God Calls Larry Keiser

By: Rev. Jack Cascione
The following is a eulogy read after the close of the memorial service, for
Seward graduate and life long Lutheran teacher, Larry Keiser.  He served 37
of his 40 years in teaching at St. John's Lutheran Church in Orange,
California.

This writer met Larry Keiser, a subscriber to Christian News, in October of
1998.  Keiser will be remembered for his zeal to maintain the unaltered
confession of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds in his congregation, he and
his wife's hospitality, his fearlessness in the face of adversity, loyalty
to his friends, and courageous faith during suffering.

REMEBERANCE:
Read by Mr. Eldon Neben, classmate, long-time friend and a principal at St.
John's during Mr. Keiser's time there.

LAWRENCE "LARRY" KEISER

* * * * * * * * * *
The first thing Larry would have done if he were making this presentation
today would have been...to straighten out the lectern.

Larry's life began in Shelby, Ohio, on November 27, 1924, he being one of
three boys in the family.  In early childhood, he was baptized in the United
Brethren Church.

When he was six years old, his parents divorced and a Lutheran Pastor in
Shelby was acting as judge in the divorce case.  Because their mother was
unable at that time to provide for the three boys, and his father had
abandoned the family, the Lutheran pastor decided that the children would be
placed in a County Home for children from divorced families and orphans.

While there, Larry learned many important lessons of life.  They had their
own gardens, raised their own animals and according to Larry, he was given
every opportunity to grow in maturity.  He was later asked how he felt about
this particular time of his life.  Without hesitation he stated:  "It was
the best thing that ever happened to me."

After having spent 10 years in the home and having reached the age of 16, he
could no longer stay at this facility.  All of the children at the home were
enrolled in schools in Shelby, and Larry wanting to go to High School in
Shelby, moved in with his paternal grandparents, rather than moving with his
mother to another city.  While in High School, he participated in all
sports, even trying distant bike racing, in which he fizzled out.

After graduating in 1942, Larry decided to help end World War II by becoming
a sailor in the United States Navy. His basic training was at the Great
Lakes Naval Station in Chicago, and while there, often thought about going
over the fence and heading for home.  He was plain homesick.

He gave our Country six years of his time, much of it aboard a destroyer in
the Pacific War Zone.  He trained as a torpedo man and the Navy soon
realized that he didn't know into which end the ammunition went.  In order
to protect his fellow servicemen, and it was known that he could type,
received the rank of a yeoman and spent the rest of the war doing clerical
work.

One of his memorable experiences was that of visiting his sailor brother,
William "Kit" Keiser, who too was serving in the Navy on an ocean-going tug
in the Pacific Theater of War.  He was greeted by this
"un-navy" like crew, on what looked like a pirate ship, a crew complete with
bandanas, beards, shorts, earrings and even "Kit" with a black patch and
bandana around his head.

While stationed in San Francisco, he worked in an office and his officer
enrolled him in the Olympic Club, where he played football and rugby.
Action on those teams injured him more than any war duty.

On weekends, the sailors spent a great deal of time in Sacramento.  On one
of the trips, a 16 year-old waitress met the cute 19-year old sailor in a
local restaurant.  The food must have been good because Larry made the trip
often until the waitress went off to Concordia College in Seward, Nebraska.
On his way home, after discharge, he stopped in Seward to check out the
local restaurant and found Vi again.

Larry decided that she was a good cook, so after her graduation, they
married in August of 1949.  The government offered veterans' a college
education, so he took advantage of the GI Bill, enrolling in Seward.  He
received his teaching degree at Seward and finished with a Master of
Education Degree from the University of Nebraska.

While in college, he worked in the college work program for $.25 an hour.
An increase in pay was to $.50 an hour.  Now, with his SAVINGS, Larry bought
a $800.00 used, 1948 Plymouth. One girl, Laurie, had arrived, so it was nice
to have a car.  Herb and Marilyn Peter, unmarried at that time and whom many
of you know, spent many hours at the Keisers because the food was better
than in the college dining room.  Two girls, Laurie and Debbie were born in
Seward.

