Roy Edward Pfund was born on September 2, 1937, in Bay City, Michigan. Roy was the son of the late Oscar John and Amanda Caroline née Reutter Pfund and loving brother of the late Lois Pfund Mueller. Roy was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church, in Bay City, Michigan. After graduation from Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, Michigan in 1955, he attended Concordia Teacher’s College in River Forest, Illinois, receiving his BS in Education on June 5, 1959. Roy later earned his MA from Appalachian State Teachers College, Boone, North Carolina on August 16, 1963.
On August 8, 1959, he married the love of his life, Nancy Arlene née Sanders. God graciously granted Roy and Nancy with 66 years of marriage, blessing them with three children, Steven (Kelly) Pfund, Thomas (Cheryl) Pfund, and Lisa (Joel) Rivers; grandchildren, Jeremy Pfund, Emily (Andy) Weber, Joseph Pfund, Andrew (Brianne) Rivers, Joshua Rivers, Sarah Rivers, and Stephanie (Kyle) Kiely; and great-grandchildren, Dexter and Shiloh Weber, Austin and Emma Rivers, and Luka Kiely.
Roy began his teaching career at St. Stephen’s Lutheran School in Hickory, North Carolina, before taking a call to teach at Lutheran High School South in 1962. He faithfully served at LHSS as a teacher, coach, mentor, and friend for 41 years. After retirement, he and Nancy enjoyed traveling with family and friends, and playing golf with his buddies. Even in his retirement, Roy continued to help at Lutheran South through substitute teaching, proctoring tests, and keeping score and stats for the varsity baseball team.
Roy will be remembered for his deep faith in his Lord and Savior, his devotion to his family and friends, his deep passion for teaching, and his love for sports.
Jesus welcomed Roy home on March 18, 2026, at the age of 88, which is also the 75th anniversary of his Confirmation.
SERVICES: A memorial visitation will be held at Lutheran High School South (9515 Tesson Ferry Road St. Louis, Missouri 63123) on Monday, March 23, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Visitation will be held also at Salem Lutheran Church (8342 Gravois Road St. Louis, Missouri 63123) on Tuesday, March 24, 9:00 a.m. until funeral service at 10:00 a.m. Interment Sunset Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the Roy Pfund Scholarship at Lutheran High School South.
Roy Pfund was one of the most outstanding ing teachers I had at Lutheran South. I will remember his kindness to students and ability to teach science classes so that the material was easy to learn. He was also a man of great faith.
Roy and I were not only college roommates and friends for 70 years, but I always knew he could be depended upon to give me an uplift when I was down. He was a great friend and I will miss talking to him every week. He was truly a man of God.
Always smiling and always engaging, he was a joy to just be with. I know one or more of our kids had him as a teacher. Yes, he was well liked by students as well. What a blessing to have had his ministry for over 40 years at our dear Lutheran High School. I served on the board of regents and was honored to know Roy and the likes of him…Christian…caring…genuine…radiating joy in Jesus. Now he is together…forever…with Jesus!
So sweet
Best teacher, coach and mentor possible. Rest in peace, with full confidence of the coming resurrection in Christ!
My favorite teacher. I taught high school Biology not Math because of him!!!!! When we would visit Salem while in town from Colorado, he always had a huge hug for this student who sat in the front row of his Chemistry class. He will be missed but he is singing with the angels and all the company of heaven.
Very special teacher and mentor and such an amazing advocate for LuSo, his fellow teachers, and all the many young Christians he taught and coached at that particular point where we try to figure out our identity. He truly modeled in Whom we are formed. Thank you, Lord, for this servant.
Mr. Pfund was an outstanding chemistry teacher and coach. I will always remember the science slogan he shared with his classes. If it bites or scratches it’s Biology. If it stinks or pops it’s Chemistry. If it doesn’t make sense it’s Physics. Brian Carter (LHSS class of 1992)
Thank you, Roy, for you kindness to a student who had a rough time with chemistry…you were very gracious and helpful to get many of us through…you took time and cared for your students. 88 years of care and witness. Well done good and faithful servant of Christ.
