Obituary for Victor Kent Schlatter
Victor Kent Schlatter, 91, passed away Thursday, July 7, 2022 at his home in Castanhal, Pará, Brazil.
Victor (VK) was born in Leo, Indiana, on March 16, 1931. Victor’s father, Adam Schlatter, died before Victor was born. He was raised by his mother Mildred Schlatter. Victor committed his life to Christ and was baptized in the Apostolic Christian Church of Leo Indiana at 18 years of age. He studied nuclear engineering at Purdue University and then married Elsie Conrad at the age of 21. After 7 years of a promising career in nuclear engineering in Richland, Washington, Victor answered the call of God to the foreign mission field and began training with Wycliff Bible Institute. In 1961 he moved his family to a primitive tribe in the mountains of Papua New Guinea and dedicated the next 61 years of his life to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world.
During his 28 years in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Victor and his family lived with the Waola people of the Southern Highlands. He deciphered and put into writing their tribal language, translated and published the New Testament into their language and then started the Good News Christian Church which now has over 160 congregations spread throughout the country. In 1989 Victor moved to Australia from where he continued giving supervision to the churches in PNG. He also started South Pacific Island Ministries and worked as a representative for the Christian Embassy of Jerusalem promoting support for the nation of Israel. Victor is the author of 7 books and preached in 52 countries of the world.
The last three years of Victor’s life were spent in Castanhal, Brazil, where he resided with his wife Elsie and his daughter Michelle Toth and her family. There he ministered in his daughter and son-in-law’s church with Hope Ministries.
Victor was well loved by tens of thousands, as a pioneer missionary, a powerful preacher and teacher, an author, as well as a Dad and father figure to many. Though he will be greatly missed by so many, even now he is a reason for much celebration and rejoicing in heaven. His life was certainly one that produced much kingdom fruit here on earth. He always testified that even though he never knew his earthly father, his heavenly Abba Father was more than enough to meet his every need.
Victor is survived by his wife, Elsie Schlatter, two sons, Timothy (wife Karen) Schlatter and James (wife Christy) Schlatter, one daughter, Michelle (husband Scott) Toth, 12 grandchildren and 12 great grand-children. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Michael Schlatter, his two sisters, Ethelyn Schlatter and Joan Stieglitz, and his brother-in-law, Marvin Stieglitz.
Victor was buried in Castanhal, Brazil, July 8, 2022. A memorial service with a time of remembrance and sharing will be held in Leo, Indiana at the Apostolic Fellowship Center on October 1, 2022 at 2 P.M.
Donations in honor of Victor Schlatter can be sent to the following ministries:
Hope Ministries
P.O. box 77
La Porte, TX 77572-0077
hopeministriesbrazil.org
International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem
icejusa.org
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Godly ones." Psalms 116:15
Victor (VK) was born in Leo, Indiana, on March 16, 1931. Victor’s father, Adam Schlatter, died before Victor was born. He was raised by his mother Mildred Schlatter. Victor committed his life to Christ and was baptized in the Apostolic Christian Church of Leo Indiana at 18 years of age. He studied nuclear engineering at Purdue University and then married Elsie Conrad at the age of 21. After 7 years of a promising career in nuclear engineering in Richland, Washington, Victor answered the call of God to the foreign mission field and began training with Wycliff Bible Institute. In 1961 he moved his family to a primitive tribe in the mountains of Papua New Guinea and dedicated the next 61 years of his life to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world.
During his 28 years in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Victor and his family lived with the Waola people of the Southern Highlands. He deciphered and put into writing their tribal language, translated and published the New Testament into their language and then started the Good News Christian Church which now has over 160 congregations spread throughout the country. In 1989 Victor moved to Australia from where he continued giving supervision to the churches in PNG. He also started South Pacific Island Ministries and worked as a representative for the Christian Embassy of Jerusalem promoting support for the nation of Israel. Victor is the author of 7 books and preached in 52 countries of the world.
The last three years of Victor’s life were spent in Castanhal, Brazil, where he resided with his wife Elsie and his daughter Michelle Toth and her family. There he ministered in his daughter and son-in-law’s church with Hope Ministries.
Victor was well loved by tens of thousands, as a pioneer missionary, a powerful preacher and teacher, an author, as well as a Dad and father figure to many. Though he will be greatly missed by so many, even now he is a reason for much celebration and rejoicing in heaven. His life was certainly one that produced much kingdom fruit here on earth. He always testified that even though he never knew his earthly father, his heavenly Abba Father was more than enough to meet his every need.
Victor is survived by his wife, Elsie Schlatter, two sons, Timothy (wife Karen) Schlatter and James (wife Christy) Schlatter, one daughter, Michelle (husband Scott) Toth, 12 grandchildren and 12 great grand-children. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Michael Schlatter, his two sisters, Ethelyn Schlatter and Joan Stieglitz, and his brother-in-law, Marvin Stieglitz.
Victor was buried in Castanhal, Brazil, July 8, 2022. A memorial service with a time of remembrance and sharing will be held in Leo, Indiana at the Apostolic Fellowship Center on October 1, 2022 at 2 P.M.
Donations in honor of Victor Schlatter can be sent to the following ministries:
Hope Ministries
P.O. box 77
La Porte, TX 77572-0077
hopeministriesbrazil.org
International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem
icejusa.org
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Godly ones." Psalms 116:15