Dean Monkemeier - Senior Pastor
Dean became our pastor in June of 2007. He has been in pastoral ministry since 1984. He served for 12 years as the pastor of Hinsdale Baptist Church (now known as Oak Community Church) in Hinsdale, Illinois. He was called to WSBC after ministering from 1996 to 2007 as the senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Lompoc, California.
Pastor Dean is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and the University of Illinois Chicago (BA History). He received his master’s of divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois.
Dean has been married to Sherilyn since 1977 and they have three grown children: Matthew, married to Tia, Stephen and Ellen.
Dean can be reached at dean.monkemeier@sbcglobal.net.
Terry Strandt - Minister of Music
Terry serves as Minister of Music at Western Springs Baptist Church. Worship and music are a passion for him, which are enhanced by his full-time duties at the Moody Bible Institute where he teaches Voice and Music History. Previously he taught Voice and Choral Music at Montana State University. Dr. Strandt has been on the faculty at MBI for 19 years, while enjoying an active career leading worship in various churches, or singing professionally (Chicago Symphony Chorus; Music of the Baroque). He received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music and Masters and Bachelors degrees in Music from the University of Arizona.
Christine is Terry’s wife and partner in ministry. They have three children, Ryan, Rachel, and Taylor. You may contact Terry at strandtcs@sbcglobal.net.
Mark Sisler - Youth Pastor
Mark Graduated from Moody Bible Institute in May of 2000 with a B.A. in Youth Ministry. Upon graduation, Mark and his wife, Liz, became foster parents for 6 kids at Christ's Home for Children in Warminster, PA. Following their work at Christ's Home, Mark served as the Youth Director and Assistant Program Director at Gull Lake Bible Conference in Michigan. Mark became the Youth Pastor at the Western Springs Baptist Church in August of 2002.
You may contact Mark at mark.sisler@sbcglobal.net.
Kathi Best - Organist
Kathi graduated from Taylor University with a BS in Music Education and an Organ minor. She taught public school music for three years followed by nine years at a preschool. Kathi has been the Organist at the Western Springs Baptist church since graduation. For the last eight years, Kathi has been an accompanist at Lyons Township High School. She also teaches private piano lessons and freelances as an accompanist.
Kathi and her husband, Paul, have two adult daughters, Gretel and Elissa.
Karen Ulery - Office Administrator
Karen was born and raised in Collinsville, Illinois. She met and accepted her Savior in the summer of 1976.
She moved to New York City to work in a new branch office of a small securities brokerage firm. Her office was in a one of the smaller towers of the WTC. She then moved to Chicago in the fall of 1980 and worked on the trading floor of the Chicago Board of Options Exchange first for Paine Webber and then Merrill Lynch.
Karen has also worked for a small commercial real estate company and an industrial psychologist before coming to Western Springs Baptist Church in 2000.
She and her husband, Greg, have a daughter, Meg.
Linda Peters - Administrative Assistant
Linda grew up in the Western Springs Baptist Church where she learned about the Lord and the saving grace of Jesus at a very early age. She was actively involved in the Youth Group activities and sang in the youth choir that John Wilson directed.
Linda then obtained a BS in Biology and a minor in chemistry from NIU. After completion of college she worked in the quality control/research and development department of a company that makes brake shoes for trains.
Presently, Linda is a member of the Missions Committee and attends the Tuesday Evening Ladies Bible Study.
Linda and her husband, Craig, have three adult children: Krissy, Erik and Joshua.
Lynn Anne Gantt - Public Relations/Website Coordinator
Lynn Anne met Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior when she was 12 years old. After Lynn Anne graduated from Tulane University with a BS in Biomedical Engineering, she worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in New Orleans designing capital equipment improvement projects. She then became a Consultant and Trainer in networking and applications. Lynn Anne attended Bethesda Bible College and transitioned to full time ministry with Women and Singles in the New Orleans area. Lynn Anne joined Western Springs Baptist in 2003 where she is privileged to work with Women’s Ministries and Small Groups Ministries. Lynn Anne and her husband, Richard, have three boys: Jackson, Graeme and Lachlan.
Lynn Anne may be reached at lagantt@sbcglobal.net.
Bruce Miller - Director of Multimedia
Bruce was born in Oak Park, Illinois and grew up in Berwyn. He lived in Western Springs for eight years, at which time he was very active at WSBC. He was a trustee for six years, three of which he served as Chairman. In his most recent position, Bruce was the Director of Media Systems for Christ Church of Oak Brook and is currently working as an Independent Media Consultant and Producer.
Bruce can be reached at brmiller38@comcast.net.
Martin Viramontes - Maintenance Custodian
Martin was born and raised in Villanueva, Zacatecas, Mexico. He came to the United States in 1982. He worked for Hunter Douglas from 1982 to 1999. From 1994 - 1999 he was a QC Supervisor. In 1999 he began working as a maintenance custodian for Morton College. He’s been at WSBC since December 2003. He is married to Angelina and they have two wonderful children: Edwin and Sabrina.