Rev. Chris A. Engel Bottorff, age 65 of Crown Point, passed away Thursday, January 21, 2021.

He is survived by wife of 35 years, Ruth Bottorff; three children: Nathan, Rebecca, and Jonathan Bottorff; brother, David (Marilyn) Bottorff and brother, Mark Bottorff.  David and Marilyn have two sons Benjamin and Samuel (Melissa).  He was preceded in death by parents, Robert and Ann Bottorff.

Rev. Chris Bottorff was born on November 18, 1955 in South Bend, Indiana. He was baptized on December 18, 1955 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Bremen, Indiana and confirmed on May 17, 1970 at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Mishawaka, Indiana. Upon graduation from Mishawaka High School in 1975, Pastor Bottorff began his training for the Pastoral ministry at Concordia College in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.  From 1979 to 1983, he attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.  He did his vicarage from1981-1982 at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas.  He completed his training for the Holy Ministry and received his Master of Divinity Degree from Concordia Seminary on May 27, 1983.

Pastor Bottorff was ordained by Rev. Raymond Mueller on June 1983 at his home congregation, St. Peter Lutheran Church in Mishawaka, Indiana.  He accepted a call to serve as pastor at a dual parish at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Burwell, Nebraska, and Peace Lutheran Church in Sargent, Nebraska.  He was installed at St. John’s on July 10, 1983 and served at both parishes until 1985 when he received a call to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Dwight, Illinois. He also served at Faith Lutheran Church in Jefferson City, Missouri, Resurrection Lutheran Church in Crown Point, Indiana, Salem Lutheran Church in Blue Island, Illinois, and was a supply pastor for Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Calumet Park, Illinois.  Pastor Bottorff retired from the ministry on October 28, 2018.

A visitation will be held directly at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 250 S. Indiana Ave, on Saturday, January 30, 2021 from 12:00 p.m. til 1:00 p.m. Funeral Service will follow at 1:00 p.m with Rev. Daniel Gadbaw officiating.  He will be interred at Maplewood Memorial Cemetery. Memorials preferred to Concordia University, St. Louis, Mo, Concordia University, Ann Arbor, MI, American Cancer Society, or American Heart Association.

To view the funeral service online, please click here