By DeAnna Wilson

Dr. Frederick A. Spurgat was remembered at the Chapel of Our Lord in River Forest, Illinois, on Saturday, February 10, 2018.

Friends, family, students, and colleagues of Spurgat joined together to celebrate his life after his passing on Wednesday, February 7, 2018.

The officiant pastor Jeffrey Leininger, university pastor, shared a light-hearted story Eunice (Spurgat’s wife) told him. Spurgat requested that Leininger would help with his funeral service and a

dded the condition, “But only if Jeff has time, he’s a pretty busy guy.”

Leininger replied back by saying, “Yeah, Fred, I’ve got time for your funeral.”

Leininger shared Spurgat’s life by the numbers showing all his dedication and service to Concordia.

“Seventy three and a half, the number of years Fred was connected to Concordia starting as a high school freshman in 1944.
Sixty five, the number of years as a service as a commissioned minister in the Lutheran church.
Twenty of those years were in his “retirement.”
Fifty eight, the number of years of unbroken service on the board of Association of Business Administrators of Christian Colleges. Of which he was a founding member. 58 unbroken years.
This next one was hard to calculate I’ll just say dozens and dozens the number of congregational district synodical boards Fred served or chaired.
Seventeen, the number of buildings constructed on this site since Fred first arrived in 1944. We only count the big buildings, not the small ones.
Seven, the number of presidents Fred has served  here.”

To close out the service the hymn, “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded”  was sung.

Be Thou my consolation,
my shield when I must die;
Remind me of Thy passion
when my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee,
upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfolds Thee.
Who dieth thus dies well (LSB 449).

After the service, attendees were invited to join the Spurgat family for a reception in the Oak Park-River Forest Room.

Spurgat was born in 1929 on December 7th. As a high school freshman, he began attending Concordia Teachers College in 1944. He then graduated in 1948  and later went on to receive his Bachelor’s Degree in 1952. After receiving his Bachelor’s, he went to Kellogg School of Management and received an MBA in accounting and later received his Ph.D. in Organization Theory. While at Concordia Spurgat taught accounting, music, organizational theory, and economics. Not only was Spurgat a professor, but he also held various titles those including Assistant Business Manager, Business Manager, Director of Food Service, Director of Computer Services, Dean of  Administration, Vice President of Administration and Finance, and Senior Vice President for Administration. After serving Concordia for 45 years  (1952-1997), Spurgat retired in 1997. During his retirement, Spurgat received the title Professor Emeritus of Economics and Administration. In 1998 he was awarded the Spurgat Service Building which is also known as the physical plant. From then on he held the title as Special Assistant to the Vice President for Finance/CFO.

If you would like to watch the recorded service, it can be viewed on the Concordia University Chicago Archived Live Events.

https://livestream.com/accounts/1463756/events/4448793/videos/170046257

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be donated to the Frederick and Eunice Spurgat Endowment Fund at Concordia University Chicago.