Dan L. Seng

Rev. Dan L. Seng, retired pastor, community leader, and loving husband, father, (great) grandfather, uncle, and friend, died January 20, 2024, at the age of 84 years.  He leaves behind a legacy of love, faith, and servant-leadership that will long be remembered by those who knew him.

Dan was born in Roanoke, IN on April 3,1939 to Homer L. Seng and Mildred (Yentes) Seng.  He graduated from Elkhart High School in 1957 and married his high school sweetheart, Linda Andresen August 8, 1959.  

Dan was preceded in death by his parents, brother Karl, and son Paul.  He is survived by his wife Linda, sister Caroline (Seng) Barkow of Kalamazoo, MI, children Timothy (Andreia) Seng of Rancho Cordova, CA, Matthew (Letitia) Seng of Battle Creek, MI, Rebekah Seng of Battle Creek, MI, his daughter-in-law Lynn (Roger) Matthews of Richland, MI, eight grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, his niece and eight nephews.

After some years managing Kroger grocery stores, Dan entered seminary and became a pastor in the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.  Over the next eight years, he served congregations in Ironwood, MI and Chippewa Falls, WI before he was called to Redemption Lutheran Church in Battle Creek, where he served that congregation for 25 years.

Following his retirement as a parish pastor at Redemption Lutheran Church in 2001, Dan began serving other congregations as an Intentional Interim Minister, shepherding congregations through the sometimes fraught and difficult transition necessary to prepare for new pastoral leadership and care.  He found this work so profoundly important that he joined the Boards of Directors of the Interim Ministry Conference LCMS and the Coordinating Council of the National Association of Lutheran Interim Pastors (NALIP), serving as a member and a leader. 

Beyond his pastoral duties, when he wasn’t sailing Evensong on Lake Michigan with Linda or other family or friends, Dan shared his love for sailing by teaching boating classes for Kalamazoo Sail and Power Squadron. He served on the board of directors at the Battle Creek Family YMCA from 1983 to 1998, where he was an avid swimmer for many years. During his board tenure, Dan led the “unprecedented collaborative partnership” of the Battle Creek Family YMCA and the Kalamazoo County Family YMCA to form and construct the Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center in Augusta, MI, which has been independently operating since 1994.

Dan’s family will receive friends Sunday, January 28, 2024, at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care in Battle Creek, MI from 4:00PM to 7:00PM, then again on Monday, January 29, 2024, at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Battle Creek, MI, at 10:00AM, followed by a funeral service at 11:00AM.  Interment will be held privately at Oak Hill Cemetery at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to the St. Peter Lutheran Church’s “Pete’s Pantry” or the Battle Creek Family YMCA.  Personal messages for the family and favorite memories of Dan may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.