MADISON - Reverend Allen Edward Wahl, age 86, of Madison, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, at Agrace Hospice Care. He lost his long struggle with Parkinson’s disease. He was born on Jan. 26, 1937, in Saco, Mont., the son of Palmer Arthur and Helen Goddard Wahl.

Allen entered Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., in the fall of 1959, interned at Zion Lutheran Church in Muscatine, Iowa, and was ordained on June 16, 1963. Allen met his wife, Gretchen, while serving as Assistant Pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Neenah, Wis., where they were married on Feb. 11, 1966.

After marriage, Allen served at parishes in Menominee, Mich., and McAllister, Wis. From there he served a parish in Oak Forest, Ill. Allen and Gretchen and their three children settled in Middleton, where he served at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church from 1974 until 1992. Following St. Luke’s, he served at Norway Lutheran Church in Wind Lake, Wis. After retirement he continued to serve at various churches including, most recently, St. John’s Lutheran in Madison.

Allen had many passions. He loved singing in the Edvard Grieg Male Chorus, playing tennis, piano, ping-pong, watching Door County sunsets, hiking and biking in nature. He was an avid reader and loved attending classes and lectures at the UW.

Allen is survived by his wife, Gretchen; and children, Julie (Michael) Nelson with Jacob (Kara) Esser, Abby (Mitch) Wise, and Anders, Sara (John) Boss with Anika and Parker, Erik (Pallavi) Wahl with Leelavati, Ayanna, Devika and Rakesh, and great-grandson, Levi Esser, son of Jacob and Kara. He is also survived by his three siblings, Richard (Lee) Wahl, Karen (David) Ryan and Marcia (John) Mouw; as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, the Reverend Palmer Wahl; and mother, Helen Goddard Wahl.

A funeral service will be held at MESSIAH LUTHERAN CHURCH, 5202 Cottage Grove Road, Madison, at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, with the Reverend Jeff VandenHeuvel presiding. A visitation will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, and also at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Friday. Interment will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be gifted in Allen’s name to The River Food Pantry, www.riverfoodpantry.org, or Parkinson’s Foundation, www.parkinson.org, or the charity of your choice.

Special thanks to the caregiving received by the staff of Agrace Hospice Care, as well as his team of medical staff who were all a tremendous help not only to his physical condition but to his spirit as well.

A deep, heartfelt thank you also goes out to all those who came to visit with him as he became less and less mobile. You provided great comfort and laughter.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East
Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420

Allen E Wahl

January 26, 1937 - January 16, 2024

Share photos of Allen