease); Thomas - a principal, and now a Staff Minister; and Arther - currently (2006) the pastor of Grace Church in Waukesha.
After his service in Crandon, Pastor Koepsell was called to serve the Lord at the following congregations:
Grace Lutheran Church - Powers, Michigan.
St. Andrew's Church - Goodrich until 1947
Grace - Ridgeway, Minnesota (1947-1972)
St. Peter's, Town of McMillan & Immanuel, March Rapids.
After retiring the Koepsells became members of Trinity, Richfield.
Walter Koepsell was the oldest brother of the Koepsell boys. His younger brother Markus would later serve as the Pastor of Crandon, too.
Rev. Walter Koepsell was taken to his heavenly rest on July 1, 2005
