Obituary of Alfred H. Langhough

Rev. Alfred"Al" H. Langhough, 81, of Cambridge, Wisconsin, died peacefully at home on September 24, 2011 after a challenging battle with Lewy Body disease. He was born May 5, 1930 at Rice Lake Hospital to Olaf and Alfie (Sletten) Langhough. He grew up in Chetek, Wisconsin, where he was active in sports (golf, basketball, softball, and football), hunting, music, church, and community activities. He graduated from St. Olaf College in 1952 and Luther Northwestern Seminary in 1956. A few months later, he married Borghild Kjeseth and they recently celebrated 55 years of marriage. He is survived by his wife and three children; Michael Langhough, Rebecca ( Ken) Koscik, and Christina (Karl Nordvall) Langhough), his grandchildren Spencer and Audra, and his brother Orville (Shirley) Langhough. He is preceded in death by his parents, his oldest daughter, Aana Langhough, and numerous beloved relatives, parishioners, golfing friends, and bridge buddies. Al was a wonderful father, husband, and uncle. He took joy in watching his children, nieces and nephews and grandchildren grow. He was a great encourager of them in school, music, sports, and their faith. He taught his kids to play his favorite game of golf, enjoyed many rounds with them, and celebrated heartily the first time each one beat him. He was known for his loud voice at high school sporting events, cheering on "Go You Rails" in Altoona and "Go Big Blue" in Cambridge. Pastor Langhough was also an excellent preacher, pastor, and dedicated churchman who deeply cared for the people of each community he was in. He brought the message of God's love and Grace to all he served, including residents of the stockade at Fort Sill, soldiers in the frigid barracks of Greenland's ice cap Camp Tuto, and six congregations (Janesville, Ingleside, Racine, Menomonie, Eau Claire, and Cambridge). Throughout the years, he took various leadership roles in the broader Lutheran Church (ELC then ELCA). His calling as Pastor also led him to participate in many activities in the broader community. In the 1960's, he was part of a committee of industrial and civic leaders who successfully implemented an open housing ordinance in Racine. He also sat on the board of the Racine Lincoln Lutheran Home for the Elderly and was chairman of "Operation Bootstrap" in the community (organizations providing affordable housing for those with limited financial resources). One of the buildings that resulted from this work is called "Langhough House" and bears the inscription, "The Rev. Alfred Langhough, founding president of Lincoln Manor and a sincere friend of the aged, helped arouse our community to a true social-health concern." While serving in Eau Claire at St. John's Lutheran Church, Pastor Langhough worked with parishioners on the development and building of a 101 unit apartment complex for low-income elderly people. Whatever Al did, he did with intelligence, intensity, and humor. In his closing days, he was heard to say "I'm on 18; I'll be home soon." He has now been welcomed home, and the greeting was probably something like "Well done, good and faithful servant...Enter into the joy of your lord!" (Mt 25:23) Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 11:00am at Grace Lutheran Church, 501 Skogan Rd. Cambridge, WI. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 from 4-7pm at the Nitardy Funeral Home, 208 N. Park St. Cambridge, WI and on Wednesday from 10am until the time of the service. Burial will take place in the Evergreen Cemetery, Menomonie, WI on Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 1:30pm with a light lunch to follow at Our Savior Lutheran Church. Memorials may be made to Lutheran Social Services, Grace Lutheran Church or to Hospice Care Incorporated.