Frederic George Kosanke

August 26, 1925 ~ September 28, 2010
Resided in:
Hendersonville, NC
Hendersonville – Pastor Frederic George Kosanke, 85, of Hendersonville, died Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at the Elizabeth House.
A native of Watertown, Wisconsin, he was the son of the late Frederic Ernst and Leona Egelhoff Kosanke. Pastor Kosanke was a Lutheran minister. A 1952 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin, Pastor Kosanke served 46 years as a pastor in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). He served congregations in Altura (Jehovah Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1952-1956) and Goodhue, Minnesota, and Kimberly (Mount Calvary Lutheran Church from 1962-1968) and Elkhorn, Wisconsin. From 1989 – 1998 he served Our Savior Lutheran Church on Oakland Street in Hendersonville, and continued to preach during his retirement at Living Savior Lutheran Church in south Asheville, NC.
In addition to serving in a variety of ways at Living Savior, he and his wife were avid photographers. Frederic served as president of the Hendersonville Camera Club. He also loved to hike and cut firewood.
He is survived by his wife, Rhoda Borgschatz Kosanke and five children: Grace Laird and her husband, Charles; Rebecca Cothran and her husband, James; John Kosanke and his wife, Maria Irma; Daniel Kosanke and his wife, Cynthia Spicer; and Amalee Tyack and her husband, Charles; eight grandchildren: Madison, Brendan and Isaac Cothran; Reno Kosanke; Andrew and Audrey Spicer; and Bronwyn and Gillian Tyack. Rev. Kosanke is also survived by one sister, Ruth Huston of West Des Moines, Iowa; one niece and three nephews.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 am until 11:30 am Saturday, with a memorial service beginning at 12 noon on Saturday at the Living Savior Lutheran Church on Overlook Road in South Asheville. A meal will follow in the church fellowship hall.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Living Savior Lutheran Church, 301 Overlook Road, Asheville, NC 28803 or to Four Seasons Compassion for Life, 571 South Allen Road, Flat Rock, NC 28731.
We will miss him. We Loved him and you dearly. Enjoyed the times we had.
Howard will surely be missed by all friends and family. He was a
friend and everyone that had the opportunity to meet him recieved a blessing and a heart-felt ‘Hello’, along with a friendly smile. Upon getting to be with him on his last days (Cindy’s brother in same nursing home), he did speak quite a bit about his Lord. We will see him again in Heaven. Our condolences to family and other friends.
Our hearts go out to you all at this sad time. We hold you in our prayers, and are sorry we cannot be there in person.
We always enjoyed our visits to Hendersonville and the house in the woods with huge stacks of firewood and warm hospitality.
I remember the summers when my brother, David, and I would be driven up to Wisconsin or Minnesota to spend time with our wonderful uncle, at the rural parsonages where he served groups of German-speaking congregations. Playing in the bales of hay in the shed, being dive-bombed by red-winged blackbirds, caring for the flock of goslings, and watching woodpeckers raise their babies in an eye-level hole in a big old apple tree are just some of the memories.
Then, when he married his beautiful wife, Rhoda, we got to visit Platteville, Wisconsin, where we climbed up ‘The Big M,’ hoping and dreading that we would see one of the rattlesnakes that supposedly lived on the hill.
During one winter visit to somewhere in Wisconsin or Minnesota, I remember climbing the icy mounds of a giant snow fort built in the church parking lot by the children of the church.
I have many wonderful memories of my Uncle Fritz and his family, my cousins, with whom we spent some beautiful vacations at little lakes in the North Woods.
We will miss him, but will always be thankful for the love and kindness that he showed to us, and to so many others during his long life of service to God.
Uncle Fritz was a great uncle to have. All the family get-togethers were fun and filled with good memories. He will be missed by all of us. Mark
The Grady family expresses sincere condolences for your loss. We are very sad to hear the news and hope you will find comfort knowing we all love and pray for you during this time of sadness. God Bless.
