Norman Lerch's Obituary
Pastor Norman Lerch, 95, formerly of Tulsa, died on Tuesday, February 11, 2014, in Owasso, OK. Norman was born on March 8, 1918 in Plainfield, New Jersey, the son of Clayton and Lucretia Lerch. On November 16, 1942, he married his wife, Doris, in Arcadia, Louisiana. He attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary before beginning his ministry. Following seminary, his first church was in Avery Island, Louisiana. He then went to First Baptist Church, Acadia, Louisiana, then on to Mount Olive Baptist Church, and 3rd Street Baptist Churches in New Orleans. Following his ministry in Louisiana, he served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Marion, Arkansas, and First Baptist Church of Booneville, Arkansas. He was then the pastor at Berean Baptist Church in Tulsa. Over the years, he began a mission program that built churches in Acarigua, Venezuela, making ten different trips there to oversee the growth of the ministry. He made many dear friends there during that time and the ministry continues to flourish today. He is survived by his sons, John Lerch, and his wife, Teri, of Broken Arrow, Wayne Lerch, and his wife, Cindy, of Sand Springs, and David Lerch, and his wife, Jo, of Derby, Kansas, 6 grandchildren, Martin Lerch, and his wife, Jessica, of Broken Arrow, Laura Lerch, Verdigris, Oklahoma, Michael Lerch, Phoenix, Arizona, Ryan Lerch, Norman, OK, Kristen Voth, of Wichita, Kansas, and Kara Hulsey, and her husband, Scott, of Lincoln, Nebraska, 4 great grandchildren, and numerous other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, and beloved wife Doris. Memorial donations may be made in his name to the Alzheimer’s Association.
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