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Oliver Ketterling
Student pastor Oliver Ketterling followed Rev. Brost and served the Brethren Church from September 1949 to June 1951. Ketterling served the congregation while attending seminary at Western Evangelical Seminary in Portland, Oregon.
Oliver was born on September 7, 1923, and raised on the family farm near Streeter, North Dakota. He graduated from Napoleon High School and Ellendale College with a teaching certificate. Later, he attended and graduated from WestMar College, LeMars, Iowa, with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Before moving to Portland in 1948, he married Annetta Schlenker of Gackle, North Dakota.
After graduating with an MA in pastoral studies, he, Ann, and their two sons, Ronald and Bart, returned to North Dakota to serve in the Evangelical United Brethren Church, North Dakota Conference. His first assignment was at Linton, North Dakota, where he oversaw the construction of a church expansion, and their third son, Robert, was born. Oliver was then assigned to serve two churches, one in Hazen and one in Beulah, North Dakota. While there, he supervised the building of a new church at Hazen. After serving there for five years, he and his family moved to another dual pastorate at Tappen, North Dakota, with the second church at Medina. A third church was added to his assignment the following year, and he was assigned an assistant pastor, Clayton Schaeffer, to help with the preaching load. At this time, he also served as the Director of the Conference's Junior Camp for children. After eight years at Tappen, Oliver felt the Lord's call to move to California to pursue some additional education and begin teaching. They purchased their home in Glendora. Oliver attended Azusa Pacific University, then taught at West Covina Christian School and later in the El Monte Public School System. After retiring from teaching, he worked with H&R Block for 15 years, preparing taxes. While there, he earned his Enrolled Agent certification, demonstrating his proficiency in all areas of tax preparation.
Rev. Oliver Ketterling died on December 29, 2011, in Glendora, California.
Oliver was born on September 7, 1923, and raised on the family farm near Streeter, North Dakota. He graduated from Napoleon High School and Ellendale College with a teaching certificate. Later, he attended and graduated from WestMar College, LeMars, Iowa, with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Before moving to Portland in 1948, he married Annetta Schlenker of Gackle, North Dakota.
After graduating with an MA in pastoral studies, he, Ann, and their two sons, Ronald and Bart, returned to North Dakota to serve in the Evangelical United Brethren Church, North Dakota Conference. His first assignment was at Linton, North Dakota, where he oversaw the construction of a church expansion, and their third son, Robert, was born. Oliver was then assigned to serve two churches, one in Hazen and one in Beulah, North Dakota. While there, he supervised the building of a new church at Hazen. After serving there for five years, he and his family moved to another dual pastorate at Tappen, North Dakota, with the second church at Medina. A third church was added to his assignment the following year, and he was assigned an assistant pastor, Clayton Schaeffer, to help with the preaching load. At this time, he also served as the Director of the Conference's Junior Camp for children. After eight years at Tappen, Oliver felt the Lord's call to move to California to pursue some additional education and begin teaching. They purchased their home in Glendora. Oliver attended Azusa Pacific University, then taught at West Covina Christian School and later in the El Monte Public School System. After retiring from teaching, he worked with H&R Block for 15 years, preparing taxes. While there, he earned his Enrolled Agent certification, demonstrating his proficiency in all areas of tax preparation.
Rev. Oliver Ketterling died on December 29, 2011, in Glendora, California.
Sources
"Brief History of The Brethren Congregational Church." Evangelical Congregational Brethren Church. Trans. Joanne Krieger. Portland, OR: 2000. 1-6. Print.
Online Obituary for Rev. Oliver R. Ketterling (July 2015).
Online Obituary for Rev. Oliver R. Ketterling (July 2015).
Last updated October 7, 2025