Bio: Burkholz, Paul J. Jr., Pastor (1893 - 1956)
Poster: R. Lipprandt
Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Burkholz, Milbrath

----Source: The Centennial Booklet of Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church, 1876 - 1976, page 40

Burkholz, Paul J. Jr. (May 16, 1893 - April 16, 1956)

“Sons Of The Congregation Who Entered The Ministry”

Paul J. Burkholz, Jr., son of Rev. and Mrs. Paul Burkholz, Sr., was born in Renville, Minnesota on May 16, 1893.

He came to Medford with his parents, when his father accepted the call to Immanuel’s congregation in 1897.

He graduated from Concordia College in Milwaukee in preparation to enter the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Wauwatosa, from which he graduated in 1915.

He was ordained on August 15, 1915, by his father in Trinity Lutheran Church in Mequon, Wisconsin.

In November of 1915, he was married to Miss Alma Milbrath and the marriage was blessed with three sons: Earl, who died as an infant; Paul Jr. and Edward, the only surviving member of the family who has furnished the information for our publication.

His first call was to a mission church in Cornell, Wisconsin, and served there for about one and one half years.

While in Cornell, he accepted a pastoral call to the David Star Ev. Lutheran Church at Kirchhayn, Wisconsin.

Late in 1923, he received a call from Siloah Ev. Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, where he was installed in January 2, 1924, which he served for a period of twenty-six years. The congregation has 200 communicant members in 1924 and about 2,000 communicants in 1956 when the Lord called him.

Pastor Burkholz suddenly was called by the Lord on April 16, 1956 at the age of 62 years, at the wheel of his automobile when he returned form a dinner where he was the guest of honor at a Lutheran men’s organization, the Martin Club.

Pastor Burkholz’s son Edward informed us that his father had many joys and much satisfaction in serving the Lord. He had the privilege to observe his 40th anniversary in the ministry, the privilege of the completion and dedication of the fine church structure of his congregation and many others, but most of his joy was in doing he Lord’s work, which was evidenced by his enthusiastic spirit and determined effort. With God’s help, he applied his talents in the interest of building the Kingdom of God. Along with this, he loved and found time to spend with his family.

The closing sentence of Edward Burkholz’s letter was “My grandfather and father often talked about their happy days in Medford.”