|
| |
John Dennis Trefzger was born in Peoria, IL on September 4, l923, the eldest child of C. J. "Joe", Sr. and Dorothy Trockur Trefzger. He attended public schools in Peoria, and worked part-time in his family's Trefzger’s Bakery during his high school and college days. He participated in four varsity sports at Peoria Woodruff High School, graduating as salutatorian of his class in l94l. In 2007 John received the Woodruff High School Distinguished Alumni Award.
He attended Bradley University before World War II, where he majored in chemistry and lettered in track for two years as a distance runner. At Bradley University John was a member of Sigma Phi Fraternity. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in l942, serving for 3 1/2 years as an engine specialist with the rank of sergeant in the 4th Combat Cargo Group in India and Burma. He served as Chaplain of the Varsity “B” Men’s Club for over 25 years.
He married Marilyn Wilson of Peoria IL in Glen Oak Christian Church on June 9, l946. They have three sons: Dr. Richard C. (Nancy),and Robert T. (Connie),of Bloomington, and James E. (Dorothy) of Champaign. They have six grandchildren: Emily Campos (Magdiel) and Paul and Sarah Trefzger of Bloomington; Michael Trefzger of Hollywood, CA; Amy Curry (Michael) of Grayslake IL; and John R. Trefzger of Champaign IL. There are 8 great grandchildren.: Noah Benzing, Sabrina and Charlie Campos, Connor and Olivia Crawford and 3 step great grandchildren: Octavio, Julian and Alan Campos.
Following World War II, John enrolled at Eureka College as a pre-ministerial student, graduating magna cum laude in l948. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Lexington Theological Seminary, Kentucky, with honors in 1951. Student pastorates served were the Bryant Christian Church in Illinois and the Oxford Christian Church in Kentucky.
In l965 he became the youngest person ever to receive an honorary doctorate from Eureka College. Later, in l977, he earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, IN.
The Rev. Dr. Trefzger served as senior pastor of the following churches: First Christian Church, Waukegan IL (1951-1957); First Christian Church, Bloomington, IL (1957-1973); First Christian Church, South Bend, IN (1973-1980); First Christian Church, Bloomington, IN (1980-1983), when he retired from pastoral ministry. In l984 both John and Marilyn were called to be associate regional ministers of The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Illinois and Wisconsin, with offices at l0ll N. Main Street in Bloomington, IL. They served in this capacity until both retired at the close of l988. After this retirement he served as Interim Pastor of 7 congregations. In retirement Trefzger served for 13 years in Naples, Florida as an RV Camp Chaplain. He was named Pastor Emeritus of the Naples KOA in 2002.
For a number of years the Rev. Dr. Trefzger directed summer conferences for high school youth of the Christian Church in Illinois. He served for ten years on the Commission on the Ministry for the Illinois Disciples of Christ, and eleven years on the Commission on Evangelism. In l959 he was elected President of the Illinois Disciples Ministers Fellowship, and in l967 was named President of the Illinois Disciples of Christ Convention, which was held in Decatur, IL. From l978 to l982 he was chairman of the Ecumenical Concerns Commission of the Christian Church in Indiana, and Vice-Moderator of the Christian Church in Indiana, l982-84.
Over a period of 27 years, l951-l978, The Rev. Dr. Trefzger served four six-year terms as a Trustee of Eureka College, and was elected to seven one-year terms as President of the Board. During this time, Ronald W. Reagan, then Governor of California, served a term as a Trustee of Eureka College.
On a national level of the Christian Church, he served for l4 years on the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Year Book Committee. He also served on the Home and State Missions Planning Council and participated in various capacities on a number of programs of the International Convention and General Assembly of the Christian Church. The Rev. Dr. Trefzger was a member of the Interfaith Relations Committee of the World Convention of the Churches of Christ in the l970's.
Inter-denominationally, he served terms as President of the Council of Churches and Ministerial Associations in both Waukegan and Bloomington, IL. In Waukegan he had a weekly radio program for several years called "Religion in the News" which featured interdenominational cooperation among the various churches on a national as well as world level. He was a leader in numerous study programs relating to the Consultation on Church Union (COCU) in the 1970's.
For ten years The Rev. Dr. Trefzger played the role of the Apostle John in the American Passion Play in Bloomington. His membership in Rotary International began in l962. The Bloomington Rotary Club honored him in l983 as a Paul Harris Fellow. For many years he served on the McLean County Welfare Committee, and for a number of years he served on the executive committee of the McLean County United Community Services. In l97l he was the United Way fund raising chairman. From l97l to l973 he was a member of the Sister City Committee relating to Asahikawa, Japan.
In June of l973 the Trefzgers led a group of 22 persons to the Far East. It was the first group from Bloomington-Normal to visit the Japanese Sister City since the program began in l962. John and Marilyn led numerous tours around the world during the l970's and l980's with an emphasis on understanding people and their cultures. Both John and Marilyn were members of the Cursillo Community, and served as clergy on a number of Cursillo teams.
The Rev. Dr. Trefzger was a member of Arts and Crafts Masonic Lodge of Bloomington #l0l7, and later affiliated with Bloomington Lodge #43. He was affiliated with both the York Rite and Scottish Rite bodies. He was a past Most Wise Master of The Rose Croix of Scottish Rite in the Valley of Bloomington, IL. In l967 he received the 33rd degree in Scottish Rite Masonry in Pittsburgh, PA.
He wrote numerous articles for various religious publications and journals. He developed a five-year program for Bible Reading for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and in l977 wrote a book entitled, "READING THE BIBLE WITH UNDERSTANDING', which enjoyed great popularity.
He was a life member of both the Disciples of Christ Historical Society and the Council on Christian Unity.
He has been listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the Midwest, and Who's Who in Religion. In 2002 he was named Minister Emeritus of First Christian Church in Bloomington, IL.
Throughout his 60 plus years as a Christian Church minister, he sought to focus on persons of all ages in their needs in times of joy and sorrow. In his ministry he recorded over 55,000 pastoral calls. His preaching was always Biblically based, sharing the good news of God’s love through Christ Jesus.
Marilyn and John moved into an apartment in Luther Oaks in 2009.
Marilyn died on August 30,2010 after battling leukemia.
Son Richard died on November 17, 2012 after battling metastatic prostate cancer.
|
