Lucas 'Caddy' Memmelaar

Nov. 5, 1948-March 13, 2011

ATWOOD, Kansas -- A memorial service to celebrate the life of Lucas "Caddy" Memmelaar will be held at Courts of Praise in Atwood, Kansas, on Saturday, April 2, 2011, at 2 p.m. Pastor Kent Morgan will officiate the service. Funeral arrangements for cremation were made by Williams Funeral Home, Atwood, Kansas.

Lucas Cadwell "Caddy" Memmelaar went to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 13, 2011, at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas. He was the ninth of 10 children of John and Claire (Dale) Memmelaar, born Nov. 5, 1948, in Goshen, New York, which is 60 miles north of New York City. Caddy grew up on the family farm on Arcadia Road in Goshen. In Goshen High School, he was in wrestling and the Civil Air Patrol. He was named Outstanding Lineman in 1966 and 1967 and was captain of the football team in 1967. Upon graduation from Goshen High School in 1968, he accepted a football scholarship to McCook Junior College, McCook, Nebraska, as offensive center from 1968-1970.

In early 1970, Caddy met his future bride Karen Schaffert of Bartley, Nebraska. Their first date was to wash and wax his Daytona yellow 1955 Chevy car. Upon graduation at McCook Junior College in May 1970, Caddy played football for one year on scholarship to then Kearney State College, Kearney, Nebraska. Caddy attended one more year at Kearney before deciding to help with farming on the Schaffert family farm south of Bartley. On Aug. 5, 1972, Caddy and Karen were married at Peace Lutheran Church, McCook. To this union, four children were born: Bonnie, Marlene, Melvin and Joshua. In 1977, Caddy accomplished his private pilot license and enjoyed flying his 182 Cessna.

In 1985, Caddy accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior, was water baptized and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. God then called Caddy to be an Evangelist and lead people to Jesus. Soon after, Caddy and Karen were called to minister at the Cambridge Manor in Cambridge, Nebraska, and Good Samaritan Center in Atwood, until 2010. In 1986, God called the Caddy Memmelaar family to attend church at Courts of Praise in Atwood. This 140 mile round trip journey on Sundays lasted until God moved them to Atwood in January 1999. Caddy then opened a small business called PTL Machine Shop and enjoyed repairing things for people.

Caddy was a devoted husband, father, papa and servant of the Lord. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends whose lives he has forever touched.

He is preceded in death by his father, John Memmelaar and mother, Claire (Dale) Menimelaar Hyatt; three brothers, Jack, Bernie and Dale Memmelaar, two children, Marlene in 1976 and Melvin John in 1981; two sisters-in-law, Betty Memmelaar and Sally Memmelaar.

He is survived by his wife, Karen of Atwood; daughter, Bonnie and husband, Randy Carlock of Cambridge; son, Joshua Memmelaar of Colby, Kansas; three granddaughters, Monique, Elizabeth and Sarah Carlock of Cambridge; five brothers, Al and Bernadette Memmelaar of Goshen, Fred Memmelaar of New Philadelphia, Ohio, Mart and Carolyn Memmelaar of Middletown, New York, Herm and Judy Memmelaar of Caldwell, Idaho and Sherm and Sandra Memmelaar of Goshen; one sister, Milly and Don Henry of Campbell Hall, New York; one brother-in-law, Paul and wife Pat Schaffert of Indianola; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.