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'''William H. Ichter, Jr.,''' known as '''Bill Ichter''' (born December 1925),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Home/Home?uid=3412039|title=William Ichter, December 1925|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}</ref> is a [[Southern Baptist Convention|Southern Baptist]] clergyman who for thirty-five years was a missionary to [[Brazil]] under auspices of the Foreign Mission Board of the  [[Southern Baptist Convention]] of [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]]. A native of Reading, [[Pennsylvania]], he resides in [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in  Webster Parish in northwestern [[Louisiana]].<ref name=bio>"Bill Ichter ('49): Music Missionary to Brazil, ''Columns: The Magazine for Louisiana College Alumni and Friends'', Winter 2016, p. 22.</ref>

'''William H. Ichter,''' known as '''Bill Ichter''' (born December 1925),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Home/Home?uid=3412039|title=William Ichter, December 1925|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}</ref> is a [[Southern Baptist Convention|Southern Baptist]] clergyman who for thirty-five years was a missionary to [[Brazil]] under auspices of the Foreign Mission Board of the  [[Southern Baptist Convention]] of [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]].  

With the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]] in 1941, William Ichter, Sr., was sent to [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Louisiana, to be an umpire for the war games at nearby  [[United States Army]] camps. As a result of this move, the younger Ichter came into contact with Southern Baptists in Alexandria, where he graduated from Bolton High School. He served in General [[George S. Patton, Jr.]]'s Third Army in [[Europe]] and participated in various musical groups with the Allied Army of Occupation. His book, ''Who Me, God?'' reflects in part on his military experiences.<ref name=bio/>

 

Harold Ichter was an employee of the [[United States Postal Service]] and the Pennsylvania [[National Guard]]; the family was hardly impacted by the [[Great Depression]] because of the father's two paychecks. With the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]] in 1941, the senior Ichter was sent to [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Louisiana, to be an umpire for the war games at nearby  [[United States Army]] camps. As a result of this move, the younger Ichter came into contact with Southern Baptists. He graduated a semester early in 1943 from Bolton High School in Alexandria. He served from February 1944 to June 1946 as a [[corporal]] in [[General]] [[George S. Patton, Jr.]]'s Third Army infantry in [[Europe]]<ref name=familysearch>{{cite web|url=https://familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/28101155|title=William Ichter - Oral History Project - World War II (1944-1946|publisher=Familysearch.org|accessdate=March 18, 2017}}</ref> and participated in various [[music]]al groups with the Allied Army of Occupation. His book, ''Who Me, God?'' reflects in part on his military experiences.<ref name=bio/>

In 1949, he completed his bachelor's degree from Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] with majors in [[Bible]] and music. While serving in the music ministry of the Istrouma Baptist Church in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]], Ichter felt the divine call for missionary work. He enrolled at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in [[New Orleans]] and continued to serve area churches. In 1956, at his appointment ceremony to become a missionary, held in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], [[Virginia]], Ichter met [[Billy Graham]], who was holding a crusade that week in Richmond and spoke to each new missionary. In 1964, Ichter compiled a crusade hymnal and composed one song himself.  In 1974, Ichter led the 11,500-voice Graham Crusade Choir during the evangelist's appearance in [[Rio de Janeiro]].<ref name=bio/>

In 1949, he completed his bachelor's degree from Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] with majors in [[Bible]] and music. While serving in the music ministry of the Istrouma Baptist Church in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]], Ichter felt the divine call for missionary work. He enrolled at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in [[New Orleans]] and continued to serve area churches. In 1956, at his appointment ceremony to become a missionary, held in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], [[Virginia]], Ichter met [[Billy Graham]], who was holding a crusade that week in Richmond and spoke to each new missionary. In 1964, Ichter compiled a crusade hymnal and composed one song himself.  In 1974, Ichter led the 11,500-voice Graham Crusade Choir during the evangelist's appearance in [[Rio de Janeiro]].<ref name=bio/>

On [[Veterans Day]] 2014, Ichter's adopted city of Minden, Louisiana, observed "Bill Ichter Day". He received from the French consul the Legion of Honor medal, the highest honor awarded by that nation. His name was the first to be placed on the Wall of Honor at Minden's Veterans Flag Memorial. The South Webster [[Chamber of Commerce]] awarded him  its "Lifetime Achievement Award."<ref name=bio/>

On [[Veterans Day]] 2014, Ichter's adopted city of Minden, Louisiana, observed "Bill Ichter Day". He received from the French consul the Legion of Honor medal, the highest honor awarded by that nation. His name was the first to be placed on the Wall of Honor at Minden's Veterans Flag Memorial. The South Webster [[Chamber of Commerce]] awarded him  its "Lifetime Achievement Award."<ref name=bio/>

Ichter and his wife, the former Jerry Catron (born June 1930), have a daughter, Alana (born May 1950), and her husband, Ronald W. Greenwich, of Minden (born July 1948). Ichter said that one "cannot live a good or meaningful life without God in your life. Louisiana College taught me how to live and just how to make a living."<ref name=bio/>

Ichter and his wife, the former Jerry Catron (born June 1930), have a daughter, Alana (born May 1950), who is married to  Ronald W. Greenwich (born July 1948) of Minden. Ichter said that one "cannot live a good or meaningful life without God in your life. Louisiana College taught me how to live and just how to make a living."<ref name=bio/>

==References==

==References==