Surrounded by the love of beloved companions nearby and far away, Pastor Fred Gehrs died at Royal Jubilee Hospital on June 3, 2026, following a heart attack earlier in the week. Fred was born on February 21,1939, in Chicago IL. He was the youngest child of Gerhard and Martha (Drebes) Gehrs. He spent formative years in Crystal, ND and loved the people and land of rural North Dakota throughout his life.
On July 28, 1963, Fred married Karen Steiner of Jackson, MN. In a marriage full of love, care, humour and generosity, they took care of each other from the day they met and were always looking for ways to serve their neighbours and encourage the church. They had three children: the late Lisa Gehrs, Ken Gehrs (Alice Palmer), and Paul Gehrs (Melanie Whyte). They also have two grandchildren: Emma Gehrs-Whyte and Andrew Gehrs-Whyte.
Fred was ordained as a pastor with the Lutheran church on June 14, 1964. He served for twenty years in ministry with deaf people, first in Manitoba and then in British Columbia. Subsequently, he served for twenty years as a prison chaplain with Correctional Service Canada, first in Ontario and then in British Columbia. He retired in 2005. Fred was an active member of Christ Lutheran Church, in Chilliwack, BC for many years. In August 2025, Fred and Karen moved to Sidney, BC to live with their son Ken. They shifted their membership to Lutheran Church of the Cross in Victoria and also enjoyed worshiping at St. Andrew Anglican Church in Sidney.
Fred lived a good, long and faithful life. He will be missed by many family, friends, neighbours and colleagues.
Fred was predeceased by his daughter Lisa in 1999. He was also predeceased by his brother Gerhard Gehrs Jr. and sister-in-law Marilyn Gehrs; his brother-in-law Duane Steiner and sister-in-law Carolyn Steiner.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lisa Gehrs Scholarship Fund of Martin Luther University College (www.luther.wlu.ca), or to the Endowment Fund of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (www.elcic.ca), or a charity of one’s choice.
A memorial service will be held on June 16, 2026, at 2:00 pm pacific time at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Victoria B.C. The service will be live-streamed (www.lutheranvictoria.ca).
A flood of memories came to mind when I heard of Fred’s passing – encounters with the Gehrs family in Ontario, BC, and Manitoba. My sympathies and prayers continue to be with the rest of the family. Rest in peace, good and faithful servant.