Cards and condolences can be
sent to Charlie's wife
Friends, it is with great
sadness that I share with you that Charlie Schwartz lost his battle with liver
cancer on Friday. His had been suffering with this through the summer. A
memorial service will be held for Charlie at
His wife
Charlie Schwartz was elected
secretary to the Churchwide Lutheran Men in Mission
Board at LMM’s assembly in
One of the actions of
Charlie’s first board meeting (in November of
1992) was to call me as
Director, and I have had the pleasure of serving with Charlie in his various
positions for nearly 15 years.
Charlie served two terms as
secretary before he was elected President of the Lutheran Men in Mission board
at the LMM Assembly in
Charlie was probably as well
known for craftsmanship in woodworking as he was for the positions he has held
with LMM. Thousands of people throughout the
Just as Charlie was a
craftsman with wood, he has also been a craftsman in the development of the Churchwide ministry of Lutheran Men in
LMM will celebrate a historic
moment next summer in
ministry- that LMM has “come of age”-
and will become a self-incorporated and financially independent ministry. It
brings me great pain that Charlie will not be there with us physically to
celebrate that moment- but I know he will be there in spirit.
The men of the church have
lost a great leader. I have lost a great friend. We have laughed together, we
have wept together and we have prayed together. In times when I wondered if
there was anyone I could count on, Charlie was always there- with
I know that I speak for the
many men who have served with Charlie over the years and the many more whose
lives have been touched by Charlie when I say we add our voices to our Lord
Jesus who says to Charlie, “Well done, thou good, and faithful servant!”
Doug Haugen
Director, Lutheran Men in
773-380-2566
Doug.Haugen@elca.org