Rev. Dr. Walter Stuhr, 2015 President's Alum Award

Rev. Dr. Stuhr

Walter Stuhr was born in Minnepolis, son of what was then called a clergy couple.  His family moved through St. Paul, Minn., Hartford, Waukesha and Portage, Wisconsin, until they heard the call of Dr. James Prince Beasom to come out West, to live in Alhambra.

Wally said that becoming a pastor was the only career he could think seriously about.  As a junior in high school, at Grace Lutheran Church, he announced with three others that he was going to seminary.  Classmate H. George Anderson and he were the only two who followed through.  They both went to Yale University, and Wally married his high school sweetheart, Bobby.

He pre-enrolled for Central Seminary in Fremont, Neb., but ended up attending “our seminary” in Berkeley.  His first year, the dormitory was completed.  He interned at Trinity Lutheran   Church in Pasadena and returned to the campus to welcome new faculty, Victor Gold in Old Testament.  His first call was the Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sacramento, a five-year-old congregation on mission status.  There were lots of baptisms and few funerals.  They built a first and second unit, the members doing a lot of the work themselves.  His mentors included Rudy Ramseth and Bob Romeis.

With the help of PLTS professor Ted Bachmann, Wally entered grad school at the University of Chicago in 1963.  He studied Ethics and Society under Gibson Winter, with the influence of Harvey Cox.  He was involved in community organizing, and concentrated on community involvement of church pastors.

In 1967, Wally came to teach at PLTS, at the invitation of President Charles Cooper, working with his former professors.  He became director of internships and field education, and later of student development under President Bill Lesher.  During this time, he served as host to both radio and television programs.

When Dr. Lesher left for the seminary in Chicago, Wally was named acting president, then chosen to continue the job.  He admits both his strengths in public and student relations, and in  multicultural and academic development, as well as his weakness in fund-raising.  He was a great encourager of students in recognizing and activating their individual potentials.  He understood the place of PLTS in forming church leaders who knew that the church was no longer dominant in society, and who would form alliances with other denominations, especially the Roman Catholic Church.  He was also on the very theological forefront of welcoming GLBTQ folks into the mainstream of the Lutheran church.

After finshing his time as president of PLTS, Wally stayed on the faculty, serving for a while as academic dean, before his retirement in 1998.

The Stuhrs raised two daughters and one son in their home in Richmond.  Bobby died a few years ago, and Wally still lives in the house, prompted to take local and overseas trips by his long-time friend and long-time supporter of the seminary, Bob Brorby.  Wally will always be known for his kind and gentle nature, his commitment to the church and the city, and his enigmatic smile.