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|birth_place=Nanticoke, Berks County, [[Pennsylvania]]<br>
|birth_place=Nanticoke, Berks County, [[Pennsylvania]]<br>
Resident of [[Minden, Louisiana]]
Resident of [[Minden, Louisiana]]
|death_date=August 28, 2019 (aged 93)
|death_place=Minden, Webster Parish, Louisiana
|spouse=Jerry Catron Ichter (married 1949-2018, her death)<br>
|spouse=Jerry Catron Ichter (married 1949-2018, her death)<br>
Children:<br>
Children:<br>
}}
}}
'''William H. Ichter,''' known as '''Bill Ichter''' (born December 11, 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]].
'''William H. Ichter,''' known as '''Bill Ichter''' (December 11, 1925 – August 28, 2019),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://press-herald.com/bro-bill-ichter-passes/|title=Bro. Bill Ichter passes|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|date=August 29, 2019}}</ref> was 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]].
<center><blockquote>'''''One cannot live a good or meaningful life without God in your life.''''' - Bill Ichter</blockquote></center>
<center><blockquote>'''''One cannot live a good or meaningful life without God in your life.''''' - Bill Ichter</blockquote></center>
In 1949, Bill Ichter, with assistance from G.I. Bill of Rights, completed his bachelor's degree from Baptist-affiliated [[Louisiana College]] in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] with majors in [[Bible]] and music. Ichter made his profession of faith in [[Jesus Christ]] at a campus chapel service preached by [[W. O. Vaught]], who from 1945 to 1983 was the pastor of the Immanuel Baptist Church in [[Little Rock]], [[Arkansas]]. While serving in the music ministry of the Istrouma Baptist Church in [[Baton Rouge]], Ichter felt the divine call for mission work. He obtained a master's degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in [[New Orleans]] and continued to serve area churches. In 1956, at his appointment ceremony 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/> Upon Graham's death in 2018, Ichter recalled in an interview with his hometown newspaper that the world-known evangelist was "a very dynamic man. A very humble man, and a great man of the Lord. He was well recognized, but he wasn’t a political figure. He was a unifier. When we had the crusade choir, the different denominations had never worked together on anything, but he was the unifier that brought them together."<ref name=cdaniel>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/bill-billy/|title=Bill and Billy|author=Caleb Daniel|accessdate=February 28, 2018}}</ref> Ichter added, “Heaven will be richer. He’s up there with [[George Beverly Shea|Bev Shea]] and [[Cliff Barrows]]. The three of them were inseparable during the Graham crusades all over the country, and now they’re together again.”<ref name=cdaniel/>
In 1949, Bill Ichter, with assistance from G.I. Bill of Rights, completed his bachelor's degree from Baptist-affiliated [[Louisiana College]] in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] with majors in [[Bible]] and music. Ichter made his profession of faith in [[Jesus Christ]] at a campus chapel service preached by [[W. O. Vaught]], who from 1945 to 1983 was the pastor of the Immanuel Baptist Church in [[Little Rock]], [[Arkansas]]. While serving in the music ministry of the Istrouma Baptist Church in [[Baton Rouge]], Ichter felt the divine call for mission work. He obtained a master's degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in [[New Orleans]] and continued to serve area churches. In 1956, at his appointment ceremony 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/> Upon Graham's death in 2018, Ichter recalled in an interview with his hometown newspaper that the world-known evangelist was "a very dynamic man. A very humble man, and a great man of the Lord. He was well recognized, but he wasn’t a political figure. He was a unifier. When we had the crusade choir, the different denominations had never worked together on anything, but he was the unifier that brought them together."<ref name=cdaniel>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/bill-billy/|title=Bill and Billy|author=Caleb Daniel|accessdate=February 28, 2018}}</ref> Ichter added, “Heaven will be richer. He’s up there with [[George Beverly Shea|Bev Shea]] and [[Cliff Barrows]]. The three of them were inseparable during the Graham crusades all over the country, and now they’re together again.”<ref name=cdaniel/>
