Erno L. Szedlak

Ernö Leopold Szedlak, 90, was called home to his Lord and Savior on December 30, 2025. Ernö, son of Máté Szedlak and Theresia [nee Heiling], was born on May 16, 1935, in Rajka, Hungary. Ernst was baptized “In the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” on June 2, 1935, at the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession, in Rajka where he also attended the church’s Lutheran school.  In 1945, he escaped with his parents, sister and brother from what was then Russian-occupied Hungary to West Germany and attended the Volksschule in Bachenau and Gundelsheim. He was confirmed at the Lutheran Church in Gundelsheim and received as his confirmation verse Revelation 2:10: “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” He emigrated with his parents and siblings to the United States in October 1951 and attended high school in River Falls, Wisconsin. After high school he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served for 3 years in Alaska, during which time he received his U.S. citizenship. Returning home to River Falls, he attended Wisconsin State University in River Falls, and then Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, Illinois. He served his vicarage at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Winnipeg, Canada, where he met his wife of 62 years, Doreen Alberta Schaefer. 

In 1964 he was ordained into the Holy Ministry and received his first call as a missionary to Japan, where he served for 10 years. While serving at St. John in Bibai, Hokkaido, they were blessed with three daughters. Returning from Japan, he served as pastor at congregations in Indiana for 6 years (Concordia in Hammond; Trinity in Westville and St. Paul in Otis), and in North Dakota for 18 years (St. Paul in St. Thomas and St. John in Crystal). He retired from the full time pastoral ministry in 1998. In retirement Ernö and Doreen made their home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to be nearer to their children and grandchildren. For the next 15 years, as his health permitted, he continued to do supply preaching for fellow pastors of the LCMS. 

One of Ernö’s many favorite Bible passages is: “He [Christ Jesus] died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died and rose for them.” (2 Corinthians 5:15) He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Anna Fazeli.  

He is survived by his wife, daughters: Rebecca (Oliver) Young,  Sarah (Robert) Detlaff, and Ruth (Latif) Gaba;  grandchildren: Olivia (Eric) Zange, Benjamin Young, and Eleanor Young, Rachel (Chris) Grenz, David Detlaff and Hannah (Zach) Scheffel; and his brother, Máté Szedlak Jr.  

Funeral services will take place on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Visitation will be at 9 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 10:30 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, Cleghorn (E3720 County Road HH, Eleva, Wisconsin) with Pastor Preston Paul officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with a lunch to follow. 

The family would like to extend their thanks to staff at Milestone Senior Living and Heartland Hospice for the care they provided.

Memorials preferred to Zion Lutheran Church Cleghorn and LCMS Missions to Japan.

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