Pastor Harold W. Buenting, 83, passed away on November 29, 2012 in his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Green Bay, WI on August 7, 1929 to Pastor Peter and Sylvia Buenting. He attended high school in Pulaski, WI and graduated from Cedarburg High School in Cedarburg, WI in 1946. Harold graduated from Wartburg College in Waverly, IA in 1950 and Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, IA in 1954 with his Masters of Divinity. He served as Vicar at Salem ALC, Toledo, Ohio in 1952/53 where he met his wife, Patricia (Pope). They were married at Salem on June 12, 1954. Pastor and Patricia have 3 children and 7 grandchildren. Upon graduation from seminary, Pastor accepted his first call to St. Peter ALC, Bear Branch, IN where he served for 2 years until he accepted a call to Trinity ALC, Richmond, MI where he served for 12 years, in which time a new church and parsonage were built. While in Richmond, he was Chaplain of the Richmond and Blue Water VFW. In 1968, Pastor accepted a call to First St. John ELCA in Toledo, Ohio as Associate Pastor. He then received the call to serve the same congregation as Senior Pastor until his retirement in 1996. He served on the Synod Board of Education, the Toledo Board of Mental Health, over 20 years on various boards of the Lutheran Home Society, Inter-Faith chaplain at Sacred Heart Home for 30 years, and the Board of Directors at the Luther Home of Mercy. Following his retirement, Pastor served as interim Pastor at Martin Luther ELCA, Reformation ELCA, Ascension ELCA, St. Paul ELCA and St. John Southside ELCA. Pastor Harold is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Patricia; children, David (Beth) Buenting, Kathy Boyer, Barbara (Dr. Jack II) Siebenaler; grandchildren, Jonathon, Patrick, Joshua, Christian, Andrew, Samuel and Anna. In keeping with Pastor'™s wishes, viewing and burial will be private. There will be a Celebration of Harold'™s Life on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at First St. John Lutheran Church, 2471 Seaman St., Toledo, Ohio beginning at 1:00 p.m. Those wishing an expression of sympathy in Pastor Harold'™s name are asked to consider Salem Lutheran Church, Lutheran Homes Society Housing Services or the Luther Home of Mercy.