NATHAN RANDALL JUNKER
Nathan Randall Junker, age 30, of Grand Rapids, Minn., died Monday, June 29, 2009.
In 1979, Nathan was born to Randall and Debbie Junker in Waconia, Minn. He graduated from Grand Rapids High School in 1997. He attended Crown College in St. Bonafacius, Minn., and graduated in 2000 with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Bible and theology and later attended Canadian Theological Seminary in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Nathan was united in marriage to Samantha Weedman on June 29, 2002 in Plymouth, Wis.
They lived in Apple Valley, Minn., while he was a youth pastor at Hope Church in Apple Valley, Minn. In 2003, they moved to New Brighton, Minn., where Nathan was employed with ACR Homes as a caregiver and para-professional in Shoreview, Minn., at an E.B.D. High School.
Nathan and Sam moved to Grand Rapids, Minn., in 2006 when Nathan became the youth pastor and then later the associate pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Grand Rapids, Minn. Nathan was involved with P.R.A.Y. as a leader, and regularly attended the Grand Rapids Ministerial Association and the Pastors Prayer Fellowship.
He was an avid reader and an excellent writer and preacher, who was very involved with the youth. He loved everyone unconditionally, especially his family and the Lord. Nathan loved comic books and super heroes. He often joked with his children that he was dad by day and super hero by night.
He is preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Milton Erdmann.
He is survived by his wife Samantha; three daughters, Lauren (6 years old), Alexandra (3½ years old), and Journey (1½ years old) and one son, Lincoln (4 months old); parents, Rev. Randy and Debbie Junker of Grand Rapids, Minn.; two sisters, Tiffany (Ben) Waurms of Glencoe, Minn. and Nadine (Ryan) Burkhart of Waconia, Minn.; one brother, Tim (Tammy) Junker of Grand Rapids, Minn.; his paternal grandparents, Fred and Joan Junker of Mt. Lake, Minn.; his maternal grandmother, Cora Erdmann of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Mike and Renee Weedman of Plymouth, Wis.; one sister-in-law, Natalie (Mitch) Mulder of North Muskegon, Mich.; one brother-in-law, Travis (Arielle) Weedman of Portland, Ore.; two nieces, Avery Junker and Ava Mulder; two nephews, Brody Junker and Emerson Waurms; and many aunts and uncles.
Funeral service took place Saturday morning, July 4, at the Grand Rapids Assembly of God Church, Grand Rapids, Minn. Rev. Tom Parker and Rev. Paul Losik officiated. Burial took place in Harris Cemetery, Harris Township, Minn.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Nathan Junker Memorial Trust, c/o Wells Fargo Bank, 220 N.W. First Ave., Grand Rapids, MN 55744.
Arrangements are by Rowe Funeral Home of Grand Rapids, Minn.
Never Alone
“Can you believe that God is being good to you even when you don’t feel his nearness? It may be the hardest steps of faith you take as you seem to walk all alone through the valley of death that keeps stretching on and on. But if you trust that God loves you and that he never leaves you, salvation is yours.” – Nathan Junker
Please check out nathanjunker.com for many more writings and thoughts from Nathan Junker, a man who lived as Christ did, and in his death, he gained.
