There were many wonderful tributes to Pastor Sally Fahrenthold over the last week and we at Partners for Wichita wanted to make sure we could gather them here in one place.
Prayer from Pastor Dave:
Pastor Sally Fahrenthold 1937-2018
O Lord, our Lord, our hearts are lifted to Thee as we think about our sister Sally. Receive her Holy One, for she is one who inspired us, in the words of your servant Dag Hammarskjold “God does not die on the day when we cease to believe in a personal deity, but we die on the day when our lives cease to be illumined by the steady radiance, renewed daily, of a wonder the source of which is beyond all reason.” Pastor Sally lived in thy radiance and we who know her, were inspired by compassion, intelligence and humor. We thank thee for her life among us, we pray you will accompany her family in these days of sorrow and we hope that the steady radiance that guided her will guide us to thy peace and Presence.. we pray with our brother Jesus.
By: Pastor Dave Fulton
The Rev. Sally Brown Curtiss Fahrenthold died in faith and peace on November 21, 2018 in her home in Wichita, Kansas. She was born on June 23, 1937, in Kalamazoo, Michigan to George Bunnell Curtiss and Mary Louise (Brown) Curtiss. The family moved to Shaker Heights, near Cleveland, Ohio, where she grew up. Sally married Glenn Richert Fahrenthold on July 25, 1959, at Fairmont Presbyterian Church, Cleveland Heights, Ohio. They lived in Cleveland Heights and moved to Prairie Village, Kansas in 1964 and then to Wichita, Kansas in 1991.
Sally graduated from Hathaway Brown School and from Smith College in 1959, majoring in Latin American Studies. She attended the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare and received the Master of Divinity degree at Saint Paul School of Theology (United Methodist, Kansas City, Missouri) in 1983. She took post-graduate studies at Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary (now Luther Seminary), St. Paul, Minnesota, and was certified for ordained ministry in the American Lutheran Church. She was called to serve as Associate Pastor at Atonement Lutheran Church, Overland Park, Kansas, where she was ordained on August 18, 1985, in the American Lutheran Church (now Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.) She was called to serve as Pastor of Christ Lutheran, Wichita, in August 1991, and retired in June 2000. She also served as an interim pastor at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Butler, Missouri, 1984-1985; at Reformation Lutheran Church, Wichita in 2001; and as temporary “serving pastor” at St. Paul’s, Wichita, in 2006. She was given the honor of Pastor Emerita at St. Paul’s. She loved sharing the grace of God in the ministry of Christ and bringing together the many gift and experiences of people of all walks of life in worship and service for church and community.
Sally served at Metro Lutheran Ministry in Kansas City from 1972-1985, initiating community services for people who were poor, hungry, aged, etc., including emergency assistance for food, shelter and utilities; advocacy in Kansas, Missouri and nationally; Harvesters-The Community Food Network food bank; Warmth and Light Coalition; Kansas City Community Gardens; Mid-America Assistance Coalition and other programs that are still in the Kansas City metro area.
She helped start and served as a leader with Partners for Wichita as coordinator of Samaritan Community programs, including “Fill the Gap Lunches for Kids,” “Bags of Blessings” and other projects.
She was active over the years with the former Johnson County (Kansas) Association for Retarded Citizens; Wyandotte Council for the Mentally Retarded; and Community Living Opportunities, working for services that would offer opportunities for her daughter, Pam and other people with developmental disabilities. She was active in Inter-Faith Ministries (Wichita), Greater Wichita Ministerial League, the former Kansas Ecumenical Ministries and former Lutheran Social Service of Kansas and Oklahoma, and other organizations. She received the Smith College Medal for Distinguished Alumnae in 1988, the Hathaway Brown School Distinguished Alumna award in 1991, the Spirit of Kansas City award in 1984, and special commendation by the City Council of Kansas City, Missouri for community service in 1985, as well as recognition from League of Women Voters-Wichita Metro, Church Women United in Wichita, and other organizations. She had a passion for those who are poor, disabled, or suffering injustice, as well as appreciation for working together with people of many faiths, races, and backgrounds in the spirit of faith, hope and love. She said. “I didn’t do anything much. We did it together.” Her special hoppy was researching genealogy and family histories from early colonial days.
Sally is survived by her beloved family: adult children, Pamela Pauline Fahrenthold Clair, Olathe, Kansas and Scott C. Fahrenthold (Lindi), Solomon, Kansas; granddaughters, Rachel Eufinger (Myles) of Omaha, Nebraska, Hannah Fahrenthold, Jessica Fahrenthold, Katrina Fahrenthold of Solomon, Kansas and Christy Whitehair (Tony) of Abilene, Kansas; sisters, Mary C. McCrea of Wichita, Kansas and Joan Curtiss of Albuquerque, New Mexico and several nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her husband, Glenn and son, Thomas Richerts Fahrenthold.
Memorial Services at Reformation Lutheran Church, 7601 E. 13th St. N., Wichita on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 11:00 am and at Atonement Lutheran Church, 9948 Metcalf, Overland Park, Kansas on Friday, November 30, 2018 at 11:00 am. Pastors are invited to robe and process in with the family. Inurnment at Johnson County Memorial Gardens, Overland Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested for one of the churches she served, Metro Lutheran Ministry (3031 Holmes, KC, MO 64109), Partners for Wichita (925 N. Waco, Wichita, KS 67203), Johnson County Developmental Supports (10501 Lackman Rd., Lenexa, KS 66216) or Harry Hynes Hospice (313 S. Market, Wichita, KS 67202). Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.
Here's a great article about our Dear Pastor Sally:
The Rev. Sally Fahrenthold died Wednesday at her home after a five-year battle with colon cancer. She was 81.
The Rev. Sally Fahrenthold — one of Wichita’s first female pastors and a tireless social justice advocate who devoted her life to helping people with disabilities and others in need — died Wednesday afternoon at her home. She was 81.
Rev. Fahrenthold, who was retired, had been battling terminal colon cancer for five years and was told by doctors in October 2017 that she had six months to live — time she spent championing equality for people with limited resources. She survived more than a year after receiving the prognosis, attending social justice rallies and protests in her final months in her wheelchair to continue the fight, her younger sisters said Friday.
“I think that Sally was kind of like St. Francis,” Mary McCrea, the sister who lived with and helped care for Rev. Fahrenthold, said. “Wherever there was poor, needy, hungry or social injustice — that’s what Sally advocated for.”
“It was important for her that the work continues,” said Joan Curtiss, another sister.
Rev. Fahrenthold died Wednesday at around 3:30 p.m., according to a post on her Facebook page. She helped launch or served with several organizations in Kansas City including Harvesters-The Community Food Network food bank, the Warmth and Light Coalition and Kansas City Community Gardens.
In Wichita, she helped start and lead Partners for Wichita, which launched Bags of Blessings, Filling the Gap Lunches for Kids and other programs for people in need. She was also active in Inter-Faith Ministries, the Greater Wichita Ministerial League, the former Kansas Ecumenical Ministries and the former Lutheran Social Services of Kansas and Oklahoma.