Arthur H. Hawlicheck was born July 20th, 1913 in Bronx, New York He was a graduate of Concordia Collegiate institute, Bronxville, N.Y. and of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo, the class of 1937. Pastor Hawlicheck served the Inner City Mission of New York City from 1937 – 1942. He then became pastor of Trinity Church, North Bergen, New Jersey from 1942-1945. Since 1945, he served St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church of Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
Pastor Hawlicheck accepted the call to Trinity Lutheran Church May 25th and he was installed July 16th, 1961. The Service of Installation also included the installation of Mr. Robert Herrmann as Trinity School Principal. Rev. Louis Grother, Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Kalamazoo. was the preacher for the Installation Service. He was a friend and classmate of Pastor Hawlicheck. The liturgist was he Rev. Marvin Hueller and the officiant was Rev. Walter Pieper, Counselor of the Manistee Circuit. The organist was Mrs. Alva Payne, Trinity’s long time organist. The acolytes were Richard Lichty and Tom Menzel. Tom has returned to Traverse City (2005) and is now Executive Director of The Cherry Festival.
Pastor Hawlicheck’s family included his wife, Adele, a son John who had just graduated from high school age 17 and Naomi who was 10. Naomi attended Trinity Lutheran School. Mrs. Hawlicheck was a Licensed Practical Nurse. They were married 25 Dec. 1937.
The May 28, 1961 Trinity Bulletin states his work program for the first months of his pastorate was an every member visitation, an outreach to the community which would include radio broadcasting and outdoor services. In the August 13, 1961 Bulletin Pastor was presenting a series of presentations of Lutheran doctrine and practice. Among Pastor’s other interests were painting, woodworking and playing the organ.
Pastor Hawlicheck was given a peaceful dismissal so he could accept the call to St. Paul’s Church of Patterson, New Jersey. He will leave after July 12, 1964. (Trinity Bulletin June 21, 1964) He left St. Paul’s in 1968 and retired in 1976. No information was available as to what church he may have served between those years.
From the February 2006 issue of The Lutheran Witness we find Rev. Arthur H. Hawlicheck’s obituary. He died Oct. 2, 2004 in Simsbury, CT. He was the son of Arthur Sr. and Frieda (Iffland) Hawlicheck. Survivors are son John and daughter Naomi Torell. Funeral was October 5, 2004 in Avon, CT. with interment October 5, 2004 in Collinsville, CT.
From The Lutheran an ELCA publication of April 5, 2005, we find Pastor Hawlicheck died 2 October 2004 in Simsbury, CT at the age of 91. His wife, Adele, died a year earlier on 5 February 2003. (ELCA Roster)