John Hamburg Schaal (1908-2002) | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

John Hamburg Schaal was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan on April 28, 1908.  Schaal attended Calvin College, graduated with his B.A. in 1930, and went on to Calvin Seminary graduating in1933. Schaal’s first call came from his hometown, Kalamazoo’s Milwood congregation. He served there from 1933 until 1943 when he accepted the call from Second Fremont. Schaal’s gift of being a great educator and writer led him to be the denomination’s editor of the Sunday school papers and material.

He was the editor and pastor of Second CRC until 1948 when he agreed to be the Bible instructor at the Reformed Bible Institute. In 1972, he was appointed as the Academic Dean at the Reformed Bible College. Only a year later Schaal entered emeritus status. At the age of 94, John Schaal died on September 24, 2002. His wife, Grace (Workman), preceded him in death. His son Wendell and five grandchildren survived Schaal.