Father Joseph A. Lenk  

His birth is recorded Allen County, Indiana Index to Birth Records 1887 - 1920 Inclusive Volume 3 K - Rich Book: CH-5 Page: 143 as:

Name: Joseph Lenk Father: S mother: Thela Stock County: Allen Male 22 Sep 1912

The son of John LENK born 18.08.1865 in Altensteig died 04.11.1951 in Fort Wayne, Indiana Burial: Catholic Cemetery Fort Wayne Allen County Indiana and Thekla STOCK born 05.05.1866 in Orb died 17.08.1945 in Fort Wayne, Indiana Burial: Catholic Cemetery Fort Wayne Allen County Indiana

Anna LENK born 1894 in Fort Wayne, died 10.04.1909 Anna died after her clothing caught on fire. Burial: Catholic Cemetery Fort Wayne Allen County Indiana

Luis (Louis) John LENK born 1895 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, died 04.06.1938 Burial: Catholic Cemetery Fort Wayne Allen County Indiana married Clara M. CHRISTIE born 14.02.1893 in Fort Wayne, Indiana died 24.06.1915 in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Thekla M. LENK born 1897 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, died 10.11.1991 married Thomas H. HUSTED & Jacob A. LAUER

William Fred LENK born 1899 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, died 22.02.1929 in Fort Wayne, Indiana Burial: Catholic Cemetery Fort Wayne Allen County Indiana

Josephine R. LENK born 1901, died 10.03.1920 Burial: Catholic Cemetery Fort Wayne Allen County Indiana

Pauline Sophia LENK born 1902 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, + vor 1983 married Wilmer BAYER born 08.05.1900 in Fort Wayne, Indiana died 11.08.1923 in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Peter Paul LENK born 1904, died 26.12.1940 Burial: Catholic Cemetery Fort Wayne Allen County Indiana

Dr. George Gustav LENK born 1907 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, died 01.04.1983 in Fort Wayne, Indiana Burial: Catholic Cemetery Fort Wayne Allen County Indiana married Adeline C. --- born 06.12.1911 in St. Louis died 02.02.1975

Joseph A. LENK born 22.09.1912 in Fort Wayne, Indiana died 11.07.1993 in South Bend, St. Joseph, Indiana

The 1920 census 1920;Census Place: Fort Wayne Ward 8, Allen, Indiana; Roll: T625_421; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 72;

John Lenk 54
Theckla Lenk 53 - wife
Theckla Lenk 22 - daughter
William Lenk 21 - son
Josephine Lenk 19 - daughter
Pa uline Lenk 17 - daughter
Peter Lenk 15 - son
George Lenk 12 - son b. c. 1913
Joseph Lenk 7 - son

The 1930 census Census Place Fort Wayne, Allen, Indiana; Roll: 576; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 31; gives:
John Lenk 63
Thekla Lenk 62 - wife
Louis Lenk 33 - son
Thomas H Husted 35 son-in-law
Thekla Husted 32 - daughter
George G Lenk 21 - son
Joseph Lenk 18 - b. c. 1912
August Alker 33 - boarder
He graduated from St. Joseph College Rensselaer, Indiana 1933.

July 2, 1954 Culver Citizen:

Father Lenk was born in Fort Wayne. He prepared for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s College, St. Mary’s College, and Notre Dame University, with theological studies at Mr. St. Mary’s Theological Seminary at Norwood, Ohio.

He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop John Francis Noll, D. D. in the Cathedral at Fort Wayne on June 3, 1939.

He had served for three years as assistant pastor at St. Lawrence Church at Muncie when he entered the U. S. Army as a chaplain. (Tour of duty, foreign service: Chaplain School at Harvard University: appointment with the 91st Infantry Division on the West Coast. Then overseas duty in M.T.O.,

North Africa and Italy. In recognition of the work of the chaplains of the 5th Army after the armistice was signed, he enjoyed a trip to Athens, Greece, Cairo, Egypt, and spent a month in the Holy Land.)

In March 1945, Father Lenk was separated from the service with the rank of Major.

He became a staff member of the Veterans Administration hospital at Hines, Ill., becoming senior chaplain the same month.

In 1947 Father Lenk was appointed first assistant to Msgr. John S. Sabo, the Catholic dean of the South Bend area at Our Lady Church. In September 1948, Father Lenk was appointed first resident pastor of St. Mary’s Mission Church in Culver with the work of establishing a Catholic parish and church in this community.

In December of 1948, Fr. Lenk oversaw the construction of a “new” St. Mary of the Lake Church at the corner of College Ave. and Plymouth Street, the present location of St. Mary’s. Fr. Lenk’s military background probably contributed to his choice of church, a sheet metal building in military Quonset hut style. One assumes that Fr. Lenk intended from the start to eventually raise money to build a more permanent and suitable church building.

Father Lenk continued as paster until ill health forced his early retirement in February of 1978.

By the lake directories from Culver he went to the Sacred Heart Home at Avilla, Noble, Indiana.

Father Lenk was the owner of a cottage on Lake Maxinkuckee called "Villa Maria" which was at 920 S. Shore Dr.

The Rev. Joseph A. Lenk Endowed Scholarship at St. Joseph College Rensselaer, Indiana. Awarded on a competitive basis to a student from Saint Mary’s of the Lake Parish, Culver , Indiana.
His death is found in the Social Security Death Index as:

Joseph A. Lenk birth: 22 Sep 1912 death: 11 Jul 1993 place: South Bend, St Joseph, Indiana