Upon graduation in 1953, Larry received his first call to Grace Lutheran
Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to teach in grades 1-6, 40 children in
these classes.  Besides teaching, Larry and Vi were the Janitors, Sunday
School Staff, Youth Choir Director, Boy Scout Leaders, Painters, Walther
League Leaders, etc., etc.  The school was located in the basement of the
church and when the Oklahoma red dust blew, the janitors had to clean again
and again.  For two long years it was not only a learning experience, it was
an exasperating and humbling one as well.

In 1955, a call was received by Larry to be Athletic Director, Coach, and
7th and 8th grade teacher at St. John's.  It was an answer to prayer,
because the Oklahoma school was closing.no funds and the enrollment had
dropped. Here in St. John's he organized the first P. E. classes, and
coached sports for both boys and girls.

In addition to teaching full time, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday
School, coaching boys' and girls' sports, he also volunteered for every
"Workday."  On one occasion, while cleaning out the flowerbeds, very grubby,
dirty and unshaved, a car with an Illinois license plate pulled up to where
he was working. The gentleman inquired if this was St. John's Lutheran
Church and began to ask questions of Larry.  Now the last thing in the world
Larry wanted to do was to stop his weeding and answer questions.  However,
as dirty and tired as he was and always the gentleman, he answered his
questions and gave them a "cook's" tour of the plant.  Shortly thereafter,
the family transferred to St. John's.  Some of our long-time members might
remember this family as owning Reason Buick in Santa Ana, the Ernie
Elschlepp's.

A change in climatic conditions did not change the pattern for the Keisers,
for two more girls, Barrie and Julie were added to the family.  Now the
Kesiers had all females, even female dogs.  Larry was sadly outnumbered.

To get away from the female household, Larry joined City softball and rugby
leagues and also played basketball and softball in the church.  For eighteen
summers, he managed the Hart Park Swimming Pool, throwing out of the pool
many St. John's students who misbehaved and while at the same time, watching
summer romances and some even longer, developing between lifeguards and
those enjoying the cool waters of the pool.  One such romance that came to
fruition and comes to mind was that of Darlene Bosch and Darrell Dudley.

But after 37 years, Larry decided it was time to enjoy the old rocking
chair.  But it was seldom used.he didn't remain idle.  He helped the
Enchanted Florist deliver flowers, worked as a substitute teacher,
volunteered at the Lutheran High Thrift Shop, counted St. John's offerings
and had many "honey-do" lists.

In addition, for many years he recruited sideline crews for football games
for the Orange Unified High School District.  When TV was started in the
High Schools covering football games, Larry was chosen to head up this
program.  All of the equipment was stored at the Keisers and Larry recruited
and trained personnel to televise the games.

MR. Keiser, as he was known to his students, (to his face at least) in his
kind way, always had the upper hand.  Mr. Keiser well understood Gen. 8:2l,
"...and the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth," but his
students had yet to learn that Mr. Keiser knew what they were going to do
before they did it!  He had been there and had done it himself!

Every year he and his co-worker, Herb Peter, took their classes on a
weeklong outdoor education program.  There was a lot of vim, vigor and
vitality in these students, particularly the boys.  After three days of
hiking, outdoor classes and spending most of the two previous nights
determining how they might keep Mr. Keiser awake, the third night they
really sacked out.  Sometime after mid-night, Larry aroused each one of the
students individually, and very methodically, suggesting they needed to go
to the bathroom for a pit stop.  After all of the students did what he
suggested, there was very little sleep left in the students.  Needless to
say, everyone slept well on the fourth night.

Some "Keiserisms:"

Gum chewers knew how it felt to push a ball of gum up the ramp with their
nose.

Count 1,000 grains of sand in piles of 100 and only to be told what you were
counting were stones and not grains.  The piles were wiped out!

Talked too much and after a couple of warnings an eraser found its way to
your head.

Too much talking in the class and a special horn was sounded.  Even his
daughter said, "it really hurts your ears."

Lunch patrol was always a fearful time.  Larry went through the trash to
find thrown-out food.  Look out if your name was on the bag!

