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CHAPIN —Hugh E. Baumgartner Jr. D.D., 91, of Chapin, died Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012, at the Heritage at Lowman.

Rev. Dr. Baumgartner was born in Brunswick, Ga., the son of the late Hugh E. and Thelma Conyers Baumgartner.

Rev. Dr. Baumgartner was a graduate of Glynn Academy, Brunswick, Ga., Lenoir Rhyne College, Hickory, N.C. and the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia. He was presented his Doctor of Divinity Degree at Newberry College in 1973.

Rev. Dr. Baumgartner served in the South Carolina, North Carolina and Southeastern Synods having led four congregations in church building programs. He served as pastor of The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Newberry from March of 1979 until he retired in 1986. While in Newberry, he was the vice-president of the Newberry Area Lutheran Pastors.

Rev. Dr. Baumgartner was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church in White Rock. He was a former member of the South Carolina Synod Professional Leadership Committee, and served as the chairman of the Synodical Examining Committee and he was a former member of the Executive Board of the Southeastern Synod. He served as a trustee of the Newberry College Board and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary Board and he was a past president of the LTSS Alumni Association. He was a delegate to the LCA National Convention at Baltimore and Dallas and from 1976 to 1979 he was one of the LCA Pastor-Evangelist in the Evangelical Outreach Program.

Rev. Dr. Baumgartner is survived by his wife, Frances Wisdom Baumgartner of the home; two daughters, Patricia B.(Tom) Bowles of Irmo and Carla Baumgartner of Columbia; three sons, Andrew C. (Nancy) Baumgartner of Augusta, Ga., Paul W. (Deborah) Baumgartner of Woodstock, Ga., and H. Eric (Jenny) Baumgartner of Summerville; daughter-in-law Anne Baumgartner of Yorkton, Va.; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son, William E. Baumgartner.

Funeral services for the Rev. Dr. Hugh E. Baumgartner, Jr. will be conducted 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, at Bethel Lutheran Church by S.C. Synod Bishop Herman Yoos and the Rev. Dr. James Aull. Interment will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Whitaker Funeral Home in Chapin.

Memorials may be made to the Heritage at Lowman, PO Box 444, White Rock, SC 29177 or to the Bethel Lutheran Church, PO Box 367, White Rock, SC 29177.

Active pallbearers will be Evan Baumgartner, Brock Baumgartner, Joel Baumgartner, and Daniel Reynolds.

Honorary pallbearers will be Rev. David Conrad, Rev. John Yost, Jr., Rev. Dr. James Crumley, and Ed Koedam.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.whitakerfuneralhome.com.

Whitaker Funeral Home of Chapin is assisting the family.