Rev. Wallace Merdinyan
Rev. Wallace Merdinyan, 92, of New London passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 24, 2017 at his home. He was born in Pawtucket, RI on March 5, 1925, son of the late Ardashes H. and Jeanette M. Ohlinger Merdinyan. Rev. Wallace was a graduate of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO. He went on to be the Pastor at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Mountain Lakes, NJ until 1958 when he moved to New London to become Pastor at Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer. He stayed there until 1997, then becoming the Visitation Pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Meriden. Rev. Wallace is survived by his brother Stuart Merdinyan and his wife Elaine; companion and caregiver Steven Lanphear Sr.; nieces Lane Newman, Joanne Blake, Paula Meridan, Nancy Tashjian, and H. Jeanne Hill; and nephews Dave and Mark Merdinyan. He is also survived by several great-nieces and nephews. Rev. Wallace was predeceased by his brothers Edward (Gladys), William (Gertrude), and Phillip (Marjorie) Merdinyan. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Rev. Wallace’s Eucharist Celebration on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at 10:00 AM at Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, 31 Cedar Grove Ave., New London. Visitation with Rev. Wallace’s family will take place in the church from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Rev. Wallace’s name may be made to Wheat Ridge Ministries, One Pierce Place, Suite 250E, Itasca, IL 60143-2634. Those donations will be used for medical missionary work.
Wallace and I had always hoped I would be able to be the Celebrant for his funeral, but sometime ago we realized time and distance would not allow it. For 4 years we worked side by side in ministry in Connecticut and I can truly say working with him made those 4 years the happiest of all my 40 years as a pastor. I loved Wallace as a brother, mentor, fellow pastor, but most of all as my dear friend. I know he is safe with our Lord and happy, but I still bear an ache in my heart at his absence. Each year after my retirement my wife and I would go to visit him, but this year will be so vacant. What a precious gift he was.
What a great loss for us left here on earth, a great gain for those in heaven! Loved him so much!!
I am so sorry to hear this. I was in his first confirmation class in New London. I would bring him angels and crosses and honey from my travels. He is with his parents again and in the presence of our God and Savior. I am in Florida now and will not be able to attend.
My family attended the church in New London; and my sister and brother as well myself grew up with him as the Pastor. He remained friends with our family throughout our entire lives. My father visited the shut-ins, hospital patients and nursing home residents regularly with Pastor. In Pastor’s later years my parents would pick up his mail, grocery shop for him and run other errands. He has now rejoined friendship with our Dad Bob, who preceded him to heaven earlier this year. I witnessed the joy on his face when I sewed and gave him a quilt of designed applique crosses when visiting him in CT and contributing a silver cross made in Spain depicting one of the apostles. He remarked how unique that cross was and that it was a favorite. God opened his arms and welcomed Pastor home after a long dutiful life.