Obituary for Paul Jerome Spira
The Reverend Paul Jerome Spira received the salvation promised to Him by his Risen Savior Jesus Christ on December 14, 2022, after a brief illness at Lutheran Hospital, surrounded by his family singing hymns of praise.
He was born October 8, 1960, to Glenn and Sylvia (Guenther) Spira in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. After his mother passed away his father married Patricia, who raised Paul and his sister Elizabeth after his father’s death shortly after.
Paul graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a degree in marketing education. His career moved him to Chicago where he met fellow Wisconsinite Caryl Roggentin. They discovered shared faith, values and work ethic, along with love of football, especially the Badgers and Packers, Indy car races, sports cars and road trips. They married and returned to Wisconsin where he earned his MBA from UW-Madison. They welcomed daughter Elizabeth in 1989, followed by Ethan in 1992.
Paul worked as a marketing director for the next decade while he and Caryl raised their kids and served as active members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Sun Prairie, WI. He sang in the church choir and praise band, and supported his wife as she battled breast cancer. They loaded the kids up in a 1990 Chevy conversion van (“Big Blue”) and went on dozens of road trips, from Florida to the Grand Canyon to Glacier National Park and New York City.
He answered the Call to ministry in 2003 when the family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, for Paul to earn his M.Div.degree from Concordia Theological Seminary. He completed his Field Work at Concordia Lutheran Church, vicarred at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Albion, Michigan, and earned his CPE certification as a hospital chaplain at Lutheran Hospital. His first Call was to Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, where he was ordained in July 2008 and served until his retirement in October 2020. During his time as pastor at Peace he was a part of the campaign to renovate and open the Sharing Peace Café and wellness programs, and he especially enjoyed his work with the Peace Lutheran Preschool (he will be remembered for “The Donut Song”!) and Lutheran South Unity School (formerly Unity Lutheran). As a retired Pastor he enjoyed pulpit supply for local congregations as well as leading chapel services through Lutheran Senior Care Ministry. He sang in the Peace choir and led a small-group Bible Study.
While he will be incredibly missed by his family, congregation, school families, and so many friends from over the years, Paul’s legacy is one of faith and strength. He served so many as a preacher, counselor, religion teacher, leader, mentor, musician, neighbor, handyman, husband, Daddy, and Boobah. Paul loved his family deeply, and told us all as often as possible. He was proud of his kids and their families, and loved playing with his six grandchildren. Paul’s other passion was music. He was an adept guitar and horn player and tenor vocalist. He enjoyed all sorts of genres and always had music playing. After he battled nasopharyngeal cancer in 2012 followed by sepsis in 2013, he and Caryl escaped on road trips as much as they could, often in their 2001 Mercedes convertible. They revisited their New England honeymoon destinations to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary in 2021. Their marriage is one where both thought they had the better end of the deal, and it lovingly endured through better and worse, sickness and health, cherishing each day together.
Paul is survived by his wife and best friend of 36 years Caryl (Roggentin) Spira; children Elizabeth (Rev. Theodore) Hoham and Rev. Ethan (Kim) Spira; beloved grandchildren August, Eleanor, Thomas, and Peter Hoham; James-Paul and Clara Spira; siblings Elizabeth (Dave) Schafhauser, Kathy (Brad, deceased) Siebert, Margaret (Carl) Langley, and William (Harriet) Spira; sisters-in-law Cindy (Frank) Laudolff and Cheryl (Jack) Arends; and nine nieces and nephews. Paul is preceded in death by his parents Glenn and Sylvia Spira; step-mother Patricia Schubert; in-laws Roy and Geraldyne Roggentin; step-mother-in-law Caroline Roggentin; and brother-in-law Bradley Siebert.
Due to the time of year, a funeral service was held for the family on December 22. A Memorial Service will be held at 11a.m. on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at Peace Lutheran Church, 4900 Fairfield Ave, Fort Wayne. Sharing Peace Cafe will be open at 10am for visiting/fellowship time. Lunch will follow service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church or Lutheran South Unity School.
