Rev. John Frederick Stelling, M.Div.

Rev. John Frederick Stelling of Austin, Texas, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at the age of 86.

John was born on May 9, 1939, at his grandmother’s home in Beemer, Nebraska. He was the son of Carl and Frieda Stelling. His father was a Lutheran schoolteacher in nearby Pierce, Nebraska, and John grew up in a home grounded in faith, education, and service.

John attended Concordia High School in Seward, Nebraska, graduating in 1957. A natural leader, he served as class president and was captain of the football team. During these years, he met Kathleen Neben—known to all as Katie—the love of his life. Their friendship grew within a close-knit group of classmates and would blossom into a lifelong partnership.

John continued his education at Concordia Junior College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and then at Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, Indiana, graduating in 1961. He went on to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where he earned his Master of Divinity. While in seminary, John and Katie began dating, and they were married on August 24, 1963.

John’s first call to ministry took him overseas as a missionary to the Middle East, based in Beirut, Lebanon. He served as mission coordinator for The Lutheran Hour, a foreign radio ministry of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. John and Katie spent 14 years in the Middle East, raising their three sons while faithfully serving the church. During this time, they lived through two civil wars, including evacuation from Lebanon in 1975, with temporary relocations to Glendale, California, and St. Louis, Missouri. When the conflict subsided in 1977, they returned to Lebanon to continue John’s ministry.

In 1979, John left the mission field and moved to Houston, Texas, where he trained as a hospital chaplain at MD Anderson Cancer Center. For 12 years, he provided spiritual care and grief counseling to cancer patients and their families. He later served four additional years as Director of the Chaplaincy Program.

Following his work in hospital ministry, John was called to serve as Senior Pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in the Museum District near downtown Houston. He faithfully led the congregation for eight years before retiring in 2004.

John and Katie retired on the same day and moved from their longtime home in Westbury (Houston) to Bastrop, Texas, to be closer to their grandchildren in Austin. In Bastrop, they found a new church home at Grace Lutheran Church in Smithville, where John remained active in ministry. He volunteered at the church, served in local hospice facilities, ministered to preschool children in La Grange, and worked as a visitation pastor throughout the area.

Above all, John treasured time with his family. He and Katie delighted in attending their grandchildren’s swim meets, football games, band recitals, sporting events, and church activities. In 2023, they moved to Longhorn Village Retirement Community in Austin, where they formed new friendships and enjoyed a rich season of community.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Frieda Stelling; his brother, Charles Stelling; and sister-in-law, Charlotte Stelling.

He is survived by his beloved wife of over 62 years, Kathleen “Katie” Stelling; his sons, Joel Stelling (Christina), André Stelling (Heather), and Cory Stelling; his grandchildren, Austin Stelling (Maddison), Joshua Stelling, Brandon Stelling (Sydney), Ami Stelling, Olivia Stelling, Katie Stelling, and Davis Stelling; his great-granddaughter, Haven Stelling; and his sister, Gretchen Stelling Bradley.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the nursing staff at Longhorn Village Rehabilitation Center for their compassion and dedicated care during John’s final days.

Family and friends are invited to attend the funeral service on Friday, January 30, at 11am at Grace Lutheran Church, 308 Byrne Street, Smithville, Texas 78957 followed by a reception at the church immediately after the service. There will be a private family interment at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Grace Lutheran Church, 308 Byrne Street, Smithville TX 78957 (www.glcs.org) or to a charity of your choice.