Kenneth George Biel
Kenneth George Biel
Kenneth George Biel,
1926-2012
In the embrace of his four children and his wife of 65
years, Reverend Ken Biel passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of
June 15, 2012, having lived a rich and enriching life of ministry to family,
friends, parishioners, and strangers alike. No one who met him ever remained a
stranger for long. He will be deeply missed but remembered fondly by the
hundreds of people whose lives he touched.
Ken was born on February 22, 1926 in Java, South Dakota,
attended Yankton College in Yankton, South Dakota, and was ordained into the
ministry of the Congregational Church, United Church of Christ (UCC) in 1947.
His “official” ministry continued for 44 years, when he retired from his
position as Senior Pastor of Columbine United Church in Littleton, CO. From
1947 through 1962, he served German Congregational Churches, leading services
in both English and German, in Au Gres, Michigan, Sidney, Montana, and
Portland, Oregon. From 1962 through 1991, Ken served churches associated with
the United Church of Christ (UCC) in Glendive, Montana, Rock Springs, Wyoming,
and Littleton, Colorado. Following official retirement in 1991, he remained
active in the ministry for another eight years, serving one year as conference
minister for the Colorado Conference of the UCC, and several stints as interim
pastor in churches throughout Colorado.
Ken, with the support of his wife
Caroline, always found new ways to expand horizons and experiences for himself
and his family, whether that was hosting a foreign exchange student, spending a
summer living in New York City where he attended Union Theological Seminary,
taking the family to live in Germany for a year, where he served a Protestant
church in Offenburg and provided a liaise with the church in East Germany, or
studying for his Ph.D. in Theology at San Francisco Theological Seminary. He
and Caroline also took advantage of numerous exchanges with fellow ministers in
England and Germany. Singing was another lifelong passion, and his full,
distinctive baritone voice rose in song with numerous church and secular choirs
throughout his life. When he did stay home, he kept an immaculate yard and glorious
rose gardens.
It was fitting that Ken died just
before Father’s Day, for he was a wonderful, nurturing, and patient father. He
had a profound influence not only on the lives of his children but on his
colleagues and parishioners. He will be remembered for his warmth and loving
spirit. He is survived by his wife Caroline Biel of Boise,
a
daughter Po Hall of Livingston, MT and grandsons Brook, Tavo, and Jesse Hall; a
son Tim Biel and his wife Melanie of Phoenix, AZ, their son Justin and daughter
Anga; a son Tom Biel and his wife Colleen of Milwaukee, WI and their sons
Julius and Leo; daughter Sara Chase of Boise, her daughter Kerri and stepsons
Ben and Jeremy.
A memorial service will be held
at Columbine United Church in Littleton at 10:30 AM Monday, July 9, 2012. In
lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Columbine United Church of
Littleton, CO or the Alzheimer’s Association of Idaho.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Kenneth George Biel, please visit our flower store.
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