Rev. Rudy Ernest Poettcker

Reverend Rudy Ernest Poettcker, 77, of Palm Bay, passed away on March 8, 2026. The burial will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 2:00PM at Buggs Street Community Cemetery.

Buggs Street Community Cemetery
2685 Bruce D. Buggs Street
Melbourne, Florida 32901
(321) 728-7076

Family and Early Life
Rudy was the fourth of five Poettcker brothers. The oldest was Herbert, then Henry, then myself, Art, then Rudy, and lastly Allan. Our two older brothers drowned in 1954. The grief on our parents and family was immense. Even as children we witnessed their tears and prayers, shaping our seriousness about life.
Our grandparents on both sides immigrated from Russia in the 1920s. My grandfather Raabe ran a flour mill and was also a preacher. The Bolsheviks often confiscated his flour, but God provided, sometimes in surprising ways. “God will provide” became a family saying, especially during the dry years of the 1960s. The endurance of our parents became a lasting testimony to us children.
Our parents married in 1934, the same year our grandfather died of cancer. Though we never met him, he wrote a book of poems reflecting his deep walk with God. My sister Selma translated it into English, highlighting his love for family and God. These stories remind us of the faith and endurance that shaped our family and, ultimately, Rudy.
Rudy was two years younger than me. We grew up on a farm near Pincher Creek, Alberta, and rode horseback to a one-room school. Later we moved to Coaldale. From a young age, Rudy and I played farm with toy tractors, barns, and houses, imagining ourselves as our father and uncle. Sports followed— basketball, football, baseball, hockey—culminating in friendly rivalries with each other, from pond hockey to professional teams.
Rudy attended Briercrest Bible Institute and later Westminster Theological Seminary. We often had theological discussions, and though we sometimes disagreed, I learned much from him. Distance later separated us geographically, but our unity in the Lord remained strong. 

Marriage and Family
Rudy and Sharilyn married on December 30, 1972, under a beautiful Alberta winter sky—a clear blue sky with sunlight sparkling on snow-covered branches. Their life together was marked by love, faith, and enduring commitment.
After graduating from the University of Calgary, Rudy did not expect to become a pastor. Yet God guided him to further theological study in Philadelphia, Indiana, and Iowa. In June 1981, he was ordained and became pastor of a church in Calgary.
That same year, God blessed Rudy and Sharilyn with their daughter, Karissa. In 1984, God brought another precious gift into their family, a little boy they named Micah. Their lives were forever enriched as they nurtured and loved these children.
Tragedy struck in 1992 when Micah’s earthly race ended after extensive medical treatments. Even as a young child, he demonstrated remarkable faith, saying, “God can either heal me here on earth, or in Heaven.” This childlike faith remained a testimony and source of strength for Rudy and Sharilyn.

Ministry and Service
God later led Rudy through Reverend Geoff Donnan of Reformation Christian Ministries to Christian Liberty Academy in Paramaribo, Suriname. Serving as Pastor and Headmaster alonside Asgar Hamid, he devoted himself to Christian education. The school grew to nearly 390 students from around the world.
In March 2003, a fire damaged the school. Miraculously, critical student records were preserved, and only one day of classes was missed. God’s providence was evident even in hardship.
In August 2024, Rudy began his final battle with cancer. Yet through those months God sustained him day by day and Sunday by Sunday. On March 1, 2026, Rudy preached his final sermon. One week later, on Sunday, March 8, 2026, he gently breathed his last and entered the presence of his Savior. 

Legacy and Faith
Those who knew Rudy knew a man devoted to the Word of God. He loved studying Scripture and gladly teaching it to others. He loved his wife Sharilyn deeply. He cherished being a father to Karissa and Micah, and a grandfather to Damien, Quintin, and Dahlia. He was thoughtful, authentic, sometimes reserved, and always purposeful. He was also a planner—someone who believed careful preparation honored the work God had given him.
Karissa shared these words in remembrance of her father:
Today we say goodbye to my father. Like many relationships between parents and children, ours had its ups and downs, but he was an important part of my life.
I’m grateful for the life lessons he gave me—both easy and difficult—that helped shape who I am.
Today we remember him in the many different roles in his life: father, grandfather, husband, pastor, teacher, and friend. In all these roles, his integrity and love for God always came first.
I have so many childhood memories that I will cherish, and his presence in my life and in the lives of his grandchildren will truly be missed.
We are deeply grateful that we were able to spend time with Dad; and although we will miss him here on earth, we know he is without pain and in God’s glory.
Scripture reminds us:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV)
And also:
“Well done, good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of your Lord.” — Matthew 25:21 (NKJV)
Rudy has now entered that “better country… a heavenly one” spoken of in Hebrews 11. Free from sin and suffering, he now rejoices in the presence of Christ.