Ivan Charles Horn

Rev. Ivan Charles Horn, 86, of Waterloo passed away at home on December 26, 2024. Ivan was surrounded by family members at the time of his passing.

Ivan Horn was born in St. Louis, Missouri on March 29, 1938. He was the only child of Harold and Thelma Horn and was raised in Waterloo. He worked for his father at Horn’s Feed Mill while in school.

Ivan graduated from Waterloo High School and McKendree College in Lebanon, Illinois. He received a Bachelor of Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary on June 4, 1965, and was ordained at St. Paul United Church of Christ (UCC) in Waterloo on June 27, 1965. Pastor Horn received his Master of Divinity from Eden in 1969.

While at Eden, Ivan’s field work assignments included St. Mark’s UCC in DuBois, Illinois, St. Paul UCC in Waterloo, St. Paul’s UCC in Oakville, Missouri, and St. Peter's UCC in Granite City, Illinois. He also served his clinical year of seminary as assistant pastor at Salem UCC in Quincy, Illinois. The first church he served as an ordained pastor was Payson Congregational Church in Payson, Illinois, beginning in June 1965. In November 1967 the Horns moved to Newburgh, Indiana where he served Zion UCC for 22 years. In 1989, he began his ministry as pastor for St. Martin’s UCC in Dittmer, Missouri and served that community for 14 years. Although he thought he was retiring from the ministry when Ivan and Viv moved to the family farm in Waterloo, he was instead called to serve St. John UCC in Maeystown as interim pastor for 4 years. He served as a part-time pastor of Friedens UCC in Hecker for 17 years until his retirement effective November 1 of this year.

Throughout his service as a pastor Ivan was active in his community, including Lions, Kiwanis, school bus driver, school board committees, president of the Newburgh town board, and transportation committee for the Evansville, Indiana area. Ivan served and chaired many church boards, ecumenical groups, church camps, clergy alliances, Committees on Ministry, and denominational decision making groups. He served as chaplain for Cedar Hill Fire Protection District, chaplain at the Boy Scouts of America camp in Waterloo, pastor for the Boy Scouts of America God and Country award, and on-call chaplain at Memorial Hospital Belleville.

Ivan is survived by his wife of 64 years, Viv; son and daughter-in-law Philip and Kathy Horn of Waterloo; daughter Rochelle Horn Fichter of Evansville, Indiana; daughter and son-in-law Anita Horn Rizek and Chris Rizek of Davidsonville, Maryland; grandchild Bradley Horn (Katie Remick) and great-grandchildren Banks and Hattie Horn of Waterloo; grandchild Tyler (Julia) Horn and great-grandchild Henry Horn of Waterloo; grandchildren Briley Fichter (Jared) Simpkins of Mt. Vernon, Indiana, Alex (Hannah) Fichter of Newburgh, Indiana, and Lilian, Meredith, and James Rizek of Davidsonville, Maryland; and foster daughter Sheryl McCallister and foster grandchild Jeremy McCallister of Boonville, Indiana. He was preceded in death by his foster grandchild Ryann Star McCallister.

Ivan was thankful that the family was able to gather together this past Thanksgiving and that he was able to say his goodbyes on Christmas day. He loved being a pastor. He touched the lives of countless people. When you became a friend of Ivan, you were a lifetime friend. He loved meeting people, watching people, and helping people. Rev. Horn leaves a legacy of caring for others over his 60 years of ministry and will be missed by so many.

Visitation will be held at St. Paul UCC in Waterloo on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a celebration of life service at 1:00 p.m. There is no gravesite service. Ivan’s legacy of care extends beyond his death with his donation to the Body Donor Program at Washington University in St. Louis.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to: Hoyleton Youth & Family Services (8 Executive Dr #200, Fairview Heights, IL 62208); Human Support Services (988 IL-3, Waterloo, IL 62298); Monroe County Extension & 4-H Education Foundation (PO Box 117, Waterloo IL 62298); or Waterloo FFA Alumni (6209 Chantilly Bend, Waterloo, IL 62298).