The Rev. Dr. John Wohlrabe was born in 1953 at Mankato, MN. He is the firstborn and only son of John and Lillian Wohlrabe, with four younger sisters following. He was baptized at St. John’s Lutheran Church, St. Clair, MN in October 1953. John Senior was a medical doctor and Lillian was a registered nurse. The family lived throughout the Midwest, including St. Clair and Mankato, MN, St. Louis, MO, where John Sr. did his residency in psychiatry, and Belleville, IL.

Pastor Wohlrabe attended and graduated from St. Paul’s Lutheran High School, Concordia, MO in 1971. He then attended Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN, studying civil engineering. In 1973, he enlisted in the United States Navy, and after basic training in San Diego, CA, served on the USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) with a homeport in Norfolk, VA. It was during a deployment to the Mediterranean that he decided to study for the ministry. Following his discharge from active duty in 1976, John continued his education at Concordia College, Ann Arbor, MI, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1978 with a General Science major and Religious Studies minor.

He then attended Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO. His vicarage was spent at Zion Lutheran Church, Anchorage, Alaska (1979-80), where he also met and married his wife, Julie Ann nee Schulz Wohlrabe. John and Julie have since been blessed with three children: Greta, John III, and Nathan. He completed the Master of Divinity degree in spring of 1981 and the Master of Sacred Theology degree in May 1982. Throughout this time, John continued to serve as an enlisted Naval Reservist.

The rite of Ordination for Pastor Wohlrabe was May 9, 1982 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Mankato, MN. After attending Navy Chaplain School at Newport, Rhode Island during the summer of 1982, he was installed as pastor of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Fort Lupton, Colorado in August of that year. While living in Colorado, Pastor Wohlrabe also continued post graduate study at the University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology and served as a Naval Reserve Chaplain.

In September 1984, Pastor Wohlrabe returned to Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO, having received the Walther Faculty Development Fellowship. In addition to his studies, he was a Guest Instructor at the seminary, a Naval Reserve Chaplain, and 1986-87 he was Assistant Director of Concordia Historical Institute. He was awarded the Doctor of Theology degree in May 1987, with a major in Historical Theology and a minor in Systematic Theology.

On August 7, 1987, Chaplain Wohlrabe returned to active service in the United States Navy. Tours of duty included: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion FORTY (1987-90), Naval Construction Battalion Center, Port Hueneme, CA (1990-92), Naval Facility, Brawdy, Wales, United Kingdom (1992-95), Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, IL (1995-98), USS BLUE RIDGE/Commander SEVENTH Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan (1998-2001), Naval Air Station, Brunswick, ME (2001-2004), Naval Construction Force and FIRST Naval Construction Division, Norfolk, VA (2005-2007), and Naval District Washington, D.C. (2007-2009). Chaplain Wohlrabe retired from the U.S. Navy at the rank of Captain with over 35 years of active and reserve service.

Elected Third Vice President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in July 2007 and Second Vice President in July 2010. Pastor Wohlrabe continues to serve in this part time position. He received the call to serve Concordia Lutheran Church, Geneseo, IL in January 2009. He was installed at Concordia on June 28, 2009.