Rev. Kim Kanitz

Rev. Kim Kanitz, age 57, of Revillo died January 26, 2014, at his residence.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2014, at 1:00 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church in Revillo. Rev. Iver Possehl will officiate and Rev. Howard O. Shane will preach. Music will be provided by Nancy Meyer and Carol Street. Burial will be at a later date in Nebraska. Visitation will be held at the church on Friday from 5 – 7 p.m. Honorary bearers will be the ministers of the Watertown Circuit, South Dakota District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.

Kim Allen Kanitz was born November 28, 1956, in Manitowoc, WI, the son of Gene and Marianne (Wunrow) Kanitz. He graduated from Cedarburg (WI) High School in 1975 and from Concordia College in Seward, NE in 1979. Kim graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN in 2002.

Kim was united in marriage with Grace Brockemeier on December 28, 1979, at Zion St. John Lutheran Church in Wisner, NE.

Kim was a second career pastor. Prior to seminary he worked for Northstar Services in Wayne, NE, which specializes in enhancing the individual growth of persons with disabilities and/or behavioral disorders. He later was a founding member of a similar agency named Envision-GMR in Norfolk, NE, which began providing services in July 1997.

Following seminary Kim was called as a Vicar to serve the congregations of St. John's Lutheran Church, Revillo, SD and Bethlehem Lutheran Church, rural Milbank, SD. He was ordained and installed as Pastor of the congregations on July 28, 2002. He could be heard on the local radio stations with his radio ministry program.

Kim was extremely proud of his family. He enjoyed comic books and science fiction. He was quoted as saying "Heaven on earth – just need a cushy chair and a chilled Mountain Dew…."

Rev. Kim Kanitz is survived by his wife, Grace of Revillo, SD; two children: Mark of Wayne, NE, and Ruth of Revillo, SD; one sister, Kristina (Sal) Palmisano of Sorrento, FL; brothers-in-law: Grant Brockemeier of West Point, NE, and Gaylord (Pam) Brockemeier of Wisner, NE; sisters-in-law: Gloria Rardon of Norfolk, NE, and Glenda Brockemeier of Columbus, NE; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.