Rev. Joel Gerlach of Wauwatosa passed away peacefully on April 20, 2026 at the age of 97. His wife Lillian, nee Bode, predeceased him on December 26, 2020. He is survived by his children Rev. Bryan (Jackie), Bruce (Penny), Rachel (Mark), and Sharon (Casey), and by 12 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

He was born on November 27, 1928, in Arlington, Minnesota. After graduating from Northwestern College (then in Watertown, Wis,) and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 1953 (Mequon, Wis.), he served as a pastor at five churches in Arizona, California, and Wisconsin (St John, Wauwatosa). From 1971 to 1981he was a professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Other service includes California Mission Counselor, Wisconsin Lutheran College Board of Regents, various boards of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, contributing editor for the Northwestern Lutheran, and part-time retirement service in New Jersey, Oregon, Alaska, Virginia, Florida, and Germany.

Burial will be private. A memorial service will take place on May 30, 2026, at 11 AM with visitation at 10 AM at St. John Ev Lutheran Church, 7809 Harwood Avenue, Wauwatosa. The service may be viewed at the church’s website.

Memorials may be given to St. John Church https://www.sjtosa.org/   or to WELS https://wels.net/