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Born March 30, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York
Passed Away January 24, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas
Jeff was born, raised and lived most of his life in New York City. He was the first of two children born to LeRoy and Bertha Lange, to be followed 5 years later by his sister, Kathleen, with whom he has always shared a close bond. Both loved reading and taking really long walks on the sands of Jones Beach near their home in Bellmore, Long Island.
In 1961, Jeff received a Bachelor of Arts from Wagner College (now an ELCA affiliate) and a Masters of Science from New York University two years later before spending nearly 18 years as an applied mathematician. During that time, Jeff married his college sweetheart and had a son, Philip Gregory Lange. The marriage didn’t last, but Jeff’s love for his son grew stronger with every passing year. About that time, Jeff began taking night classes at General Theological Seminary in Manhattan, and while teaching a new members’ class at Saint Peter’s Church in 1981, he met his future wife, Marilyn Gallaway Lowther, a native Texan who had moved to New York to work in advertising. They married in 1984 with 19-year old Philip serving as his father’s Best Man.
After graduating in 1983 with a Masters of Divinity, Jeff interned at New Hope Lutheran Church in Jamaica, Queens, which was followed by a year at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and – finally - by ordination in May of 1985. His first call was to the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in St. Alban’s, Queens, where he served from 1985 to 1994.
Then, in October of 1994, he and Marilyn moved to Texas so that she could take a call to Hosanna! Lutheran Church just east of San Antonio. Jeff then accepted a call to yet another church named the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection where he served for twenty years, from 1997 to 2017. Then, upon retiring, he continued to work three mornings a week as a volunteer Chaplain at Methodist Hospital. It had taken him so long to become a pastor, and he wanted to continue serving as long as he was able.
Jeffrey was preceded in death by his father and mother, LeRoy Jeffrey Lange and Bertha Miller Lange; his son Philip Gregory Lange and Philip’s mother Doris Mueller Lange.
He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Gallaway Lowther Lange; his sister, Kathleen Lange Kugler and her husband Richard and their sons Christopher Scott Kugler (wife Stephanie and their children Ethan, Logan and Arial) and Matthew Brett Kugler (wife Amancay and their children Diana and Gabriel).
A funeral service will be held Monday, February 19, at 1:00 p.m. at
House of Prayer Lutheran Church,10226 Ironside Dr, San Antonio, TX 78230
(corner of Wurzbach Road and Ironside Dr.). Clergy are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is purple.
We remember Jeff's family and friends in our prayers and trust that the promise of the Resurrection is true and sure.
In Christ,
Bishop Sue Briner
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