Though trained in the WELS, Pastor Waldschmidt was called to do mission work for the Missouri Synod in Idaho. This was before the Wisconsin Synod broke fellowship with Missouri. From Idaho Rev. Waldschmidt was called to serve Crandon, Hiles, and Argonne.He was installed on December 5, 1948 and served until February 1952.
Pastor Waldschmidt was blessed with 8 children (two were twins - 6 sons and 2 daughters). Two of his children became Lutheran Christian Day School teachers, but Pastor Waldschmidt and his two children all left the ministry for reasons unknown to this author.
After pursuing other jobs and ministries (principal of some Lutheran schools), eventually Pastor Waldschmidt entered the pastoral ministry again, serving an independent (non-WELS) Lutheran church in Pomona Valley, California.
His wife was taken by the Lord through cancer in 1976. He wrote in his letter for St. Paul's 75th anniversary: "Being a widower is the last thing I ever wanted to be, especially as a pastor who needs a supportive and helpful shepherdess."
Pastor Markus Koepsell and his wife Ardis were friends with Waldschmidt. After his wife died, the Lord blessed him with another 'shepherdess.' Even though he served an 'independent' Lutheran congregation, you probably would not have seen much difference between their worship services and ours while Waldschmidt was their pastor, because he served it much like a WELS pastor would.
