Willis Paul Ude

Retired Chaplain Willis Paul Ude of Hendersonville, North Carolina, passed away at 4:15pm Thursday, June 18th, 2009 at the Elizabeth House in Flat Rock, NC.

Bill was born on September 29, 1926 in Deshler, Nebraska, the son of Paul Adolf Ude and Albertina Anne Kahle Ude. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Deshler. Bill married Margaret Elizabeth Thomas on April 30, 1955 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

He attended St. Peters Lutheran Parochial School for his elementary education and St. Johns in Winfield, Kansas from 1940 until he graduated college. Willis attended Concordia Lutheran Seminary for ministries. He was ordained in 1951 as a Lutheran Minister. After his ordination, he served in the United States Navy as a Chaplain for over 20 years, participating in the Korean War and the Vietnam War; earning the Navy Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with Combat Action Ribbon and Korean Defense Service Medal.

After retiring from the Navy, Chaplain Ude received a Masters Degree in Psychological Counseling from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. He began his second career of service to our Lord and Savior as a Minister to Grace Lutheran Church in Killen, Texas. He was the circuit counselor in Texas where he also ministered and served as vacancy pastors to St. Pauls Lutheran in The Grove, Texas, Zion Lutheran Church in Walberg, Texas, and St. Peters Lutheran Church in Gun Barrel City, Texas.

Chaplain and Mrs. Ude moved to Hendersonville 13 years ago where he continued in the ministry of our Lord witnessing to others and serving as vacancy pastor for Bethlehem Lutheran in Johnson City, Tennessee, Holy Trinity Lutheran in Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia and Trinity Lutheran Church in Tryon, North Carolina. He was a member of Mount Pisgah Lutheran Church in Hendersonville.

He was an outdoor adventurer, with a love of fishing and hunting. Bill also enjoyed classical music and the Big Band sound. His sense of humor, kindness and compassion was legendary.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret Elizabeth Thomas Ude, of Hendersonville; three sons, Paul Alan Ude of Denver, Colorado, Charles Steven Ude, of Asheville, NC, and Mark Frederick Ude of Pago Pago, American Samoa; and two daughters, Kathryn Ann Ude of Bedford, Texas and Karen Elizabeth Ude of Hendersonville.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral Services will be held Friday morning, June 26, 2009 at 9:30am at Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church. Interment and Military Honors will follow at 2pm at Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain. The family will receive friends Thursday, June 25, 2009 from 6 to 8pm at Shuler Funeral Home.

The family request donations be made to Missions Funds, Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church, 2606 Chimney Rock Road, Hendersonville, NC, 28792 or Four Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care, 571 S. Allen Road, Flat Rock, NC 28731.