Christoph Armiger Obituary

Rev. Dr. Christoph Armiger, age 91, of Chesterton, Indiana, died July 1, 2025.

He is preceded in death by his very beloved wife, Carole, on Oct. 30, 2020; and sisters, Grace Curry and Dorothy Armiger. He leaves behind his daughter, Leslie Diane; and her children, Lea and Vance Vojslavek of Valparaiso, Indiana; his son, Scott (Lynn); and his children, Blake and Alex of Pewaukee, Wisconsin; and sister, Caroyn Greeson of Covington, Georgia.

He was born June 9, 1934, in Portsmouth, Virginia. He attended Robert E. Lee Elementary School and in 1952, graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School. In May 1956, he received a B.A. in psychology from King University, Bristol, Tennessee. In May 1960, Louisville Presbyterian Seminary awarded him his Master of Divinity degree and in 1964, his Master of Theology Degree. He was in the first group to earn the new Doctor of Ministry degree from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago on June 5, 1977.

Quiet and secretive of his educational achievements, he very seldom let others know about them. "Doctor" was not found to be in front of his name on Sunday bulletins, mail or when introducing himself to others. The same was true with his 22 years as a chaplain in the USAR (retiring with the rank of LTC in June 1996), 20 of those years were served as chaplain in various types and sizes of Army hospitals. No chest of ribbons adorned him – he never asked for any. His pride was in who he was – chaplain (Army); pastor (in parish life); husband, father and grandfather at home.

As a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and its predecessor body, the Lutheran Church in America, he served Grace Lutheran Church in Louisville, Kentucky (1965-1971), Bethel Lutheran Church in the Miller section of Gary, Indiana (1971-1980), St. Paul Lutheran Church in Richmond, Indiana (1980-1986), and Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Chesterton, Indiana, from 1986 until retirement in Dec. 2000.

At Chesterton, he led the congregation into new forms of ministry, and their choice to relocate, plan a campus of buildings, erect their first unit and lay plans for a soon to be erected worship center. While pastor of Bethlehem, he served as dean of the Northwest Indiana Conference of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod.

Throughout his ministry, he was on several Synod committees, chairing several of them. After retirement from the ELCA, he served several local congregations as "supply pastor" for Sunday services, on Outreach Committee, as call assistant and as interim pastor. His last pastoral service was as assistant interim pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church in La Porte with Pastor Dennis Meyer, whom he holds in high esteem and dearly loves as a pastor and close friend.

Chris is greatly loved by his family and all who ever met him. He has exuded love, endless generosity, warmth and optimism to everyone he came in contact with. He had the ability to make you feel valued and special no matter the circumstances. He will be missed beyond description.

A celebration of life will be held at 5 p.m. on Monday, July 7, 2025, at Bethany Lutheran Church, 102 G Street, La Porte, Indiana 46350, with Pastor Dennis Meyer officiating. A time to gather and share memories will be held from 3 p.m. until the time of service at 5 p.m. at the church.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Edmonds & Evans Funeral Home, 517 Broadway, Chesterton, Indiana.

He requested no flowers, but rather donations to Bethany Lutheran Church in La Porte, Indiana. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.ee-fh.com.