The acorn trees along Almond, South of the church, were always a challenge
for potential baseball players.  If you picked up acorns and threw them, you
then had to pick up and collect a bucketful of acorns. (No help allowed
here)

If caught day dreaming in class, you were awakened by a ball of yarn finding
you.

Just a personal note to Larry's sense of integrity and moral convictions.

It was springtime and the windows of Room 5 would be open.  It seems that
one boy was more interested in what was going on outside than in the
classroom even to the extent of leaning out the window.  Mr. Keiser walked
over to the boy and gently grabbed his belt and proceeded to help him out
the window, headfirst.  The boy immediately went to his seat and never again
went to the window during class time.

As principal, I never had to concern myself about the discipline of Larry's
students.  They were always handled by himself in a timely and unique way,
always gaining the respect of student and parent.

On another occasion, Larry shared with me that he had caught a student
cheating.  He had called the parent to inform them of his actions for which
the father of the student did not agree and said he was going to come down
there and punch Mr. Keiser in the nose.  Larry said, "I will meet him at the
front door."  Well, cooler heads prevailed and the father cooled off by the
end of the day and thanked him for calling it to his attention.

Over the years students would recall times with Larry and how they
remembered him:

"A growly bear on the outside, but a soft kitty in the inside."

Another who delighted in challenging Larry on a day-by-day basis and who
more than likely would have "tried the patience of Job," had this to say:
"Mr. Keiser, I deserved everything you gave me, but never, did you hurt me."

From a former student, this received by Larry, while in the "Carehouse:"

"I'm not sure if you are aware of how much you have made a difference in my
life.  Your words of encouragement and support have helped me get through
some very difficult emotional and spiritual challenges.  You taught me to
never give up on my dreams, keep my eye on the goals (not the hurdles), and
not to settle for things I don't deserve.  No words can ever completely
communicate how much you mean to me."

And those comments are exactly what his family feels about him too.  He gave
teaching his all and loved every minute of it.

What you are about to hear now, were some of the comments from Pastor
Klinkenberg's sermon this past Sunday:  "What kind of witness was Larry
Keiser?  Forty years a Christian teacher in a Lutheran school.  He had a
unique way in connecting with his students, in real life and in real ways.
Larry was not one who stood up and preached a twenty-five minute sermon and
say "here is your religion lesson."  No, instead Larry would integrate the
faith with the simple things of life.  He had a way to smile and a way to
drive it in that he would be able to ooze repentance out of a wayward soul
and another time he would be able to share words of grace and forgiveness.
What a powerful witness that was for forty years to the students of St. John
's Lutheran School and also for those who knew him as a lifeguard at the
plunge down at Hart Park...Larry never had a pulpit to preach from, he never
had Anaheim Stadium full and drawing sinners to repentance, but for forty
years he was a witness to Junior High students, who at that time in their
lives so desperately needed to see a "man of God," who was not filled with
every answer to every question, but he was filled with the love of God in
Jesus Christ, in his heart.  And that witness over a long period of time has
a tremendous affect in the body of Christ."

After six months of illness due to complications from circulatory problems
in his legs and finally, amputation of the lower half of his left leg, Larry
's strength was gone and the merciful Lord took him home, early Thursday
morning, the 29th of May.  He's probably organizing athletic teams right
now!

Larry's family would like to thank the wonderful people of St. John's for
the many happy years in your midst. You are a congregation that cares for
its servants and we were grateful for that.

In closing, the family would like to share with you a portion of the prayer
the sainted Rev. Jacob Kogler prayed at the time of the dedication of St.
John's first sanctuary, Feb. 11, 1883:

"..[That] we ever remain steadfast and true to the confessions of the pure
and unadulterated Word of God, until St. John's, too, at the call of the
Lord, shall be transferred from the church militant to the church
triumphant."

More than likely, one of the first saints to greet us on that day will be...
Larry, aka, MR. Keiser.
--------------------

MEMORIAL GIFTS
In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be sent to the
"Larry Keiser Memorial Fund" at St. John's Luther Church, 154 South Shaffer
St., Orange, CA 92866 or any charity of your choice including Christian
News.

June 11, 2003