We are so sorry to hear of Frederic’s passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Thou will keep thee in perfect peace whose minds is stayed on thee. Isaiah 26:3
Dear Rhoda & family,
My sympathy to you and your family. I know you will all miss him but heaven will rejoice at his coming. It is such a comfort to know that is our ultimate goal –
Take care and God in the name of Jesus Christ be with you all!
My sympathy goes out to Mrs. Kosanke and her family. I only met Pastor a couple of times when he stopped in Altura on some of his visits up north. But most important, even if I don’t remember it, was he baptized me on September 16th, 1956. The Lord blessed us with his ministry, as He did others, and it is a joy to know that he is now serving the Lord in heaven. May the Lord continue to be with you all.
Dear Friends, so sorry to hear of Pastor’s passing. It brings to mind all the wonderful memories when we were together at First Lutheran. We often reminis of the vacation we had at your home in Hendersonville. He has now reached the goal he set before us as our Pastor and we know we will meet again in our Savior’s loving arms. God’s blessings Rhoda to you and your entire family. Herman and Terri
Aunt Rhoda, cousins and family–
My heart goes out to you as you gather with friends and family to say goodbye to a man I know as Uncle Fritz. I wish we could be with you right now and I know my mother feels the same.
I’ve always admired and loved my uncle. I remember his stories of adventures in Germany as a young man; his commitment to his family; his devotion to his mother, my grandmother; and his theological knowledge and intellect. He was a good man and devoted to God and serving God’s people. The world will be a lesser place without him. I will remember his smile and his appreciation of family and tradition. He did many things to hold on to our family heritage and to remain connected to far flung relatives. My sympathy, my love, and my thoughts are with you–Mary
I loved my brother. I am so sorry he has left this life. I wish that I could be there. My love to Rhoda and the children.
I remember many times we got together for vacations and family time. I will miss him so.
If you gather in Wisconsin, I hope to join you.
Love, Ruth
Dear Mrs. Kosanke and Family,
My deepest sympathy to you on the loss of your loved one now fallen asleep. I thank God for Pastor Kosanke and his ministry to me and my family at First Lutheran in Elkhorn. It was a blessing to be instructed and confirmed by him. May you all take comfort in knowing that He is now at Home with His Maker, Redeemer, and Comforter in Eternity. God Bless You all!
We are deeply saddened to hear of Pastor Kosanke’s death. I remember the last time I saw him at my Dad’s funeral and how important that was to me as well as the family and I am sorry we were not able to attend the funeral but please convey our deepest sympathy to the family and know that you all will be in our prayers. Sincerely, Jim Hoffmann
Frederick was my mother’s (Irene Roeder Ewing) first cousin. He was a wonderful cousin and friend to our family. The last time I saw him was October 2007, when he officiated at my mother’s funeral. He did such a wonderful and personal service. He was always kind and helpful. When my father did the family history, he did some research to provide my father with some pertinent information. About five years ago, Rhoda and he came to visit for a week. We had such a good and enriching time together. I will miss his long and informative letters and good insight to things political. He almost always enclosed pictures of interest. I know Rhoda and their children and grandchildren will miss him soo much. He lived for God and to serve others. What more can I say. I know that there is great rejoicing in Heaven now!! I too will miss him. I’m sorry I didn’t know when the funeral was; my husband and I would have come to celebrate his life of service to our Lord. Love, Susan
Hi,
My mother just found out about Pastor and told me today. I am very sorry to hear the sad news. But I rejoice that he is in heaven reunited with his family and loved ones who have gone before him. You are in my prayers.
Carol Speed, Pastor Wilmer Hoffmann’s daughter.
In this sad time of your loss the Yoder family expresses sincere condolences for your family. Please take comfort in the fact that Frederic is with the Lord and in a greater place. His spirt lives and will continue to touch those he helped guide in life.
God Bless
I was saddened to hear the news of Frederic’s passing and wanted to let you know that my prayers and sympathy are with all of you during this time of sorrow.