Sainted Irma Jung

Irma Jung died on April 14th, 2007 at the age of 90. Ms. Irma was the last living charter member of a 60-year-old family called Christ Memorial Lutheran Church in Affton, MO. In her last years, she would always sit in her wheelchair on the left side of the sanctuary, slightly hunched over. With her head bowed, you always wondered if she was listening. But after every church service, her no-nonsense personality would shine through with some sort of brazenly honest comment on the sermon, or the hymn selection, or the temperature of the sanctuary.

Ms. Irma grew up on Loughborough Ave. across the street from Carondolet Park in south St. Louis City. After marrying her husband Norm, they moved to Bates Street in the city. In the wake of WWII, Norm and Irma were some of the early suburban pioneers who moved to the rural parts of St. Louis County, settling on Zenith Dr. in Affton. Living on the “frontier,” Norm and Irma were the core-members of a group set out to start a new church in this burgeoning settlement. Their sacrifice and faithful dedication began a congregation that progressed from a home, to a theater, to 9712 Tesson Ferry. In a special ceremony on Sept. 18th, 2005 Irma Jung was the first to lead a crowd of a 1,000 people into Christ Memorial’s new home at 5252 S. Lindbergh Blvd.

At her funeral on April 19, 2007, Ms. Irma’s pastor of 30 years preached of a feisty woman with fiery faith. Pastor Greg Smith described her with gracious respect. This was Irma Jung – a woman whose competence was surpassed only by her bold confidence and resilient faith. Nearing the end of his message, Pastor Greg asked any in the congregation who were members of Christ Memorial to stand. More than half in attendance rose. Pointing to the casket, draped with a cross-bearing cloth, he said, “This is your spiritual mother.”

2007 offers challenges barely imaginable in 1947. As the “greatest generation” ages, the church is left with gaping holes. The church is bleeding for lack of those who in their time would greet the world with feisty, fiery, resilient faith. In a generation where attention spans last as long as a glance at a hastily composed text message, the church groans for the kind of dedication that would produce a 60-year-old congregation. God grant us more “Ms. Irmas,” whose lives exude courage, commitment, sacrifice, and unbridled faith. God grant us faithful saints like Irma Jung, saints of whom one day it will be said to a congregation of people yet unborn, “This is your spiritual mother. This is your spiritual father.” God grant us the “Ms. Irmas” of our day.

Pastor Jeff Cloeter
jeff@reliantchurch.org