Pastor Daniel Rinderknecht

Pastor Daniel Rinderknecht

October 15, 1954 - June 22, 2026

Obituary

Pastor Daniel Rinderknecht died in the Christian faith on June 22, 2026, in Billings, Montana at the age of 71 after a sudden cardiac event.

Pastor Rinderknecht was born October 15th, 1954, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and baptized at St. Stephens Lutheran Church in Atkins, IA.  He attended, was confirmed, and graduated from Central Lutheran Grade School in Atkins.  During his elementary years, he also lived in San Martin and Prunedale, CA for two years.  He graduated from Benton Community High School in Van Horn, IA in the winter of 1972. 

Pastor worked in construction for two years, and began his pre-ministerial studies at Concordia College, St. Paul, MN in the spring of 1975, graduating in the spring of 1979.  He then attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO.  His vicarage year was at Trinity Lutheran Church in Davison, MI.  After graduating from the seminary in the spring of 1983, he was placed at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Beach Corner, Alberta, Canada, where he served for 20 years.  During his years in Canada, he served as circuit counselor, filled vacancies, and served as the head of the Board of Regents at Concordia Lutheran Seminary, Alberta, Canada.  He was 3rd, 2nd, and eventually 1st Vice President of Lutheran Church-Canada.  In addition, Pastor fulfilled a special calling when he traveled to Ukraine to teach seminarians in the newly established Ukrainian Lutheran Church and Seminary.  He completed two semesters of this unique ministry by instructing young, Ukrainian men to be ministers. 

Pastor accepted a call to Trinity Lutheran Church, Billings, MT and began serving in early September 2003.  He joyously served the members of Trinity until his February 2023 retirement. 

God called Pastor to serve again in December 2025, and he began making bi-monthly trips to minister to LCMS congregations in Glasgow and Wolf Point, MT.  These trips continued until his death. 

Pastor met Cathy Schiefelbein at Concordia College, St. Paul in 1975, and they were married in January 1977.  God blessed this union with four children.  Kessie was born in St. Paul, MN, Holly in St. Louis, MO, Ditza in Davison, MI, and Luke in Beach Corner, AB, Canada. 

Pastor Rinderknecht is survived by his wife, Cathy, and their four children, Kessie Stevens, Holly Hall (Jan), Ditza Hopkins (Nick), and Luke Rinderknecht (Jeremy Durocher).  His granddaughters include Paige and Brooke Hall, Morgan Stevens, and Natalia and Anastasia Hopkins.  In addition, Pastor is survived by his siblings, Phil Rinderknecht (Trudy), Mike Rinderknecht (Pam), Don Rinderknecht (Penney) and Alice Dillon (Jeff).  He is also survived by multiple cousins, in-laws, nieces and nephews. 

Pastor will be fondly remembered for his love of music, his building/maintenance of his property, his love of learning, and his ability to remember people’s names.  He passionately loved his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, his family and friends, and the people he served.  God blessed him with a servant’s heart.  He is deeply loved and will be greatly missed. 

“Well done, thou good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy Lord”, Matthew 25:21. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Worden, MT (organ and parking lot fund), LaVie Heath, Billings, MT, or a charity of your choice. 

For those who cannot attend the service, pleae view the livestream link here: https://youtube.com/live/F4-e2WkoZ10?feature=share

Events

02
Funeral Service
Thu Jul 2, 2026 @ 11:00 AM MDT
Trinity Lutheran Church • 537 Grand Ave, Billings, MT 59101
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02
Reception
Thu Jul 2, 2026 @ 12:00 PM MDT
Trinity Lutheran School • 2802 Belvedere Dr, Billings, MT 59102
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Memories

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DS
Don and Beth Schiemann
Friend •
Dan is a dear friend and I am saddened by his death. Beth and I were blessed to celebrate his 70th birthday along with his family in Stony Plain. I count it as one of God's special gifts to have Dan as a fellow pastor and a good friend. We worked together in our National Church and Seminary. Dan was always a great source of wisdom, insight, humour, and compassion. We maintained our friendship after he accepted the call to Trinity Lutheran Church in Billings, Montana. He would often show up at our door "out of the blue". He was visiting with family in our area and would stop by for a visit. And then there were the phone calls. He just wanted to check in and see how I was doing. In 2005 when our son, a police officer, was killed in the line of duty, Dan drove from Billings to Stony Plain and showed up at the funeral home and the funeral. His presence meant so much to us! Now Dan - literally by the grace of God in Christ Jesus - is with his Saviour awaiting the day of resurrection. Rest in peace, my friend. We will meet again inb God's good time.
SF
Shelly Fuhr
Friend •
We were so blessed to have had Paster Dan, Cathy and the entire family in our families lives for much of their time here at Beach Corner AB, Canada. We did our marriage course with him, adult bible study, he married us, baptized our first born Kathryn, almost baptized our second James, we just missed the cut off, Aug 2003. He sent a nice letter for our 25th. Pastor Dan often stopped in to check on our little family many times on his busy trips back to Beach Corner / Stony Plain. We would get an unexpected knock at the door and there be was, almost always with guitar in hand, if not his then Scott’s would do. He once jammed till after midnight! Even then we would have stayed up for as long as he’d been able to stay. It was a joyous special time every time. In Nov 2011 Pastor Dan & Cathy very generously hosted our family in Billings. Gave us their big beautiful room, food, breakfast and opened the last jar of (Pear?) jam he was kinda saving. He said we just had to try it…A food basket for the road, and a memorable visit that we talk about often. He was very good to Scott and I and we felt very loved and mentored, he genuinely cared about us and we loved him dearly. He was a special, beautiful, kind good human. He was humble and always cheerful. We felt so blessed that he checked in on us in all kinds of ways. We waved them good by with road trip baking on the day they drove off for the last time. We were happy for them, but it was hard to say goodbye. Cathy thank you for sharing your dear person with us and for making us so welcome on our visit to Billings. You are both very loved and we are so sorry that Pastor Dan has passed, we are very saddened, but also very grateful that we were so incredibly fortunate to have shared time and space with both of you. All our love from Stony Plain. Scott, Shelly, Kathryn & James Fuhr. 🤍
RW
Ron & Jean Wenzel
Friend •
We were shocked and deeply saddened to hear of Pastor Dan's sudden passing. We extend our sincere condolences and sympathy to the family on the loss of this fine gentleman. Humanity and all of us are poorer for his loss. We were so blessed to know him. Ron & Jean Wenzel, Sidney BC
RS
Randy and Heather Schoepp
Friend •
This is with a very heavy heart that I came to read the recent passing of our dear Pastor Dan. We attended the congregation at Beach corner, Alberta Canada for all the years he served our congregation. He gave his heart to us. The Heavens have gained a beautiful soul. He will be forever missed. My deepest condolences 💐 to Cathy and the family. Randy and Heather Schoepp and our family
AF
Althea Farley
Friend •
The world has lost a great man and Heaven has gained a great soul. My heart is heavy for his family and we who loved him but I praise God that he is now in Paradise with his Lord and Savior.

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