One of the Lord’s special blessings was to bring Roy Pfund into the midst of our Lutheran community of Greater St. Louis. He excelled as instructor and mentor in many ways, exemplified the joy of life in Christ, and had a solid sensibility richer than gold. When I needed to do “practice/student teaching” as a student at Concordia, RF, I asked “Mr. Pfund” (he EARNED the title!) if I could student-teach under his jurisdiction, per Mr. Eggerding. This was a special allowance since Conc. Seward usually held the spot for student teaching. But all things worked toward good and Roy helped to make it happen as “God’s appointed.” Roy Pfund attended two of my special one-hour presentations on auto history and on German ancestry that I gave at Laclede Groves in more recent years and we chatted afterward, each time. What a smile he SHARED and LIVED! — ROY — One of God’s finest men this side of heaven, where he now graces his presence with the Saints and our Savior! God bless the family and friends.
Roy was a wonderful friend and colleague at South where we had neighboring classrooms during our teaching careers. We spent many outings picking strawberries and sweet peas at Stuckmeyer’s farm in south County. I will certainly miss our phone calls after our retirement from South and our trips to Michigan to visit our parents.
Herm Meyer
Mr. Pfund believed in me at a time when I thought no one did. He’s the reason I pursued a degree in science. Even though I didn’t get that degree and ended up with a career in IT instead, his attention and care helped me know that I could do well. He was far and away the best teacher I ever had at any level in any subject. If he’d taught a fourth class, I’d have taken it, no matter the subject matter. After Biology, Chemistry, and Advanced Biology, it was strange to not be in his class senior year.
His classes were fun and fascinating to me. He even got me to touch a snake, so I could feel its skin. I was terrified of snakes, but when he held it on either side of my hand, I could overcome that for a moment so I could learn what he was trying to teach. That’s a creative and caring teacher! And that lesson reached beyond Biology class.
Playing “name that product,” (based on TV ad slogans) on the last day before school was out for the holidays or for summer was quite a novel way to keep our teenage energy from getting quite out of hand!
Blessings on your way, Mr. Pfund. I’ll never forget you and I look forward to seeing you in the next world someday.
Alys Allwardt (LHSS, Class of 1971)
Mr. Pfund was the reason I went into teaching and majored in biology. He was an excellent teacher and long time friend. He will be sorely missed.
Roy was absolutely my favorite teacher! He was not only a great teacher, but a mentor to students. He always had a kind listening ear when we came to his office. He always remembered me when I would run into him at Lutheran South, Laclede Groves, or community events. Looking forward to seeing you in Heaven.
God’s comfort and blessings to his extended family and many friends.
Terri Marting Gibson (LHSS 1970)
Nancy, Lisa & Family, Steve & Family, Tom & Family…
How blessed I was to have Roy as a terrific longtime neighbor and friend. I called him, from back in those 1990s days, “The Mayor of Monte Vista.”
Roy was so proud of you kids and your accomplishments! He kept our Saturday morning breakfast conversations lively with updates on you all plus tales from his years as a teacher and HOF baseball coach of the Lancers.
Others have already posted that Our Lord surely greeted Roy with, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” How true! How comforting for all of us who will miss Roy dearly.
With prayers and condolences,
Tim Woods
To Nancy, and Lisa & Family, and Steve & Family, and Tom & Family…
How blessed I was to have Roy as a dear friend and longtime neighbor, as a sometimes golf guru, and a frequent Saturday morning breakfast buddy.
Roy’s strong and sure faith preceded him everywhere he went. All that was good and gracious and holy lives on now in you.
Here’s to the man I lovingly called “The Mayor of Monte Vista!”
Prayers and sincere condolences,
Tim Woods
Mr. Pfund was a true gentleman. He had a great impact on my life my Senior year, convincing a skeptical 17 year-old to take physics and anatomy and physiology the same term. I thought it was a crazy idea! I graduated in 1982, went to nursing school and successfully graduated from there and passed my boards. I started my 41 year career working in challenging areas such as critical care and emergency nursing. Thanks to Professor Pfund, I have been a life-long learner having achieved my doctoral degree in 2018, advancing to the rank of associate professor and program director of a large nursing program in St. Louis. Thank you Roy for pressing and challenging us all! I’ll never forget having Science Seminar and going to the “Snake Man’s farm”! Lots of great memories and I was so glad we could have lunch together several years ago as a measure of showing my gratitude for the impact you had on my life. May you enjoy all the joys of heaven. Well done faithful servant!
Dr. Christopher Guelbert RN, DNP
Mr. Pfund, what a great man, teacher, blessing. I learned so much from him in Chem-is-try. Even after having 3 kids and 25 years later, he remembered me when he saw me in a grocery store. He was very special. He will be missed.
