Rev. Thomas Loftus

Rev. Thomas Ficken Loftus, age 87 of Madison, WI died peacefully on November 27, 2020 at Agrace Hospice in Madison, WI. Tom was born on February 16th, 1933 in Wenona, IL. He was the son of the late Dorothea J Schwab, and the grandson of the late Mrs. Anna Ficken. Tom is survived by his three brothers, Wally Schwab, Ted Schwab, & Gus Schwab, as well as four nieces, two nephews, and numerous grandnieces and one grandnephew.

Tom was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Benson, IL. He attended Eastern Illinois University and Wartburg College. He received a M.Div. degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary in 1959 and the Th.M from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ. He was ordained on July 3, 1960. His first call was Pastor at Peace Lutheran Church, Evansville, IN from 1960-1964 and he subsequently accepted a call as Pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Madison from 1964-1977. Upon leaving St. John’s he served as Regional Director for Lutheran Campus Ministry, Lutheran Council for ten years. In 1987 he became the Deployed Director for LCM, ELCA where he served countless students and their campus programs until his retirement in 1997. Tom remained a faithful member of St. John’s Lutheran in Madison until his passing.

A beloved family cabin located across the Minnesota border in Canada on Namakan Lake was Tom’s home away from home. He also enjoyed traveling, including international travel to Europe and Africa. As he traveled and while at home in Madison, Tom was an active and dedicated member of Rotary International. Most of all, Tom cherished spending time visiting with friends and family.

Tom will be remembered as a loving, caring and thoughtful brother, uncle, colleague, teacher, mentor and friend. The spiritual legacy that Tom leaves behind will live on in everyone whose life he touched exemplified by the way he lived his life, with abundant grace and love for all.

Due to Covid-19, Tom’s celebration of life will take place at St John’s Lutheran in Madison, WI at a date to be determined in 2021, once it is safe for us to all gather. The family requests memorial gifts be sent to St. John’s Lutheran Church Emergency Fund in Madison, WI.