Andrew Simcak, Jr.

The Reverend Andrew Simcak, Jr., the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Simcak, Sr., was born on August 15, 1930 in Garfield, New Jersey. Both of his sainted parents were immigrants from Czechoslovakia.

After receiving a parochial school education at Holy Trinity Lutheran School in Garfield, he attended High School and Junior College at Concordia Collegiate Institute in Bronxville, New York, after which he entered Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. During the summer months of his first two years at the seminary he did Field Work at congregations in Hialeah, Florida and Redwood City, California. In the     summer of 1953 he received a scholarship to attend Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana. He vicared at the First English Lutheran Church in New Orleans, Louisiana.

He received his Bachelor of Divinity degree from Concordia Seminary on June 3, 1955, the day of his graduation.

On June 5, 1955 he married Jacqueline Jennie Cardaro, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Peter Cardaro, Sr. Mrs. Simcak was born in New Orleans on December 29, 1931.

They have been blessed with four children, all natives of Texas: Timothy Andrew, Sharon Ann, Deborah Marie, and Christine Ruth. They have six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Since his ordination into the ministry on August 7, 1955 he has served at Grace, Seguin; St. Matthew, San Antonio; St. John, Corpus Christi; St. Michael, Houston; St. Timothy, Houston (which he had the privilege of founding in 1973 and serving until 1983); St. Matthew's, New Britain, Connecticut; Trinity, Shamrock; Our Savior-visitation Pastor; Houston.

He has served as a Public Relations Representative; Circuit Evangelism Representative; L.W.M.L. Zone Pastoral Advisor; L.L.L. Zone Pastoral Advisor; Walther League Zone Pastoral Advisor; Area Representative for Messengers for Christ; a member of the Texas District Committee which planned the 450th Reformation Anniversary;  Chairman for fourteen years of the Texas District Commission on Fraternal Organizations; appointed by Dr. Jacob A.O. Preus, President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, to serve on a synodical ad hoc committee to study the pastoral approach to the lodge problem; chairman of the Texas District Pastors-Teachers Conference;  nine years as Pastoral Advisor for the Lone Star District of the International Lutheran Laymen's League.  He was elected to serve on Synod's Board of Stewardship and was re-elected  and served as the chairman of the Board for two years.  He was elected to a 6-year term on Synod's Board for Evangelism Services.

He has prepared devotions for Portals of Prayer, My Devotions, sermons for the Concordia Pulpit, and a number of tracts for the Concordia Tract Mission.

Outside of his busy work life he always made time for his family, grandchildren and great grandchildren. His leisure time included reading, traveling, attending sports events and watching his New York Yankees.

He will be truly missed and forever in our hearts.