A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 11 a.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1133 Reston Avenue, Herndon.
Monte Emanuel Frohm, born: March 19, 1942; died in Christ: Oct. 11, 2018.
A native of Cheyenne, Wyo., Monte was baptized into Christ on Easter Sunday, 1942. He was nurtured by a Christian family and the parochial school system of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod:
Trinity Lutheran School, Cheyenne, Wyo., where he was profoundly impressed by the manner in which his teachers, Linton and Dorothy Ellwein, embodied Christian servanthood.
Concordia High School, Seward, Neb., class of 1960, where he was a three-sport athlete, playing on three state champion teams, and was recognized as one of Nebraska’s outstanding pitchers. Under his photo in the school yearbook are the words: “Underclassman’s Idol.”
Concordia Junior College, Austin, Texas, class of 1962, where he stepped out of his comfort zone and played a leading role in a number of dramas.
Concordia Senior College, Ft. Wayne, Ind., class of 1964, where he was chosen as a dormitory proctor, and selected as an all-conference pitcher, playing on two conference baseball championship teams.
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo., class of 1968, where he was his class representative on the seminary’s Committee on Academic Affairs.
A constant in each of these Concordia schools was that he sang in the a capella choir, played baseball and wrote for or edited the student newspaper.
As part of his seminary education he was assigned to a year of vicarage/internship at Ascension Lutheran Church, Charlotte, N.C., under the supervision of the Rev. Dr. Leslie Frerking. It was customary that the vicar dined at the Frerking table on Friday evenings and that is where he met Susan. In the course of the dinner, Susan looked at him and said, “I’ll tell you one thing. I’ll never marry a minister.”
Although Monte was stunned he had the presence of mind to reply, “So, who’s asking?” The rest of the story is that they were, indeed, married on June 25, 10 months into his vicarage.
He and Susan returned to the seminary for Monte’s fourth year, after which he received the call to a new mission, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Mobile, Ala., where he served for two years, 1968-1970.
In 1970, he accepted the call to All Saints Lutheran Church, Charlotte, N.C., where he and Susan spent seven happy years during which they were nurtured by a loving congregation and, in turn, led congregational growth that enabled the church to move from receiving subsidy from the Southeastern District to self-support.
In 1977, he accepted the call to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Reston, where they served for thirty years, until his retirement in 2007.
It was his great joy to have a hand in the relocation of the church from Moorings Drive to Old Reston Avenue. The current building expresses his belief that Church architecture ought to present the glorious biblical story with such clarity that even a young child might grasp the reality of what God is up to in this world, and that God has revealed himself most profoundly in the cross of Christ.
As a Lutheran, Monte understood the power of the spoken word, and his sermons were not the reading of a document, but an event.
Monte influenced hundreds of people. It is not without significance that twelve men who were in some way connected with the congregations he served have entered into the pastoral ministry or are currently in the seminary.
He played a small but important role (parish pastor) in a small scene (The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod) of the grand drama of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. And the glory of his life is that he was, and remains, one with God, through Jesus Christ.
He is survived by: Susan, his wife of fifty-one years; three children: David (and Megan) of Purcellville, Va.; Jonathan (and Shannon) of South Riding, Va.; and Jessica (and Les) Cullen of Cumming, Ga.; eight grandchildren: Zacary Edward, Luke Emanuel and Madeline Elizabeth Frohm; Katherine Marie and Mark Emanuel Frohm; Hannah Susan, James Leslie and Mary Margaret Cullen; sisters Rosalyn Wintermeyer (Georgetown, Texas) and Bonnie Wartman (Emigrant, Mont.).
Monte’s Confirmation Verse: “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” Revelation 3:11b
In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to the following:
Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, Saint Louis, MO 63105
Lutheran Hospice, Upstate Office, 429 North Main Street, Ste. 3, Greenville, SC 29601
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 11 a.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1133 Reston Avenue, Herndon.