Ophie Renner, former Lutheran School leader, died on Monday 14 August.
He trained as a teacher at Adelaide Teachers College (1948 – 1950) and Immanuel Seminary (1950 & 1954).
Ophie started his career at Butler Tanks government school in 1951. He went on have a career spanning 40 years in Lutheran Education serving as a teacher and Principal in:
– Light Pass Lutheran School, Light Pass SA
– Loxton Lutheran School, Loxton SA
– St John’s Primary, Highgate SA
– Immanuel Primary, Novar Gardens SA
– St Jakobi Primary, Lyndoch SA
Ophie retired on 24 June 1994.
He was always mindful of the Church-relatedness of school life and this was typified by the very high profile he had in local congregation affairs. He was an enthusiastic and effective member of various education committees at both District and National Church level, often holding executive position. Ophie’s service to Lutheran Education was acknowledged with a Service Award presented in 1994.
As he headed into retirement, Ophie continued to involve himself in education, setting up a dyslexia support group and tutoring children with reading difficulties in the Gawler area up until his death. In 2012, at the age of 82, Ophie’s service to the community was recognised with a South Australian Citizen of the Year award. Ophie continued to make visits and give talks to children into 2021, when he celebrated his 60th wedding anniversary with wife Ruth (died 14 April 2023).
Well done, good and faithful servant.
Ophie’s funeral was held on Monday 28 August at the Immanuel Worship Centre in Gawler. He is survived by children Andrew, James, Elizabeth, and Anne and their families.
The below document was prepared by the family for his funeral.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Eph 2:8-9
