Rev. Henry Gerike passed in death on August 6, 2025 at Evertrue Laclede Groves retirement community, Webster Grove, Missouri at the age of 76.
His funeral service will be August 27, 2025 at the Concordia Seminary Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus (801 Seminary Pl. St. Louis, MO 63105) at 9:35 AM. His internment will follow at Our Redeemer Cemetery (8300 Mackenzie Rd., Afton, MO).
Henry was born in Parkers Prairie, Minnesota on Aug. 17, 1948. He attended high school at Concordia Academy in St. Paul, MN, graduating from Concordia College with a BA in elementary education in 1970. He served in the Lutheran teaching ministry and as church musician in the St. Louis area and in Aurora, IL. Called as teacher and cantor at Grace English Lutheran Church and school in Chicago, IL, he earned the Master of Church Music (MCM) degree from Concordia University, Chicago. Attending Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, he earned the Master of Divinity degree and was ordained into the Holy Ministry of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. He continued to serve at the seminary as music director, notably taking the seminary choir Laudamus on tours throughout the United States and recording many CD’s of choral church music. He served as cantor at Church of the Reformation-Lutheran in Afton, MO. He published music for the church most notably composing his hymn tune “Ascended Triumph” included in many hymnals under the title “Up Through Endless Ranks of Angels”. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all who knew him.\, fellow musicians, pastors, parishioners, and all who sing of faith in Jesus Christ.
Henry was preceded in death by his parents, Rev. Victor F. Gerike and Lila W. (Bartelt) Gerike, his sister, Alice L. Lunneberg, and his brothers, Kirby C. Gerike and Paul F. Gerike. He is survived by his brother, Timothy A. Gerike ( Sue ) of Bloomington, IL, his sister Roxanne J. Heiliger (Michael) of Crystal Lake, IL, his brother-in-law Rev. Allen D. Lunneberg of Waterford, Michigan, his sister-in-law Ruth Gerike of Bloomington, IL and 15 nieces and nephews and 17 great-nieces and nephews.
The family is very grateful to the staff of Evertrue Laclede Grove for their faithful and competent care of our beloved brother, Henry!
Contributions to Reformation Lutheran Church (7910 Mackenzie Road St. Louis, MO 63123) or Concordia Seminary (801 Seminary Place St. Louis, Missouri 63105) appreciated.
elig sind die Toten! Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on! Yes, the Spirit speaks, for they rest from their labors and their works follow them after! – Revelation 14:13
Imagine what a beautiful parade his works made as he entered heaven!
I was in his choir 91 – 95 and usually went on the tours and learned FAR more about the theology of the liturgy and sacred music & Gottesdienst from him than in the classroom! (I also sang a while in Pro Musica Sacra a few years later until my pastoral obligations precluded attending the practices.)
I’ve posted multiple memorials on Facebook and on my YouTube channel, @tourtruco – look under shorts. The first dual birdie cam video to Tallis’s Canon dedicated to him I posted about the time he was crossing the precipice of eternity.
Henry was occasionally a guest with us at the table of my inlaws, Dr. Delphin “Bud” and Lois Schulz. He composed a hymn for my father-in-law’s last installation service.
Henry taught at Concord Lutheran School in Pagedale, MO before I taught there from 1979 until it closed in 1990. Henry’s influence at Concord could be felt even after he’d accepted a call in ministry somewhere else.
Henry visited my classrooms a few times to observe seminarians teaching Religion as part of their “Pastor as Educator” class, and he always had kind words of encouragement for them.
I still listen to the cassette, “Jesus Christ – The Light of the World” from when Henry was the Director of the Seminary Chorus in 1995, as well as the CD, “Gentle Stranger”, from 2004 when Henry was directing Laudamus.
Henry wrote the following words to stanza 3 of “Lord, Bid Your Servant Go in Pease”, Lutheran Service Book #937: “With saints of old, with saints to come, To You we lift our voice; To Father, Son, and Spirit blest Be honor, love, and praise.”
Thanks and praise be to God for blessing so many through the ministry and music of Rev. Henry Gerike!!!
I saw Henry only once after 1968, when he brought the (St. Louis) Concordia Seminary choir to sing in a vespers service at St. Paul’s in Fort Wayne, but we had spent many hours together during the 1967-68 school year at Concordia College in St. Paul, in the Chorale, including on the 10-day choir tour. He always took both music and our faith seriously, and devoted his life to leading people closer to God through sacred music. The Rev. Dr. R. Reed Lessing said it well: “Henry was a gifted musician, humble follower of Jesus and wonderful man.”