December 2023
The Reverend Robert Edward Kass, 97, of Evanston, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home, November 29, 2023. Bob was born August 6, 1926, in Duluth, Minnesota, to Albert and Lydia (Rennert) Kass, and grew up on Chicago’s south side.
After graduating from Parker High School, Bob served in the United States Navy during World War II. He attended Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, and was ordained in 1953. Bob met Grace Frederick, a teacher and coach at the University of North Dakota, while serving as pastor there. They married in 1958, were blessed with 3
children, and were married 39 years until Grace’s passing in 1997. Bob served seven congregations in four states during his 38 years of full-time ministry. Upon retirement, he continued to serve as vacancy pastor in several congregations and as pulpit supply. He also taught conversational English classes for international students at four colleges in the Chicago area, as part of NID International Student Ministry.
Bob loved to sing, teach, and garden and was a lifelong White Sox fan. He was preceded in death by his sisters Ruth Kass and Erna Colin, and grandson Noah Rogers. He is survived by his brother Dr. Emil Kass; his three children Pastor Stephen (Beth) Kass, Monica (Todd) Rogers, and Rebecca (Steve Gray) Kass; his grandchildren Annalise, Kyle, and Madeline Kass, Emily, Ethan, and Charles Rogers, and Jennifer and Lauren Gray; great granddaughter Rose, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Visitation is from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., December 5, 2023 at Matz Funeral Home, 410 East Rand Road, Mt. Prospect, IL 60056. The funeral will be at 10:00 a.m. on December 6, 2023 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1334 Wesley Ave, Evanston, IL 60201, preceded by ½ hour of visitation at 9:30 a.m. Interment with military honors follows at St John’s Lutheran Church Cemetery, 1100 S. Linneman Rd., Mt. Prospect, IL 60056.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Lutheran Braille Association, Lutheran Bible Translators, or Ablelight (formerly Bethesda Lutheran Home) in his memory.