Thank you Mr. Pfund for your teaching and love for Chemistry.
God truly blessed all of us who knew Mr. Pfund. When I had him as a teacher many, many years ago and when my children were blessed to know him at Lutheran South he was always this kind and caring person. Heaven has certainly gained a wonderful soul! God’s blessings to his family and God’s special peace be with them!
My favorite teacher of all time.
I still quote Mr. Pfund today “Don’t burn your finners”. He was my home room teacher and for Biology. He was kind and you could tell he truly was in the right place. I am so blessed to have had him in my life.
Wonderful man. Nancy and Roy had a postive influence on many lives.
Such a beautiful person and only reason I passed chemistry and still not sure how. Let me play golf with the group once and always brought me pink golf balls. Gods peace to the family. Roy is in Gods presence 🙏
In life there are those special people that touch your life in a very special way – Roy was one of those for me. I became a science teacher because of him. I had the great opportunity to teach with him at LHSS for 7 years. Anything I knew about what great science teaching looks like I learned from Roy. I had a chance to coach with Roy in baseball. I took over as Athletic Director after he moved out of the position. He was a gem of a man, a great role model for students and staff, a wonderful family man, and a blessing to my kids that had him as a teacher. “Chemistry makes sense!” Roy – you will never be forgotten! We love you much!
Roy was a college roommate at Concordia River Forest, groomsman in our wedding (1959) and a very memorable friend for life. Thanks to God for Roy… a gift to so many students and friends. Peace to you, Nancy and family, in this time of loss.
I enjoyed working with Roy when I taught and coached at at LHSS. He was a great coworker and friend. He will be missed. Blessings to family and friends.
Mr. Pfund was a very special man, who truly cared for his students and athletes. I had the pleasure of learning chemistry and baseball from him, and have special memories of these times. He had control of his classroom and teams because both his students and players respected him as a person. Whenever I sporadically ran into him, in my time after LHSS, it seemed like we had just spoken, because of his warm, caring and welcoming demeanor. My prayers are with the Pfund family during their time of loss.
Ever since being in Mr. Pfund’s general science class my freshman year, I have highly esteemed him. His clear teaching provided me with a solid general science foundation for later course in biology, chemistry, and physics, which in turn prepared me well for pre-med at Valparaiso University. I also had the privilege of having him as my freshman baseball coach. His kindness and deep, sincere Christian faith were a wonderful example for me and so many other students.
I didn’t think I liked science until I took biology with Mr. Pfund. He made it fun. During one class in the fall, we walked through the neighborhood near the school to identify trees. Now every time I see a Ginkgo biloba I think of Mr. Pfund.
Mr. Pfund was an awesome teacher! Chemistry can be a challenging subject but he was always smiling and made Chemistry a fun class. Mr. Pfund also came up with nicknames for many of us in his classes, which made each of us feel special and made the class seem more informal and therefore less stressful. During my 31 years as a school music teacher I applied what I learned from Mr. Pfund and made a point to treat every student with respect so each one knew that they were important to me. I also attempted to make Music class fun. Thank you Mr. Pfund for being such a great role model for me. In writing this message I just realized that you have “fun” in your name. No wonder you were such a fun teacher! Looking forward to visiting with you in heaven some day!
Truly a good and faithful servant, one whose patience and kindness helped me and so many through a vulnerable time in life. I learned so much more than chemistry. Please rest in God’s love and peace
I had the blessing of having Roy as my teacher for biology and chemistry. He knew that music, not science, was my area of interest, so he gave me this word of advice, “Bender, don’t let your studies interfere with your education.” He was supportive of me and my ministry for over fifty years. Revelation 14:13
Miss our many conversations while you were working out in the gym at Laclede!! Thank you for exemplifying what a Christian God fearing man looks like!! Hope all is well with you Nancy!
I still remember Mr. Pfund, one of my best teachers ever, who taught me biology and chemistry over 50 years ago .Along with basic core knowledge he taught us the meaning of Rachel Carson’s book, “Silent Spring.” He founded an Ecology Club and led us on weekend field trips. From Mr. Pfund I acquired the confidence to further my studies in the natural sciences and go on to have a career in medicine. Mr. Pfund held the attention of his class every hour, every day, always treating his students with respect. I am grateful for my time with Mr. Pfund. He taught me basic science but more importantly he showed me how to treat others.
Steve Wolk
LHSS Class of “72