Obituary of Rev. Dr. George Evenson

Rev. Dr. George Evenson of Camrose, Ab. passed away on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at the age of 104 years. George Oliver Evenson, eldest child of Edward and Bertha Evenson, was born March 30, 1911 at Lake Preston, South Dakota. His pastor/grandfather, Gulbrand Evenson, officiated at his baptism May 21, 1911. In 1913 his parents moved to a farm near Sinai, South Dakota. He was confirmed in Sinai Lutheran Church on April 19, 1925. He graduated from Sinai High School in the spring of 1928. That fall he enrolled at Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There he went through a spiritual crisis which clarified for him the place of Christ in his life. After one year of college he taught public school for two years. He returned to Augustana and graduated in May 1934. That fall he entered Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, from which he graduated May 30, 1938. The same day he married Ruth Marguerite Pederson. He accepted a call to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, was ordained in Sinai June 19, and entered Canada July 1, 1938. Eventually he became a Canadian citizen. He was instrumental in the re-opening of the Outlook Lutheran College as a Bible School in 1939. From 1940 to 1951 he served this school (now known as the Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute (LCBI) as President, Business Manager, Teacher, and Choir Director. This was followed by pastoral service at Central Lutheran, Edmonton 1951 to 1954, a brief Presidency at Camrose Lutheran College, 1955 to 1956, and a Professorship (1957 to 1974) at Luther Theological Seminary, Saskatoon. He returned to pastoral ministry at Mount Olivet Lutheran, Sherwood Park, from 1974 to 1980. For five years after his retirement in 1980 he taught part-time at the Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute (CLBI) Camrose. Throughout his active ministry he was involved in wider church affairs, as a member of various synodical, national church, and inter-synodical committees, boards, and commissions. On a sabbatical leave in 1965 he taught for a month at the Lutheran Seminary in Madagascar, and engaged in post-graduate study at the University of Manchester, England. He authored published histories of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCC), LCBI, and CLBI. He frequently contributed articles to church and theological journals. In 1982 he was sent by the ELCC to be guest lecturer at two missionary retreats in Papua, New Guinea. George was pre-deceased by his beloved wife, Marguerite, March 29, 1987, and by five sisters and two brothers. He leaves to mourn two sons; Leonard (Jacqueline) and Thomas, and one daughter; Lois (Terry) Tomtene. George is also survived his seven grandchildren; Steven (Jeannette) Tomtene, Susan (Dan) Slind, Kristy (Dwayne) Rhead, Linda (Michael) Sandilands, Trevor Evenson, Michelle (Brad) Koshka, and Marcel Evenson, eleven great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. Throughout his life he lived by his motto "Live dependent on God; live simply; live to serve." A Funeral Service was held in Messiah Lutheran Church (4810-50St.), Camrose, at 2:00pm., on Friday, October 30, 2015 with Bishop Larry Kochendorfer and Diaconal minister Bev Swanson officiating. Inurnment has taken place in The Camrose Cemetery. If friends and family so desire memorial contributions are gratefully accepted to The Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute in Outlook Saskatchewan, The Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute in Camrose, Alberta, or The Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon.