Schmale, Theodore R., d. 1969

Theodore R. Schmale, son-in-law of German immigrant Johann H. Dinkmeier, received his A.B. degree from the University of Pittsburgh and B.D. from the Western Theological Seminary (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). He served for twenty years as pastor of St. Peter's Evangelical and Reformed Church in the same city before moving to Ann Arbor, where he served as the sixth pastor of the Bethlehem Evangelical Church (now Bethlehem United Church of Christ) from 1928 to 1951.

Theodore Schmale was also a member of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Evangelical Synod, made two trips to Honduras related to the mission work of his denomination (in 1938 and 1941), and served in other community positions. Among them, he was a Board Member of the Y.M.C.A., member of the Community Chest Board, and President of the Ann Arbor Ministerial Association.

During Schmale's pastorate at the Bethlehem Evangelical Church, a parish house was constructed, the interior of the sanctuary was renovated, church membership nearly doubled, the congregation's business office was improved, and the church program was enlarged to include the support of a Missionary in India. After his retirement, Pastor Schmale continued to preach German services. He died in Detroit on June 4, 1969.

From the guide to the Theodore R. Schmale Papers, 1918-1961, 1929-1961, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)