The Wohlers Memorial Scholarship was established in 2024 by Clarice Wohlers to commemorate the profound impact (Dr.) Martin Luther College has had on her family through the generations.

Clarice and Elmer Wohlers both had parents who modeled service to the Lord and a deep love of music. Clarice’s father, Edwin Sorgatz, graduated from DMLC in 1933 and was a teacher, choir director, and organist at Trinity Lutheran in St. Paul. Clarice has fond memories of sitting next to her father as he played the organ while her mother, Ruth, sang in the choir. Elmer’s parents farmed outside Lake City, Minnesota. His mother had a piano at home and played the pump organ on Sundays at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Florence Township.

Clarice and Elmer met here on the hill at Dr. Martin Luther High School, where they made lifelong friends and further developed their love of music. They married in 1961 when Elmer graduated from DMLC, then both taught at Fairview Lutheran School in Milwaukee. The couple later moved to Brookfield, Wisconsin, where they joined Christ the Lord Lutheran. Elmer served as choir director for almost 30 years, and Clarice taught kindergarten and played organ. Family members remember the couple spending hours happily exploring music samples. Clarice played the voice parts or accompaniment while Elmer tried all the parts, including soprano. And while directing a favorite piece, especially a “schmaltzy” one, his face would express all the emotions in the music.

Clarice and Elmer instilled a love for service through music in the next generations. Their daughter, Kristi DMLC ’90, was active in band, choir, organ, and musicals while attending DMLC. She met her future husband, Paul Frisque DMLC ’93, while they were both cast as “Gentlemen of Japan” in the chorus of DMLC’s production of The Mikado. Interestingly, Kristi sang the same second tenor part her father, Elmer, had sung years before. Kristi, her husband, and their son, who studied music education at Wisconsin Lutheran College, all serve as church musicians. Because of Elmer and Clarice’s education and musical influence, more generations are sure to follow.

Clarice had to work very hard to pay for her education. She is thankful that, because of God’s generous blessings, she is able to establish this scholarship, and she hopes it can make the path a little easier for future teachers and church musicians.

Scholarship recipients are education students who are pursuing either a major in music education or a music minor and who demonstrate financial need.

This scholarship was established in 2023 by Barbara’s husband, Pastor John Strackbein WLS ’79, with a foundational gift from the South Central District of WELS and further gifts from Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Oklahoma City, where Pastor Strackbein and Barbara served. The scholarship pays tribute to Barbara’s life of service and honors our heavenly Father, who gave her such wonderful gifts to serve.

Barbara (1951-2023) met the love of her life, John Strackbein, at Bethany Lutheran College, where she was a cook and he was a dishwasher. She graduated from Concordia Teacher’s College in 1973 and went on to teach third grade at Holy Cross Lutheran School in Emma, Missouri (LCMS). On July 4, 1974, Barbara and John were married. While John took preseminary courses at Bethany Lutheran College, Barbara became a nurse’s aide. While John was at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Barbara had three sons. After John graduated in 1979, he received a call to serve two congregations in Salina and Russell, Kansas, and there the couple had two more sons.

In 1987, the family moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, to learn Spanish for five months in preparation for a call to Puerto Rico, where they served as missionaries for 18 years. These years were very special to the couple, and this scholarship was set up to acknowledge and foster the work of the gospel among Spanish-speaking peoples.

In 2005, the Strackbeins were called to Holy Cross Lutheran Church, where John continues to serve as pastor. At Holy Cross, Barbara filled many roles: teaching children in the “No Child Left Behind” program, working as a cook at a public grade school, singing alto in the church choir, teaching Sunday School, and occasionally playing organ or trombone for worship. She also enjoyed painting biblical scenery and writing Bible verse cards as gifts.

Barbara loved being a mom. She adored her husband and five sons and loved spending time with her grandchildren. And more than anything else, she dedicated her entire self to her Savior.

Her husband, John, writes, “Barbara’s love for Jesus and his Word is worth remembering. Her greatest desire was that she could use her life to share that love with as many people as possible.” He hopes that Barbara’s desire to share Jesus’ love will be echoed in the heart and life of the recipient of this memorial scholarship.

Scholarship recipients are MLC students who demonstrate scholastic merit and financial need and, more specifically, who were born in the Caribbean or in Latin America or are studying Spanish at MLC.