We are grateful for the life of the Reverend Professor Dr. Helmut Koester, a longtime member of University Lutheran Church and professor at Harvard Divinity School, who died at home as 2015 turned to 2016. He was 89 years old. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Gisela; his children, Reinhild, Ulrich, Almut, and Heiko; his grandchildren; and all who mourn his loss. Please see Helmut's page on the University Lutheran Church website for more information, and share your memories here.
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Dear Helmut, you'll be missed so dearly and remembered generation after generation. James, Ethan, and I won't forget your love for us and your great teachings. You were a legend, and have been, and will always be, a role model for us. Our thoughts and prayers are with Gisela, Reinhild, Ulrich, Almut, Heiko, Christopher and the other grandchildren of Helmut. Deep condolences, Eunyung Lim
ReplyDeleteThirty years ago Helmut was eating dinner in our home in Temple, Texas (before speaking on his Aegean project at a Jr. College!). While I helped my wife with fixing the dinner, Helmut was in the living room with our two elementary school boys. When I went in to check on them, Helmut was crouched down behind a large chair with a cap pistol, exchanging verbal shots with my boys! It was a charming picture of an esteemed academic!
ReplyDeleteHelmut Koester was a wonderful man and a great professor. I am thankful for the years that I worshiped with him and Gisela at Uni-lu and appreciative of the semester I had him as a teacher. Thank you for making a space for those of us who are far away to share our memories and send our condolences. He will be missed.
ReplyDeleteI was a PhD candidate at Harvard when Helmut arrived on campus in 1958, barely able to speak English and just 10 years older than me. Helmut was a major influence on my professional career, and I am forever grateful for the advice, love, and good counsel that he extended to me both at Harvard and throughout my career. We have lost a giant of a man.
ReplyDeleteHe had a twinkle in his eye, a dapper bow tie and oh so much knowledge of the nooks and crannies of God's creation. And he delighted in sharing it all with us. He will be missed but will live in our hearts and memories.
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