Obituary: Rev. Clarence “Clink” Lee Gall

February 7, 1940 ~ October 25, 2021

The Reverend Clarence “Clink” Lee Gall, 81, died on Monday, October 25, 2021.

Clarence was born on February 7, 1940 in Bismarck, North Dakota, son of the late Adolph and Wilma Thelma (Nickisch) Gall. The family home was in Wishek, ND, where Clink grew up and attended school. The family had a farm which gave Clink enjoyment as he raised hogs and cattle. As an enterprising teenager, he paid much of his college tuition from the sale of his hogs.

Clink attended the University of North Dakota, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology and graduated in June of 1962. He was a member of the Greek letter fraternity, Delta Upsilon, and was a leader in establishing the house on campus. Clink married a fellow UND student, Sharon Mae Sorensen, on June 17, 1962. For two years, Clarence taught junior high school classes for students with learning disabilities in Grand Forks before entering graduate school. After earning his master’s degree in guidance and counseling from UND, the couple moved to Rawlins, Wyoming, where Clink served as the high school counselor. In 1967, the family moved to Bismark, ND, where Clink was the junior high counselor.

In 1974, Clarence made the decision to attend Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, where he obtained a Master of Divinity degree. He served at Lutheran churches in Drayton and Hazen, North Dakota, Rhinelander, Township of Rome, and Wausau, Wisconsin, Lincoln, Illinois, and Saginaw, Michigan. While serving Woodland Lutheran Church in the Township of Rome, the congregation constructed a church building. Previously, the members had worshiped in the Township Hall. Clink was dedicated to serving among God’s people and the wider community.

In 2009, he and Sharon retired to Door County, WI, where they had previously built a home. Clink enjoyed working with wood on the lathe Sharon’s father had built. He also enjoyed reading, golfing, fishing, and hunting.

Clink will be missed by his loving wife of 59 years, Sharon Gall; son, Stuart (Natalya) Gall of Sagle, Idaho; daughters, Kristen (Skip) Fish-Peterson of Madison and Karyn (Ed) Hippen of Thompson, ND; grandchildren, Egor (Roxanne) Gall, Kristina (Keith Roman) Goodson, Thomas (Stacey) Fish, Sydney Fish, Matthew Hippen, Benjamin (Kylie) Hippen, and Noah Hippen; great-grandchildren, Elena Marie Goodson and Weston Kyle Hippen; brothers, Stanley and David (Joan) Gall; sister-in-law, Signia Ray; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Adolph and Wilma Gall and sister-in-law, Florence Gall.

Clink’s life will be honored during a Holy Communion Service at Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church in Ellison Bay on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.

Visitation for friends and family will be held at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in his name to Wartburg Theological Seminary (Attn: Development Office, 333 Wartburg Place, Dubuque, Iowa 52003).

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39

The Gall family wishes to express the deepest gratitude to the staff of the Pete and Jelaine Horton Center Skilled Nursing Facility in Sturgeon Bay for their compassionate and tender care given to Clink for the past fifteen months of his residency. At one point, Clink told Sharon, “This is a good place.”

Huehns Funeral Home, Inc. & Door County Crematory LLC of Sturgeon Bay are assisting the family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Clink may be shared with his family through his tribute page at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.