Rev. Koloman Karl Ludwig

Rev. Koloman Karl Ludwig, 79, of Hammond, IN, passed away at home on November 16, 2024. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 8955 Columbia Ave, Munster, IN, 46321. Visitation at 10:00 a.m. Services at 11:00 a.m.

Born in Linz, Austria, on July 17, 1945, he came to the United States in 1950, with his refugee parents, Artur Aurel Ludwig and Piroska Ludwig, from Pozsony. The 4 th of 5 children, Karl became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1955. His father, had been a lawyer in the family wine business, with an avocation for helping the disadvantaged, distilled the same passion into Karl.

He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL, in 1968, and a Master of Divinity from Bethany Theological Seminary, Oak Brook, IL, in 1972. In 1973–1974 he pursued graduate studies at Debrecen Theological Seminary and Budapest Theological Academy concentrating on Hungarian Reformed Theology, familiarity of Hungarian culture, and improvement of Hungarian language skills. Karl was ordained into the Christian Ministry on June 4, 1972, by the United Church of Christ (UCC). He was the Pastor of the Indiana Harbor Hungarian Reformed Church from April, 1981 through August 2001 and the Pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church in Whiting, IN, from 1974 until it closed in 2017. He served as a Bishop of the Calvin Synod (UCC), making it his mission to visit, take part in their joy and work also with the congregations in times of trouble. He served on the Bethlen Home Board and also as editor of the “Calvin Synod Herald”. Karl annually anticipated the week
when, as Co-Camp Director of the Hungarian Reformed Youth Camp, his spirit was refreshed.

Karl loved his Magyar heritage. He was a Hungarian by choice and served his congregations, not only as a minister but also with physical labor, repairing roofing, shoveling snow and being the organizer of sausage making.

He was the Executive Director of Referral & Emergency Service, Inc. from 1976 through 2005 during which time he established an Emergency Homeless Shelter for Families, a Homeless Shelter for long-term Homeless, and job/skills back to work program for long-term homeless; he also established a daily “Evening Meal Program” and was the co-founder and sponsor of the local Food Bank Program, and supported numerous food pantries and soup kitchens. He could be found
regularly in work clothes doing not only his leadership job, but also the manual labor as needed.

He lived by James 2:14-26, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? etc,

Rev. Ludwig is survived by his three sisters: Piroska Szabo, Zora Ludwig and Irene Ludwig(Gerald Forney), brother Aurel/Whitey Ludwig(Charlene Ludwig), seven beloved nieces and nephews, and his steadfast friend Edward Altgilbers.

For additional information, please contact Hillside Funeral Home & Cremation Center Konnie Kuiper - Michael Kuiper-Vass by calling us at 219-838-0800 or visiting us at www.hillsidefhcares.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rev. Koloman Karl Ludwig, please visit our floral store.