In 1990, Ichter returned to Louisiana from Brazil. In recent years, he has resided in [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, where he is active in the First Baptist Church and has been a hospital chaplain.<ref name=familysearch/> On [[Veterans Day]] 2014, his adopted city of Minden observed "Bill Ichter Day," proclaimed by [[Mayor]] [[Tommy Davis|Mayor Marvin Thomas "Tommy" Davis]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/rev-bill-itcher-saluted-veterans-day/|title=Rev. Bill Ichter saluted on Veterans Day|author=Bonnie Culverhouse|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|date=October 15, 2014|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}</ref> In the ceremony, Ichter received from the French consul the Legion of Honor medal, the highest award by that nation. He had also won a [[Bronze Star]] during the war. 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>"Bill Ichter ('49): Music Missionary to Brazil, ''Columns: The Magazine for Louisiana College Alumni and Friends'', Winter 2016, p. 22.</ref>
In 1990, Ichter returned to Louisiana from Brazil. In recent years, he has resided in [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, where he is active in the First Baptist Church and has been a hospital chaplain.<ref name=familysearch/> On [[Veterans Day]] 2014, his adopted city of Minden observed "Bill Ichter Day," proclaimed by [[Mayor]] [[Tommy Davis|Marvin Thomas "Tommy" Davis]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/rev-bill-itcher-saluted-veterans-day/|title=Rev. Bill Ichter saluted on Veterans Day|author=Bonnie Culverhouse|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|date=October 15, 2014|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}</ref> In the ceremony, Ichter received from the French consul the Legion of Honor medal, the highest award by that nation. He had also won a [[Bronze Star]] during the war. 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>"Bill Ichter ('49): Music Missionary to Brazil, ''Columns: The Magazine for Louisiana College Alumni and Friends'', Winter 2016, p. 22.</ref>
Ichter and his wife, the former Jerry Catron (1930-2018), wed in 1949.<ref name=familysearch/> She was a daughter of businessman Alonzo Brown Catron (1897-1984) and the former Luta Edmonson (1904-1999), who are interred at the New Forest Cemetery in the village of Forest near Oak Grove in West Carroll Parish in northeastern Louisiana.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Catron&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=47197320&df=all&|title=Alonzo Brown Catron|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=March 21, 2017}}</ref> Mrs. Ichter graduated from Forest High School and studied secretarial science at Louisiana College, where she met her husband. Her older sister, Patricia "Pat" Catron de Pingré, of Irving, [[Texas]],<ref name=mrsichterdeath/> is the widow of Major Louis de Pingré (1928-2007), a Minden businessman, former journalist, and historian of the First Baptist Church of Minden.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54133974/major-louis-de_pingre|title=Major Louis de Pingré|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=September 22, 2018}}</ref>
Ichter and his wife, the former Jerry Catron (1930-2018), wed in 1949.<ref name=familysearch/> She was a daughter of businessman Alonzo Brown Catron (1897-1984) and the former Luta Edmonson (1904-1999), who are interred at the New Forest Cemetery in the village of Forest near Oak Grove in West Carroll Parish in northeastern Louisiana.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Catron&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=47197320&df=all&|title=Alonzo Brown Catron|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=March 21, 2017}}</ref> Mrs. Ichter graduated from Forest High School and studied secretarial science at Louisiana College, where she met her husband. Her older sister, Patricia "Pat" Catron de Pingré, of Irving, [[Texas]],<ref name=mrsichterdeath/> is the widow of Major Louis de Pingré (1928-2007), a Minden businessman, former journalist, and historian of the First Baptist Church of Minden.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54133974/major-louis-de_pingre|title=Major Louis de Pingré|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=September 22, 2018}}</ref>
On June 22, 2018, Ichter suffered a fractured hip in a household fall but recovered.
On June 22, 2018, Ichter suffered a fractured hip in a household fall but recovered.
On September 19, Mrs. Ichter died peacefully in her sleep.<ref name=mrsichterdeath>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/jerry-ichter/|title=Jerry Ichter obituary|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|date=September 21, 2018|accessdate=September 22, 2018}}</ref>
On September 19, 2018, Mrs. Ichter died peacefully in her sleep.<ref name=mrsichterdeath>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/jerry-ichter/|title=Jerry Ichter obituary|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|date=September 21, 2018|accessdate=September 22, 2018}}</ref> Ichter himself died eleven months after the passing of his wife.
Ichter remarked that one "cannot live a good or meaningful life without [[God]] in your life. Louisiana College taught me how to live and not just how to make a living."<ref name=bio/>
Ichter remarked that one "cannot live a good or meaningful life without [[God]] in your life. Louisiana College taught me how to live and not just how to make a living."<ref name=bio/>