David Grauer

Dave was born in Le Mars, Iowa on August 20, 1945, just minutes before his twin brother, Dan. When he was very young, the family moved to Longview, WA, where he was raised by his mother and attended elementary and middle school. He and his three brothers attended high school at Concordia Lutheran High School in Portland, Oregon, which, at that time was a boys' boarding school. Dave then decided to go into the ministerial program at Concordia College, along with his older brother, Randy. After his two years at Concordia College he attended Concordia Senior College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Dave then attended Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, graduating in 1972. Prior to attending seminary however, something special happened. While attending school in Fort Wayne, Dave was planning to attend a football game in Seward, Nebraska that two of his brothers were playing in and wanted a date. That date ended up being Phyllis who was attending Concordia Teachers' College in Seward. The rest is history. Dave and Phyllis were married for 56 years until his death on November 1st, 2024.

During his time in ministry, Dave served 12 churches within the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, United Methodist Church, and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America before fully retiring in February 2013. Dave was always adventurous, very creative, and musically gifted, and used these gifts in any way he could in his ministry. At his first church he taught himself to play the banjo with encouragement of a good friend, who also helped him get a special banjo that stayed with him for the remainder of his years. He loved Bluegrass music and gatherings. He also began clowning, making his own costume and doing his own make-up, and used the gift for his ministry. He enjoyed having the church youth participate in using puppets in church services and would often make puppets out of different brushes and feather dusters. He had a love for doing children's sermons and baptizing infants, and enjoyed promoting the youth in church through activities and camps. He was much more than a minister - he was an amazing dad to his three children and an outstanding grandpa to his seven grandchildren as well as a wonderful uncle to 18 nieces and nephews - full of curiosity, adventure and love of being there for everyone he could. In his retirement he sang in the choir, played Santa Claus whenever he could, helped with Vacation Bible School, played his banjo, filled in for vacationing pastors, and enjoyed being part of a retired pastors' group. 

He was preceded in death by both of his parents, his twin brother Dan, and both of his parent-in-laws. He is survived by his lovely wife, Phyllis, brothers Randy and Dick with their spouses Beth and Gail, sister Rocky. sister-in-law Jane; three children Chelsea, Cicely and Seeff with their spouses Tom, Tra, and Stacy; and seven grandchildren Natalya (and Kraig), Awstace, Asher, Davari, Liam, Ryker and Tavear.