The young man’s name was Johann Traugott. He was 29 years of age when he died on October 3, 1900. A cotton gin operator, Johann’s sleeve was caught by gin machinery. Visiting Lutheran Pastor H. Schmidt came from San Antonio to officiate at the funeral.
What is it that makes this story unique from hundreds of tragedies that happened to pioneer families that first settled in 1850 in Bulverde, a stopping point between New Braunfels and Fredericksburg? Two things. First, Pastor Schmidt’s sermon that day included the message that the people at the funeral needed a church of their own. Second is Johann’s German name itself, “Traugott", which means in English, “Trust God.”
These Bulverde pioneer families took God’s message to heart and offered land for the church on the Cibolo Creek north bank. Pastor Schmidt appointed a committee to supervise construction, and the foundation of local clay and stone was begun on February 22, 1901 and completed in less than two weeks. The building was substantially finished before Easter Sunday, and St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church was dedicated on June 2, 1901.
In 1906 Christian Serold donated land for the St. Paul Cemetery, south of Cibolo Creek on Obst Road, across from the church building site.
The text above is an excerpt from the St. Paul Lutheran “Red Roof Church” website. Warriors Remembrance Foundation did not perform a legal historical review of the church or cemetery and instead relied on open-source information provided by St. Paul Lutheran Church. Any inquiries regarding the information provided should be directed to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Bulverde, Texas.
St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery
Cleaning and Restoration Project
Our cleaning and restoration project involved 55 veteran grave sites. The sites consisted of stone, bronze markers, and personal monuments. Above are a few videos showing the cleaning and resetting processes used during the project. You can find all before and after photos in the project gallery.
New Markers and Medallions Project
Department of Veterans Affairs government marker/medallion project consisted of (TBD) new markers for currently unmarked graves and the placement of (TBD) new medallions on privately procured monuments currently void of any veteran markings. Above are a few videos showing the installation processes used during the project. You can find all before and after photos in the project gallery.
Flag Markers, Memorial, and Wreaths Project
Our flag marker, memorial, and Wreaths project, contingent upon available funds, provide each veteran gravesite with a bronze flag holder with 12x18 stick flag, flowers (poppies) on Memorial and Veterans Day, flowers (red roses) on the 4th of July, and flower (single white roses) for spouses on previous mentioned dates. Additionally, a wreath will be placed for each veteran on the anniversary of their death.
Improvement & Monument Project
Perpetual Care Program
We undertake the responsibility of ensuring that gravesites and markers are meticulously cleaned every year before Memorial Day and Veterans Day, and we promptly respond to any requests for service related to veterans' graves we care for. Our mission extends beyond mere homage; it embodies a steadfast, enduring dedication to our veterans and their families.
Project Gallery
Veterans Interned
ADKINS, ANNE M. (USN) 1949-2002 AGOLD, MAX I (USAF) 1915-1985 AGUIRRE, NATHANIEL A. (USA) 1984-2006 ALLMAN, ELMER F. (USA) 1925-1989 ANTHONY, PATRICK F. (USAF) 1940-2010 ANZ, JOHN L. (USN) 1916-1998 AUSTIFF, ROBERT S. (USAF) 1938-2005 BARON, ROBERTO (USMC) 1937-2016 BECHTOLD, MICHAEL (ACSA) 1841-1899 BUSHICK, CHARLES M., JR. (USAF) 1922-2003 CAPPEL, RICHARD J. (USAF) 1934-2020 CASGTILLEJA, DEMECIO R. (USAF) 1948-2015 CREIGHTON, JAMES R. (USCG) 1944-2002 DAHLMAN, ORIN J. (USA) 1916-2005 ECKHARDT, HUBERT G. (USA) 1933-2017 EICKMANN, WILLIAM O. (USN) 1941-2022 ENGEL, STEPHEN W. (USA) 1918-2015 ENGEL, ALFRED H. (USA) 1894-1977 ENGEL, PATRICK A. (USN) 1948-2022 ELKINS, BENNIE B. (USA) 1915-1998 FEUGE, JOSEPH V. (USA) 1929-2021 FORMBY, WILLIAM M. (USA) 1921-1987 GAGE, DARRELL A. (USN) 1899-1983 GIERTH, EDMUND R. (USA) 1956-2016 GOTTARDY, GERALD L (USCG) 1939-2007 GUSTIN, DONALD L. (USA) 1929-1998 HAACK, ERNEST V, II (USN) 1933-2012 HEIRMER, MASON J. (USA) 1995-2018 HERNANDEZ, MARTIN L. (USA) 1965-2018 HOLLIDAY, DANIEL K. (USCG) 1933-2018 HORTICK, EDWARD J. (USA) 1947-2002 HUNTZINGER, HOWARD C. (USA) 1928-2001 KELLER, JAMES C. (USN) 1933-2013 KELLER, ROBERT J. (USN) KLAR, HARRY J. (USA) 1927-2021 KLAR, KAREN L. (USAF) 1943-2020 KLAR, JAMES R. (USAF) 1940-2023 KNAUS, GREGORY J. (USA) 1943-2015 KOWAL, THADDEUS J. (USMC) 1924-2012 KRULL, CHARLES J. (USAF) 1936-2017 KUNZ, RICHARD (USA) 1894-1965 LECLAIRE, JOSEPH W. (USA) 1908-1980 LEGENDRE, DAVID A. (USAF) 1962-2021 LEGENDRE, JAMES F. (USAF) 1936-2015 LOPEZ, RAYMOND G. (USAF) 1919-1988 LUX, PHILLIP L. (USA) 1938-2016 MAGSAM, RODERICK L. (USA) 1927-2023 MCGUFFIN, ALLEN F. (USN) 1922-2007 MCNEW, JOHN P. (USAF) 1921-1993 MERTENS, CARLTON J. (USA) 1932-2023 MIRELES, JESUS A. (USAF) 1950-2021 MOOS, CASPER (ACSA) 1842-1934 MORENO, JUAN., SR. (USA) 1933-2012 NAEF, EDWARD J. (USA) 1888-1928 NEUGEBAUER, ROLAND F. (USA) 1920-1986 OFFER, ALFRED W. (USA) 1914-1990 PAHMEYER, ERVIN F. (USN) 1926-2002 PARRA, CHRISTOPHER J. (USMC) 1984-2021 ROBERTS, JAMES H., JR. (USA) 1935-2020 ROLAND, TIMOTHY F. (USA) 1938-2021 SCHAEFER, FRANZ (ACSA) 1837- 1908 SCHOLZ, AUGUST F., JR. (USA) 1891-1972 SOCHA, EDWARD P. (USN) 1936-2018 STRAUCH, JULIUS R. (USA) 1924-2017 STRUPP, KENNETH J. (USA) 1939-2023 SYRING, JOSEPH M. (USMC) 1953-2021 SYRING, HERBERT J. (USN) 1925-2016 TAMPLIN, JAMES H. (USA) 1919-2005 TAYLOR, HENRY R. (USAF) 1918-1996 THOMPSON, ROBERT W. (USMC) 1944-2015 TUCKER, ROBERT C., JR. (USA) 1920-2006 VANN, KENNETH G., SR. (USMC) 1962-2011 VILLEMAIN, ARTHUR F (USAF) 1918-2014 WEST, STEVEN R. (USCG) 1958-2010 WILLIMS, CHARLES A. (USAF) 1921-2016 WOLF, PETER., JR. (USAF) 1926-1996 ZOBRIST, ERIC M. (USAF) 1969-1998 ZUNIGA, JESSE J., JR. (USN) 1944-2022