He was born October 8, 1960, to Glenn and Sylvia (Guenther) Spira in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. After his mother passed away his father married Patricia, who raised Paul and his sister Elizabeth after his father’s death shortly after.
Paul graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a degree in marketing education. His career moved him to Chicago where he met fellow Wisconsinite Caryl Roggentin. They discovered shared faith, values and work ethic, along with love of football, especially the Badgers and Packers, Indy car races, sports cars and road trips. They married and returned to Wisconsin where he earned his MBA from UW-Madison. They welcomed daughter Elizabeth in 1989, followed by Ethan in 1992.
Paul worked as a marketing director for the next decade while he and Caryl raised their kids and served as active members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Sun Prairie, WI. He sang in the church choir and praise band, and supported his wife as she battled breast cancer. They loaded the kids up in a 1990 Chevy conversion van (“Big Blue”) and went on dozens of road trips, from Florida to the Grand Canyon to Glacier National Park and New York City.
He answered the Call to ministry in 2003 when the family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, for Paul to earn his M.Div.degree from Concordia Theological Seminary. He completed his Field Work at Concordia Lutheran Church, vicarred at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Albion, Michigan, and earned his CPE certification as a hospital chaplain at Lutheran Hospital. His first Call was to Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, where he was ordained in July 2008 and served until his retirement in October 2020. During his time as pastor at Peace he was a part of the campaign to renovate and open the Sharing Peace Café and wellness programs, and he especially enjoyed his work with the Peace Lutheran Preschool (he will be remembered for “The Donut Song”!) and Lutheran South Unity School (formerly Unity Lutheran). As a retired Pastor he enjoyed pulpit supply for local congregations as well as leading chapel services through Lutheran Senior Care Ministry. He sang in the Peace choir and led a small-group Bible Study.
While he will be incredibly missed by his family, congregation, school families, and so many friends from over the years, Paul’s legacy is one of faith and strength. He served so many as a preacher, counselor, religion teacher, leader, mentor, musician, neighbor, handyman, husband, Daddy, and Boobah. Paul loved his family deeply, and told us all as often as possible. He was proud of his kids and their families, and loved playing with his six grandchildren. Paul’s other passion was music. He was an adept guitar and horn player and tenor vocalist. He enjoyed all sorts of genres and always had music playing. After he battled nasopharyngeal cancer in 2012 followed by sepsis in 2013, he and Caryl escaped on road trips as much as they could, often in their 2001 Mercedes convertible. They revisited their New England honeymoon destinations to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary in 2021. Their marriage is one where both thought they had the better end of the deal, and it lovingly endured through better and worse, sickness and health, cherishing each day together.
Paul is survived by his wife and best friend of 36 years Caryl (Roggentin) Spira; children Elizabeth (Rev. Theodore) Hoham and Rev. Ethan (Kim) Spira; beloved grandchildren August, Eleanor, Thomas, and Peter Hoham; James-Paul and Clara Spira; siblings Elizabeth (Dave) Schafhauser, Kathy (Brad, deceased) Siebert, Margaret (Carl) Langley, and William (Harriet) Spira; sisters-in-law Cindy (Frank) Laudolff and Cheryl (Jack) Arends; and nine nieces and nephews. Paul is preceded in death by his parents Glenn and Sylvia Spira; step-mother Patricia Schubert; in-laws Roy and Geraldyne Roggentin; step-mother-in-law Caroline Roggentin; and brother-in-law Bradley Siebert.
Due to the time of year, a funeral service was held for the family on December 22. A Memorial Service will be held at 11a.m. on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at Peace Lutheran Church, 4900 Fairfield Ave, Fort Wayne. Sharing Peace Cafe will be open at 10am for visiting/fellowship time. Lunch will follow service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church or Lutheran South Unity School.